The Colorado Independent

Colorado River Agreement signed by major players

By Scot Kersgaard | 05.16.12 | 1:45 pm

In the American West, the battle for control of water never really ends, but on Tuesday a major agreement among key Colorado players promised greater future cooperation to get more water to more people more consistently. The Colorado River Cooperative Agreement was signed by Denver Water and representatives from Grand County, Summit County, the Colorado River District and the Clinton Ditch & Reservoir Company.

Study documents economic muscle of Colorado River

By Scot Kersgaard | 05.14.12 | 11:15 am

The Colorado River provides much of the West with drinking water, water for crops and even water for fracking. In the end, though, it may be the non-consumptive use of recreation that is the river’s most important economic contribution to Colorado and the region.

Colorado Republicans vote to fund fed war on medical marijuana

By Scot Kersgaard | 05.11.12 | 11:33 am

An amendment to the U.S. House Appropriations Bill that would have required the Department of Justice to stand down in pursuing cases against the medical marijuana industry failed Wednesday night on a mostly party line vote. Colorado’s seven-member delegation split on the amendment, with Democrats voting in favor and Republicans voting against.

Bennet at CU campaigns for Violence Against Women Act

By John Tomasic | 05.02.12 | 12:02 pm

BOULDER– U.S. Senator Michael Bennet told students, staff and faculty members at the University of Colorado campus here Tuesday that he was proud to champion the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and happy that the Senate voted in favor of its reauthorization by a broad bipartisan majority.

CD 2 pits Lundberg against upstart Weissmann for chance to run against Polis

By Scot Kersgaard | 04.27.12 | 2:46 pm

On the one hand, you have Jared Polis, an openly gay, socially progressive multimillionaire as the incumbent Democrat in Colorado’s Second Congressional District. On the other hand you have two very different Republicans running for the chance to run against Polis. You have current Colorado State Senator Kevin Lundberg, an arch social conservative who has been among the legislature’s leaders in fighting against civil unions legislation.

Udall goes to bat for veterans discharged under DADT

By Scot Kersgaard | 04.25.12 | 1:00 pm

While the American military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy was rescinded late in 2011, its negative effects linger for some veterans discharged under the policy.

Polis, Perlmutter among very few who voted for compromise budget plan

By Scot Kersgaard | 04.06.12 | 7:34 am

Colorado Democratic Congressmen Ed Perlmutter and Jared Polis were among only 38 members of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote in favor of a bipartisan compromise budget that would have raised taxes and cut spending.

Gardner high-roller junket makes national news, plays into Shaffer campaign message

By John Tomasic | 03.16.12 | 3:08 pm

CBS News aired undercover video Friday that captured Colorado Republican U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner and other Tea Party freshman members of Congress hobnobbing with high-rolling donors at a Key Largo yacht club, downing cocktails at a $10,000-a-head happy hour and venturing to sea on a chartered fishing boat named the “Good Life.”

Bennet joins group to address Super PAC situation

By Scot Kersgaard | 03.14.12 | 10:58 am

On the heels of a new poll that shows 70 percent of Americans think Super PACs should be outlawed, Colorado Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet has joined a task force to craft a new legislative response to blunt the impact from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing corporations and anonymous special interests to spend unlimited sums to influence elections.