FollowTheMoney.org, a website associated with the Montana-based National Institute on Money in State Politics, tracks spending on campaigns across the country, and the data on Colorado confirms that agenda-driven greenbacks flooded the state last year at an unprecedented rate. Here are some bullets assembled by NIMSP’s Mike Wessler: • Colorado’s…
After the Independent Ethics Commission failed to censure 6th District Congressman Mike Coffman, Colorado Ethics Watch director Chantall Taylor issued a statement expressing disappointment that the IEC had let Coffman off the hook so easily. Not surprisingly, Coffman’s own response to the ruling is considerably different. Instead of taking satisfaction…
The folks at Colorado Ethics Watch, the organization that originally brought a complaint against 6th District Congressman Mike Coffman in regard to his actions while serving as Colorado’s Secretary of State, aren’t thrilled with the just-announced decision by the Independent Ethics Commission to clear Coffman of wrongdoing. Moments ago, CEW…
The Independent Ethics Commission, which has been investigating complaints against 6th District Congressman Mike Coffman, has ruled that there is “insufficient evidence under either a clear and convincing standard of proof or a preponderance of the evidence standard of proof to find that Coffman violated any standard of ethical conduct.”…
Our daily blog round-up is here. Send tips this way. According to financial disclosure statements, Ken Salazar is not hiding bundles of money underneath that giant hat. (Colorado Independent) Introducing the Jay Cutler bath mat! (The Decider) The battle over Pinnacol spills into the streets outside the Capitol. (Colorado Pols)…
If Denver’s marijuana enthusiasts are serious about decriminalizing their favorite narcotic, they sure didn’t show much enthusiasm for it on Thursday night. Or maybe they just got stoned and forgot. Either way, I was surprised by how few people showed up for the Official 420 Rally Fundraiser, held at Pure…
Our daily blog round-up. Send links. Colorado’s same-sex civil-union movement is gaining steam. This oughta be fun. (Colorado Independent) If you’re reading this on your phone while driving, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. (5280) In Lakewood, federal funding will help save abandoned houses. (Lakewood Edge)…
Did John Hickenlooper officially announce his re-election campaign in a downtown whiskey distillery this week? Or was the ever-entertaining Denver mayor just feeling particularly spirited (the election is May 2, 2011). The truth is murky — almost as murky as this poorly composed cell-phone image captured just minutes before the…
Highlights from the local blogosphere. Send tips. Some of Denver’s hottest politicos… aren’t very hot. (Face the State) George Karl for Coach of the Year? That’s an oddly sound idea. (Denver Stiffs) How cool! Our own little Bernie Madoff wannabe! (Colorado Independent)…
Face the State, the feisty conservative political blog and repeated Westword Best of Denver winner, took a break from its liberal-bashing hijinks long enough to come out with its 2009 list of “Hottest Politicos.” We congratulate FTS for its impartiality: The 17 winners include Republicans like Nancy Spence, Democrats like…
Street artist Shepard Fairey, whose “HOPE” poster became an icon of the Obama campaign, did an interview with Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air earlier this week. Now that the Smithsonian recently purchased the original stenciled poster for its National Portrait Gallery in Washington, Fairey has officially gone from outsider…
The inauguration ceremonies for President Obama seem to have gone smoothly yesterday, with no arrests and only a few small logistical mishaps reported. Quite a feat, considering the record two million people who flooded into Washington for the event. It all serves to illustrate the ways local and national organizers…
In case you strategically blocked it from your memory, the Obama campaign has produced a fourteen-minute behind-the-scenes video from the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Propaganda, obviously, but there’s some fun stuff in here. — Joe Tone…
Tickets for sale. In the aftermath of the Democratic National Convention, peddlers have not unexpectedly taken to eBay to sell leftover T-shirts and buttons and other paraphernalia. But there have also been other kinds of souvenirs for sale, as well such as the “goodie bags” that delegates received, DNC keycards…
Chips ahoy! Barack Obama has been losing ground to John McCain in many national polls among likely voters — but he’s apparently way out front among Mexican food. At least that’s one way to interpret the bizarre set of just-posted videos below, which date from the Democratic National Convention. In…
“I wish I’d been hooking in Denver for the DNC.” Right now, everyone is hard at work dissecting the various successes and failures of the DNC. They’re talking about the dearth of cabs, the profusion of really ugly T-shirts for sale, and who ate what and where and when. Me?…
We awoke this morning and wouldn’t you know it: The stench has lifted. You know, that smell that hung heavily all week — that subtle mix of patriotism (the proud delegates) and patchouli (the street whores), with a touch of bad-ass (Obama) and a slight whiff of bullshit (still Obama)…
Artist Shepard Fairey’s images have been widely used throughout the campaign. One hundred-fifty two people were arrested during DNC protest events in Denver this past week, for charges ranging from “assault on a police officer” to “throwing stones or missiles.” But buried in the list is the name Frank S…
Meth ahoy! Those waiting to get into Invesco Field at Mile High last night to hear Barack Obama’s acceptance speech went on quite an odyssey as the queue snaked this way and that through the stadium’s asphalt wasteland. Attendees were forced to clamber down hillsides, guard against line cutters at…
View image. The line to get into Invesco Field at Mile High for Barack Obama’s acceptance speech last night seemed to go on forever – but just how long was it? Using Westword’s advanced mapping tools (Google, a ruler and a calculator), we traced and measured the line’s route at…
Lines, lines, everywhere lines. The day started out so well. At 10 a.m., my boyfriend and I heard from friends who had two extra community credentials to Barack Obama’s historic acceptance speech at Invesco Field. They hadn’t been properly “activated” with our names by the deadline the night before, but…
At last. Oh yeah: After 8 p.m. during the big Invesco Field at Mile High Show on Thursday, Barack Obama came out and talked for a while. Not a bad speaker… — Michael Roberts…
