The Colorado Independent

Wednesday, June 19th, 2013

Government Accountability/Reform

Debate Over Guns, Morse Recall Mired in Cyber Censorship

By | 06.19.13 | 10:47 am

With just weeks to go before the tightest gun controls in the West take effect — required background checks on firearms, with performance fee paid by the buyer or seller and a ban on high-capacity magazines — Morse’s potential recall from his El Paso County District seat has made Colorado a political battleground for a nationwide debate. Much the fight taking place in cyberspace isn’t just about who gets guns, but also who’s getting heard.

Hickenlooper Appoints New Director to Department of Corrections

By | 06.14.13 | 2:33 pm

Gov. John Hickenlooper on Friday appointed Wisconsin’s former prisons chief, Rick Raemisch, as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections. For his part, Raemisch described himself in a prepared statement as “a strong law and order individual, but I also believe that people can change.”

Colo. Defense Lawyers: Suthers, Prosecutors Suppressed Crime Lab Concerns

By | 06.14.13 | 1:08 am

Colorado prosecutors were informed about alleged misconduct in the state toxicology lab at least three weeks before the problems were disclosed to defense lawyers, according to documents obtained by The Colorado Independent.

Coloradans Hold Breath Watching Washington Wrangle Over Farm Bill

By | 06.12.13 | 8:56 am

The titanic piece of legislation known simply as “the farm bill” is being debated again in Washington. The legislation is critical for Colorado, where agriculture contributes $40.7 billion annually to the state economy, making it the second-largest revenue-generating industry after tourism.

Udall Sends Out ‘I Warned You’ Pitch in Wake of Surveillance Revelations

By | 06.10.13 | 1:56 pm

He made impassioned speeches on the Senate floor, held press conferences and appeared on the Sunday talk shows. For years, Colorado Senator Mark Udall has been telling anyone who will listen that key provisions of the Patriot Act are being used by the the government to tread on citizens’ constitutional rights to privacy.

Colorado Defense Attorneys Suspect Cover- Up in Toxicology Lab Investigation

By | 06.10.13 | 9:54 am

DENVER– Colorado’s legal-defense community is raising questions about “what appears to be a cover-up” of systemic problems at the state lab that tests evidence in criminal cases.

Colorado’s Mesa County a National Leader in Domestic Drone Use

By | 06.06.13 | 3:56 pm

A county in western Colorado has embraced domestic police drones in an era when states are increasingly limiting use of the technology.

Report: Oil and Gas Industry Exerts Outsized Political Influence in Colorado

By | 05.30.13 | 2:12 pm

DENVER– A report released today by Colorado Ethics Watch describes oil-and-gas industry spending on state election campaigns and legislative lobbying efforts as disproportionally influential and “shocking.”

ACLU Still Pushing for Secret Nathan Dunlap Execution Documents

By | 05.25.13 | 1:46 pm

When Gov. John Hickenlooper this week blocked the execution of Nathan Dunlap, he called for a statewide conversation about the death penalty. His decision to reprieve the Chuck E. Cheese’s murderer came weeks after Colorado lawmakers killed a bill to abolish capital punishment on grounds that the topic needs more public debate.

Gessler Pays Back Travel Cash, Seeks an End to Ethics Flap

By | 05.23.13 | 6:28 pm

Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler on Monday cut a personal check to the Department of State for $1,278.90, looking to put an end to an ethics investigation that has stretched on since the middle of October and that seemed likely to continue attracting headlines and draining public funds for months to come.

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