Author
Report finds racial, ethnic disparities in Colorado’s crime victim services
Colorado victim services have a serious diversity problem, according to a report released this week from the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. In 99% of the organizations that receive state and federal grant money to serve crime victims, people of color are “substantially underrepresented,” the report found. While one grant program — created in 2018 […]
Muslim state lawmaker says Boebert-style rhetoric fuels hate
Colorado’s first Muslim state lawmaker believes words — like those recently used by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert — have consequences. “(Boebert’s) rhetoric is what continues to fuel that hate towards Muslims and gives this unspoken permission to continue that hate,” said state Rep. Iman Jodeh, an Aurora Democrat who is the spokeswoman for the Colorado […]
More than $73M in unemployment benefits paid to potential fraudsters, audit finds
Colorado paid more than $73 million in unemployment benefits to likely or potential fraudsters from March 2020 through April 2021, according to a new report from the state auditor’s office. The dubious payouts included approximately $3.9 million in benefits paid on behalf of dead people and $100,000 on behalf of children younger than working age. […]
In restoring gray wolves to Colorado, big decisions lie ahead for wildlife planners
When Colorado voted in 2020 to reintroduce gray wolves to the Western Slope, the victory was by no means a landslide for wolf advocates. Just 50.9% of voters supported Proposition 114, a citizen-backed initiative that required the state to develop and implement a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves west of the Continental Divide […]
Rep. Neguse calls on Senate to keep immigration policy in social spending bill
The massive social spending and climate bill that passed the U.S. House last month included some significant immigration reform provisions, though progressive Democrats were disappointed that it didn’t provide for a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, as they’d originally hoped. While it wouldn’t allow undocumented people to receive lawful permanent resident status, […]
End tissue donation policy that discriminates against gay men, write Neguse, Crow, Bennet
Despite a shortage of people consenting to donate corneas, heart valves, skin and other tissue after their death, the U.S. bars many gay and bisexual men from becoming tissue donors. Several dozen Democratic lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse of Lafayette and Jason Crow of Aurora, along with U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, are calling on […]
Boebert lashes out in call to Omar, refuses to apologize
In a Monday phone call, Colorado U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert didn’t apologize for her repeated anti-Muslim comments, according to the Minnesota congresswoman who was the target of those comments and the recipient of the phone call. “Instead of apologizing for her Islamophobic comments and fabricated lies, Rep. Boebert refused to publicly acknowledge her hurtful and […]
Boebert issues apology after suicide-bomber reference to Rep. Omar, who calls Colorado lawmaker ‘buffoon’
Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert issued an apology Friday after a video circulated showing her suggest that if Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota were wearing a backpack then Boebert would suspect her of being a suicide bomber. Boebert, a Republican from Silt, made headlines recently for saying a Omar, who is Muslim, was part of the […]
Complaint alleges El Paso County GOP violations tied to Marjorie Taylor Greene dinner
The vice chair of the El Paso County Republican Party is alleging campaign finance violations associated with an Aug. 6 fundraising dinner, where controversial Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene was the keynote speaker. Chair Vicki Tonkins, and by extension the party, failed to accurately report expenditures and contributions associated with the dinner, Vice Chair Karl […]
Aurora leaders, community members call for an end to youth gun violence
Following the shootings of nine Aurora high school students in two incidents that took place within a single week, state Sen. Rhonda Fields brought local leaders and community members to the Dayton Street Opportunity Center to talk public safety. Close to 100 people packed into the space. “My soul is heavy. And it’s weary,” said […]
Proposed Colorado laws address intersection of mental illness, crime
Next year, Colorado lawmakers will consider several bills that would change how the criminal justice system treats mentally ill people. The General Assembly’s Legislative Council — a panel of top Democrats and Republicans in the Colorado Senate and House of Representatives — approved five bills proposed by a committee tasked with studying the treatment of people […]
Aurora agrees to pay $15M in settlement with Elijah McClain’s parents
A settlement agreement reached this week between the parents of Elijah McClain and the city of Aurora totals $15 million, making it one of the largest police-related settlements in Colorado history. McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, died in August of 2019 following his violent arrest by Aurora Police Department officers and Aurora Fire paramedics. “No […]