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Friday, October 13, 2006
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North Denver News: "The lawyer for the Ritter campaign has sent a letter to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, suggesting that the Beauprez campaign may have misused a federal crime database in researching the information, violating state and federal law. The attorney, Trey Rogers, has requested an investigation. The Beauprez campaign has previously told a television reporter that it used an 'FBI number,' which would mean it had access to the National Crime Information Center (or NCIC) database, to link the crime in Calfornia to the Colorado felon.
"Roger's letter says that California is a 'closed records' state, meaning the access to the Ramo-Medina records would require official level access to computer systems.
"The Beauprez campaign claims to obtain the information through a Freedom of Information Act request. But according to our investigation, such a request would not allow access to a third party's records."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
5:47:10 PM 
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Matt Singer (via Left in the West): "There's been a lot of back-and-forth over libertarian Democrats. I've said it before. I'll say it again. The West doesn't have a libertarian streak. It has a 'f*ck you' streak. It's the streak that gives us the people in bars who hate their boss for telling 'em what to do, their union for taking part of their paycheck, the government for taking part of their paycheck, the church for judging 'em, the schools for telling their kids what to think, and on and on and on.
"It's called populism. And it's a cousin (by an on-again, off-again marriage) of libertarianism, but it's pretty damn distinct. It's also an extremely confused, often contradictory, deeply cynical ideology that isn't always political."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:37:14 PM
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Andrew Sullivan is pointing to a YouTube featuring John Suthers' new friend, John Walters, campaigning against Nevada's marijuana intiative. Mr. Sullivan writes, "Watch the federal drug tsar, John Walters, boast about spending federal money on stopping Nevadans from deciding their own policies on marijuana regulation. It's one more sign that this administration loathes states' rights if they get in the way of big government moralizing. It's a classic case of the GOP's attack on principled conservatism and states' rights. If you're a Nevadan, you have a chance to tell the federal government where to shove it. Vote yes on Question 7. If you're an American tax-payer, tell the feds not to spend your money interfering with state politics."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
5:21:48 PM
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Mason Tvert called out public officials for campaigning against Amendment 44 on Thursday, sparking an angry response, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "Diverging opinions about a marijuana- legalization initiative led to a finger-jabbing shouting match during a news conference Thursday featuring local, state and federal officials opposed to Amendment 44. The angry exchange came at the end of speeches given by White House National Drug Control deputy director Scott Burns and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, who oppose the measure. Mason Tvert, campaign director for the Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Committee, a group attempting to legalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for adults in Colorado, asked Burns, Suthers and other elected officials standing in front of a 'Marijuana - Not in Our Community' banner, 'Who paid for this press conference? Why don't you have to file a campaign finance report when you are engaged in campaigning?' he asked as various speakers attempted to quell his questions. Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey, one of the speakers against Amendment 44, answered that, as drug experts, they had the right to talk about the marijuana initiative. Suthers was visibly angered when he told Tvert, 'You are just flat wrong' about campaign finance law - as wrong, he said, as Tvert is about drug laws. 'As public officials, we are perfectly entitled to step up and express our opinions at any time,' Suthers said."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:13:47 AM
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If you're still undecided about the gubernatorial candidate you're going to vote for the issue of low-income housing may help crystalize things for you. Here's an article from the Denver Post about a forum yesterday between the two. From the article, "Republican Bob Beauprez and Democrat Bill Ritter clashed Thursday over how best to provide low-income residents with affordable housing. Beauprez said he doesn't support affordable-housing mandates on developers because they drive up the cost of other units. 'What you've got to be very careful about, I think, are some well-intended but, I think, wrong-headed municipalities that have forced affordable housing into their communities,' Beauprez said during a gubernatorial debate. Ritter said, 'I don't think you should just dismiss inclusionary ordinances outright.' He said the requirements can be creatively applied. Ritter said he saw a developer fill his affordable-housing quota by developing a separate project that became a rent-to-own program for single mothers. Beauprez said development fees for transportation, education and other impacts are increasing housing costs by up to $50,000 a home. The state should work with stakeholder groups, Ritter said, before using real-estate-transfer taxes to pay for affordable housing, as other states have...
"Both men agreed that women- and minority-owned businesses should be given more opportunities to work on state contracts. Small businesses, Ritter said, can't afford to bid on large state contracts but should be given opportunities as subcontractors."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:03:08 AM
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Here's an article about Amendment 40 from the Montrose Daily Press. They write, "Critics of Amendment 40 contend the ballot measure for judicial term limits will hurt the Western Slope. Its proponents, however, say the amendment will bring the state appellate judiciary in line with limits placed on other branches of government - and they're not concerned with the array of opposition. 'It's a poorly written amendment. It's just bad government,' former Colorado Governor John Vanderhoof said Wednesday. Vanderhoof's view is shared by Gov. Bill Owens, former governors Roy Romer and Dick Lamm, several members of the Colorado Bar Association, trial court judges and area legislators. But John Andrews, former state senate president and campaign chair at Limit the Judges, said politicians rarely favor term limits of any kind. 'Political establishment tends to rally around and protect its own,' he said. In his corner are Lawyers for Limits, four state representatives, two district attorneys and the Colorado State Shooting Association."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
5:29:00 AM
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Here are the Rocky Mountain News' endorsements for state Senate. From the article, "SD 32 (Denver, Jefferson): Democrat Chris Romer, son of the former governor, will win easily over Dave Lewis, who is mounting only token opposition. Romer, a public finance banker with JPMorgan Chase, is bubbling over with ideas, some of them good and a few slightly dubious. But his energy and intelligence are not in doubt, and he is likely to quickly become an influential and effective lawmaker."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
5:21:20 AM
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© Copyright 2006 John Orr.
Last update: 11/1/06; 7:46:35 AM.
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