McCain quietly supports anti-affirmative action agenda

To figure out where the presidential candidates stand on affirmative action, one need look no further than Colorado’s ballot. Amendment 46, dubbed the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, will destroy preferential treatment for women and minorities in public contracting, hiring and education. That measure, plus an identical one on Nebraska’s ballot, is part of a national attempt to dismantle affirmative action state by state.

The effort’s main backer, a black California businessman named Ward Connerly, has sunk hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Colorado proposal alone. In an interview with the Associated Press, Connerly said that John McCain has tepidly endorsed the measure but “would ideally like to leave [the issue] alone,” if elected.

Ritter: Anti-affirmative action initiative will ‘destroy years of progress’

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter lambasted Amendment 46 at a press conference this afternoon, saying that the anti-affirmative action ballot measure will hurt our economy.

“We are in a time in this country and in this state where we have to keep our economy moving forward,” said Ritter, who spoke surrounded by supporters on the west steps of the state Capitol. “Amendment 46 takes us in the wrong direction.”

Ward Connerly responds to negative ad

Last week, a TV ad criticizing anti-affirmative action guru Ward Connerly appeared in Colorado and Nebraska.

Judge dismisses complaints that anti-affirmative action petitioners misled voters

An administrative law judge has thrown out charges that Amendment 46 petition circulators misled people into signing on to the anti-affirmative action measure.

Amendment 46 seeks to end preferential treatment for women and minorities in public employment, education and contracting. The controversially named Colorado Civil Rights Initiative is part of a five-state effort launched by California businessman Ward Connerly to end affirmative action.

Affirmative-action defenders slam Jessica Peck Corry

A Colorado campaign to defend affirmative affirmative action programs against a ballot initiative that seeks to destroy them has some harsh words for its opponents.

With just six weeks and counting until voters are asked to weigh in on the controversially named Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, the Vote No campaign has dropped its lawsuit against its rivals and opted instead for a concentrated advertising campaign.

‘No on 46′ spells out expected affirmative action cuts

A Colorado ballot initiative, Amendment 46, seeks to destroy affirmative action programs throughout the state. Brought forward by California businessman Ward Connerly, the so-called Colorado Civil Rights Initiative does not specify exactly which programs will disappear should it pass.

And until yesterday, opponents of the measure were also loath to identify the programs that might be targeted, citing concerns that Connerly and his team would single out those very programs for demolition.

Measure to end affirmative action goes to voters

A campaign seeking to quash Colorado’s anti-affirmative action ballot measure faces an onerous battle in the weeks ahead as the Nov. 4 election nears. The group hopes to convince voters to reject the initiative that will dismantle affirmative action programs if passed. But a series of failed legal challenges have left organizers with little cash as they scramble to put together a cogent counter-campaign.