Gessler’s office shrugs off call for fed probe as ‘congressmen playing politics’

Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler made national news this week by filing a lawsuit to stop Denver County, and by extension all Colorado counties, from mailing ballots to the state’s “inactive” voters. The case drew the attention of voter-rights defender US Reps Charles Gonzalez of Texas and Robert Brady of Pennsylvania, who wrote a letter asking the justice department to investigate. The congressional letter (embedded below) is just the latest alarmed response to Gessler’s lawsuit, which has featured howls from the local and national press, complaints from voter activist groups and legal push-back from Denver and Pueblo county election officials. At the eye of the storm, Gessler communications staff has been mostly hunkered down and silent on the matter, spokesperson Rich Coolidge surfacing at last today in a Texas newspaper to dismiss the congressional concerns as political gamesmanship.

Federal court delivers another blow to Arizona immigration law

The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has backed the Obama Administration in its case against SB 1070, the controversial immigration legislation passed by Arizona lawmakers last year. A three-judge panel ruled Monday that Arizona District Judge Susan Bolton “did not abuse her discretion,” as the Washington Post put it, when she blocked key provisions of the bill.

Justice Dept. probes ex-Bush Interior Secretary Norton over oil shale leases

Former Colorado attorney general and Bush administration Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton is being investigated by the Justice Department for allegedly brokering a deal with Royal Dutch Shell to provide the oil company with potentially lucrative oil shale leases…

Little-enforced law opens window for suits against extremist groups

The threats started in 1995. It was the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and the American Coalition of Life Activists decided to create a poster for their annual meeting listing the names and address of a group of doctors who performed abortions. They called them “the Deadly Dozen,” and declared each guilty of “crimes against humanity.” They offered $5,000 for information leading to their arrest, conviction, or revocation of their medical licenses. ACLA members distributed the poster at the group’s events and published it in an affiliated magazine.

Attorney general directs U.S. marshals to protect abortion clinics, providers

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder dispatched the U.S. Marshals Service to protect “appropriate people and facilities around the nation” in the wake of the killing Sunday morning of late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, Kan.

Likely top candidate…

Sen. Salazar Makes a 180 on AG Gonzales

Sen. Ken Salazar was a witness for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Judge Alberto Gonzales for U.S. Attorney General back in January of 2005.That move was highly criticized by Democrats.

However, in regards…