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Cracks in Colorado’s left: Democrat infighting spills into the headlines
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Cracks in Colorado’s left: Democrat infighting spills into the headlines

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Colorado Sun follows Democrat dark money?! Like a Yukon fur trapper making his semi annual visit to town to see the store, bar, and brothel, the Sun recently decided to delve into Democrat dark money. Their story is linked first below and details a Vail conference some Democratic state lawmakers recently had.The conference was put on and attended by a group of lawmakers going by the name the Opportunity Caucus. This caucus is set up as a nonprofit and doesn’t reveal its donors, though it also gets funding from its legislator members. The Opportunity Caucus was helped (incubated?) by one of Colorado’s copious lefty nonprofits, One Main Street.Why would the Sun pick these groups to investigate and report on out of all the...
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Five Suspects Nabbed in Organized Crime Spree Across 25 Jurisdictions
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kdvr.com, Approved, State

Five Suspects Nabbed in Organized Crime Spree Across 25 Jurisdictions

By: Heather Willard, Jacob Factor | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday morning executed nine search warrants after an 18-month investigation of an alleged criminal enterprise that committed crimes in 25 Colorado jurisdictions, resulting in the arrest of five people. One person remains at large. The 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said that the crime ring is responsible for over $828,880 in stolen property and $39,880 in damaged property, impacting more than 55 victims. County officials said on Wednesday morning that the nine search warrants were part of a “grand jury investigation,” and on Wednesday afternoon, officials said that a crime ring that targeted the Front Range had been brought to a “halt.” The Boulder County District At...
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As Paychecks Stop, Colorado Helps Federal Workers Stay Afloat
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DENVER7, Approved, State

As Paychecks Stop, Colorado Helps Federal Workers Stay Afloat

By: Jessica Porter | Denver7 The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment held its second virtual town hall for federal employees affected by the government shutdown. DENVER — The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) held its second virtual town hall on Wednesday for federal employees affected by the government shutdown. The shutdown is now the second-longest in U.S. history, marking its 22nd day on Wednesday. The CDLE advises workers not to wait until they have exhausted their funds or missed a paycheck to apply for benefits. They should file a claim the day after their last day of work by going to MyUI+. “If you wait to file, you may not be able to get benefits for the weeks you were out of work and didn’t apply,” said Phil Spesshardt with...
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Colorado Wolf Reintroduction May Have Violated Federal Law
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CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Colorado Wolf Reintroduction May Have Violated Federal Law

By: Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado A plan to import 15 more wolves to Colorado from Canada may violate federal law.  Wolves are listed as an endangered species here, so Colorado Parks and Wildlife needs a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to relocate wolves here from other states. The permit issued by USFWS in 2023 lists six states where Colorado can source wolves. It doesn't list Canada, where CPW got 15 wolves last year and plans to get another 15 wolves this year. Former congressman and current gubernatorial candidate Greg Lopez says USFWS dropped the ball by allowing CPW to import wolves from Canada, which he says is a clear violation of its federal permit.  "The terms and conditions are that they can only get wolves from the Northern Rocky Mountains. They...
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Colorado’s car theft crisis: How policy mistakes fueled years of record losses
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s car theft crisis: How policy mistakes fueled years of record losses

By Mike O’Donnell | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website highlights that there were 95,564 fewer reported motor vehicle thefts across the United States in calendar year 2024 than there were in 2008, a decrease of around 10%. But not in Colorado where, due to policy choices by politicians and the court system, the number of motor vehicle thefts increased by 131%. The Colorado Crime Statistics website shows that the number of reported motor vehicle thefts in the state increased from 11,004 in 2008 to 25,424 in 2024. And 2024 was a much better year for Coloradans than in 2020 when 28,246 vehicles were stolen. It was also better than in 2021 when there were 37,249 thefts; 2022 saw a record 41,390 vehicles stolen (113 per day), and 2023 when t...
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When lawmakers silence citizens, who holds them accountable?
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

When lawmakers silence citizens, who holds them accountable?

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Does legislative immunity mean CO legislators who cut people’s testimony off face no personal consequence? The Colorado Politics article below details a recent Federal appeals court hearing to determine what limits a legislator could place on a citizen’s speech without facing consequences. The case at hand stems from a couple of hearings back in the regular 2024 legislative session. The plaintiffs in the suit allege that lawmakers who cut off the mics of those trying to testify on bills relating to gender issues were illegally censoring them.** Quoting the article: “The plaintiffs have argued that Democratic committee chairs inappropriately cut them off while they were testifying because the witnesses re...
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Data Shows Fewer Repeat Offenders Yet More Violent Crime in Colorado
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Data Shows Fewer Repeat Offenders Yet More Violent Crime in Colorado

By Marissa Ventrelli | The Denver Gazette Colorado’s latest justice data reveals an apparent contradiction: while fewer offenders are returning to prison, violent crime is climbing across the state. A detailed analysis released this month shows Colorado’s recidivism rate has fallen sharply—among the steepest declines nationwide. Yet the same dataset shows that violent offenses, including assault and homicide, have steadily increased since 2013. Analysts point to bail reforms, reduced arrests, and shifting sentencing priorities as major contributors. Supporters of these policies say they prevent unnecessary incarceration, while critics contend they have weakened accountability and deterrence. The findings come as Colorado lawmakers continue to debate whether recent justice refor...
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Audit Finds Financial Strain Growing in 16 Colorado School Districts
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Audit Finds Financial Strain Growing in 16 Colorado School Districts

By: Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Sixteen school districts in Colorado, almost all of them rural, are showing signs of financial stress, according to an audit released on the fiscal health of the state’s 178 public school districts. Eighteen other districts, however, are moving off the list with improvements to their fiscal health in the 2023-24 fiscal year. The Ellicott School District, east of Colorado Springs, was under the bullseye Monday, with five missed benchmarks in 2023-24, up from one in 2022-23. The district had no missed benchmarks just two years earlier.  School districts with two or more missed financial benchmarks, 2021-2022 to 2023-24. Of the 16 school districts that missed financial benchmarks, four were in rural El Paso County. The...
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The Broncos and the Good Attitude that Outlasts the Game
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

The Broncos and the Good Attitude that Outlasts the Game

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, RMV NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice The Denver Broncos’ big win against the Giants this week wasn’t just a triumph on the scoreboard — it was a tribute to a man whose attitude changed the game long before kickoff. Demaryius Thomas, remembered this week across Broncos Country, embodied something far greater than athletic excellence. His positive attitude and resilience, even in the face of personal challenges, inspired his teammates and fans alike. This inspiration, in turn, contributed to the team's victory. He lived what we might call the good attitude of life — one shaped by virtue, perspective, and grace. The Power of Attitude Thomas often said, “I just thank God for another day.” Simple words, but they carried the weight of perspective. He kn...
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Tina Peters’ attorney presses Governor Polis and Secretary Griswold to eliminate computer voting machines
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Tina Peters’ attorney presses Governor Polis and Secretary Griswold to eliminate computer voting machines

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Attorney John Case, who represents former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, has sent an open letter to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Secretary of State Jena Griswold urging the state to immediately discontinue electronic voting systems and return to in-person, hand-counted paper ballots. Case’s letter, dated October 21, outlines a series of concerns about the Dominion voting software used in 60 counties. It cites sworn testimony from two former Venezuelan election insiders who claim Dominion’s systems share code and design elements with Smartmatic software previously used in Venezuela—software the witnesses allege was developed to ensure predetermined outcomes. According to the letter, those sworn statements were part of federal court filings in...
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