Rocky Mountain Voice

Axios

Polis defends ICE data release as criminal investigation matter, but documents raise doubts
Approved, Axios, State

Polis defends ICE data release as criminal investigation matter, but documents raise doubts

By Alayna Alvarez, John Frank | Axios Legal pressure is mounting against Democratic Gov. Jared Polis after revelations that he ordered state officials to comply with an ICE subpoena and hand over personal data of undocumented children in Colorado to federal immigration agents. The latest: Colorado WINS — the union representing more than 27,000 state workers — civil rights group Towards Justice and labor organization Colorado AFL-CIO announced Monday they're joining as plaintiffs on a whistleblower lawsuit filed last week by Scott Moss, a senior labor official in Polis' administration. The groups accuse the governor of "colluding" with ICE agents and violating multiple state laws that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement...
Restaurants win relief as Colorado bill leaves wage hikes to local control
Approved, Axios, State

Restaurants win relief as Colorado bill leaves wage hikes to local control

By John Frank | Axios Denver The nasty fight at the Colorado Capitol over how much to pay tipped restaurant workers ended in a standoff this week. The big picture: Gov. Jared Polis signed the Restaurant Relief Act into Colorado law on Tuesday, with backing from the Colorado Restaurant Association and other major industry organizations. Why it matters: The result is a victory for the opposition, which mounted an aggressive campaign against the legislation, though it gives cash-pinched restaurant owners another chance to make their case at the local level. Threat level: The state's restaurant industry faces a crisis, with as many as 200 closing statewide last year — a majority of which operated in Denver — partially prompting the legislative proposal...
Trump, Rubio move to dismantle ‘Deep State’ grip on national security
Approved, Axios, National

Trump, Rubio move to dismantle ‘Deep State’ grip on national security

By Marc Caputo and Alex Isenstadt | Axios President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have orchestrated a vast restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing its size and transferring many of its powers to the State and Defense departments. Why it matters: Trump's White House sees the NSC as notoriously bureaucratic and filled with longtime officials who don't share the president's vision. A White House official involved in the planning characterized the reorganization as Trump and Rubio's latest move against what they see as Washington's "Deep State." "The NSC is the ultimate Deep State. It's Marco vs. the Deep State. We're gutting the Deep State," the official said of the move, which will cut the NSC staff to about half of its current 350...
Trump and Hegseth unveil $175 billion plans for Golden Dome missile shield
Approved, Axios, National

Trump and Hegseth unveil $175 billion plans for Golden Dome missile shield

By Colin Demarest and Dave Lawler | Axios President Trump on Tuesday touted $25 billion in initial funding for the "Golden Dome" and put Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein in charge of realizing the hemispheric missile shield. The big picture: Golden Dome — previously dubbed Iron Dome, but separate from Israel's missile defense program — is a mammoth undertaking with enthusiastic backing from the president but many doubters in the national security community. Trump said the project will cost around $175 billion and be built over the next three years, though those are both just estimates. The initial $25 billion will be included in the "big beautiful bill" working its way through Congress, Trump said. READ THE FULL STORY AT AXIOS