Inside the structure of Colorado’s Democrat-advocacy complex

By Scott K. James | Commentary, Scott’s Sheet

How a Small Circle of Nonprofits, Appointees & Climate Advocates Took the Reins

Friday, we broke down the rule that choked our highways.

Today, we lift the curtain on the people and organizations pulling the levers.

This isn’t conspiracy theory. It’s process.

It’s not “secret cabal.” It’s perfectly public what they do — just rarely examined.

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1. Meet the Architects

• Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) – Executive Director Elise S. Jones. Based in Boulder. Works in six-state region promoting decarbonization, clean transportation, smart land use. (SWEEP)
• Colorado Energy Office (CEO) – Executive Director Will Toor. Oversees state’s energy & transportation-electrification agenda. Former Boulder County Commissioner, strong climate advocate. (Autos Innovate)

These two names – Jones and Toor – keep cropping up because they’re part of what I call the Climate-Levers Network: nonprofits + government + policy pushes all aligned. Both former Boulder County Commissioners. Both “FOJ” (Friends of Jared, Polis, that is).

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2. Why It Matters

When Jones and Toor show up at meetings, rack up awards, talk about “mobility equity,” “mode shift,” “clean transportation,” they’re not fringe activists. They are the gate-keepers for policy.

You might think: “Fine – they’re free to push this tripe.”

Fine. But here’s the issue when one small network dominates:

• They define what counts as a “solution” (transit, electrification, land-use changes).
• They show up on influential commissions (Jones on the Transportation Commission). (Colorado Department of Transportation)
• They help craft the very rules (GHG rule, transportation planning standard) that lock infrastructure decisions into their worldview.
• And their advocacy hat stays on when they move into public roles – meaning what was once external pressure becomes internal governance.

That’s not democracy. It’s oligarchy by policy-nerd.

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3. Coordinated Advocacy: Your Comments Are Already Written

Here’s how this works in the public record:

• SWEEP issues action-alerts: “Submit supportive comments! Use this template!”
• The CEO then issues funding opportunities tied to “local climate action” & states that “local governments will play a major role in hitting net-zero.” (Colorado Governor’s Office)
• During the GHG Planning Standard rule-making, dozens of comments piled up supporting the rule – before many highway users even knew what it was.

So when the TC says “we heard from the public,” what they often mean is: “we heard from a mobilized, well-funded advocacy machine.”

Meanwhile, you and your buddy, both stuck on I-25 at 7 a.m., never got a chance.

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4. Awards, Appointments & the Insider Loop

• In 2025, SWEEP honored Will Toor with a “Leadership in Energy Efficiency” award. (SWEEP)
• Jones had been a county commissioner, then NGO head, then state appointee. She bridged activism and governance. (SWEEP)

When your rule-makers and your advocacy groups blur into the same people, you lose any meaningful separation between building policy and advocating policy.

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5. Why Weld County and I-25 Get the Short End

Let’s bring it home:
The network above is focused on climate metrics, mode shift, clean transportation, and livable cities.
What they’re less focused on?

• Freight mobility across the plains.
• Safety improvements in high-growth corridors.
• Road capacity in places where driving isn’t a lifestyle choice – it’s the only realistic option.
• Funding for infrastructure built to move goods and people across rural and suburban Colorado.

So what you get is:
Policy built in Boulder boardrooms by FOJ’s” → Advocacy campaigns → Rules written in Denver → “Public comment” heavily stacked by the same advocacy networks → Legislation and rules that deliver transit-centric, climate-centric outcomes.

And rural/frontier/high-growth‐corridor Colorado folks end up stuck in this elitist hellscape.

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6. What Part 3 Shows – and What’s Next

Part 3 makes clear:
It’s not that the folks above are evil.
It’s that they’ve found the machine. And they’re running it.

In Part 4, we’ll dig into how “public comment” was captured – how the appearance of public input became a numbers game, while everyday people stayed sidelined.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT SCOTTKJAMES.COM

Scott K. James is a second-term Weld County Commissioner and former Mayor of Johnstown, Colorado. A fourth-generation Colorado native and 40-year radio veteran, he’s been recognized by both the Colorado Broadcasters’ Association and Colorado Counties, Inc. for his public service and communication leadership. James is a strong advocate for individual liberty, limited government, and rural communities. He lives in Johnstown with his wife, Julie, and their son, Jack.

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.