Colorado Supreme Court fast-tracks ‘clean government’ amendment case

The future of controversial so-called clean government Amendment 54 has been fast-tracked by the Colorado Supreme Court. This week the Court directed attorneys to submit records by next Friday, Sept. 4. Court arguments will begin in the fall.

“There’s a perceived obligation to get appellate clarity when the voters have adopted a law and it has been declared unconstitutional,” said Mark Grueskin, one of the high-powered attorneys who represented plaintiffs fighting the amendment. “There’s just added importance to getting the Supreme Court to weigh in and say there is or is not a problem.”

Judge delivers written injuction of ‘clean government’ Amendment 54

Denver District Judge Catherine Lemon delivered her written preliminary injunction of Amendment 54 this afternoon. The judge decided in favor of plaintiff’s at a hearing June 23 to enjoin, or suspend, the law made by the amendment, which came…

Unions breathe sigh of relief as judge issues Amendment 54 injunction

Denver District Court Judge Catherine Lemon issued an injunction against controversial voter-approved Amendment 54 on Tuesday, agreeing with lawyers for the plaintiffs that the vague and often confusing language of the amendment created laws that were overly broad and clearly violated the right to free speech.

Bipartisan ballot initiative reform bill gains unanimous committee support

Legislation introduced by Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll that would reform the state’s notoriously loose ballot initiative petition process passed the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Tuesday with an unanimous vote, underlining the bipartisan support the bill has gained in the week since it was introduced, partly due to the collaborative approach the speaker, a Denver Democrat, used in drafting the language.

Musgrave-Markey spat raises question: Are campaign lies a crime?

In Colorado, recklessly making false statements about candidates who are running for public office is a criminal offense. But, years after the strict sanctions were adopted, no one has gone to jail for knowingly lying about their political enemies — indeed many say that making such a case stick would be nearly impossible.

41 Ruling Raises More Questions

Like most of the issues surrounding Colorado’s new Ethics in Government law, Thursday’s injunction blocking the gift ban to elected officials and government employees elicited cheers, claims of “disappointment” -

Down To The Wire With 41

A resolution to request the Colorado Supreme Court review the constitutionality of a bill to install Amendment 41 has sailed through a Senate committee. But, with three weeks remaining until the end of the legislative session, it is unclear whether…

No Time Left For 41, Lawyer Warns

UPDATE: Click here for the outcome of the Senate committee hearing.

It’s been four weeks to the day that majority and minority leaders in Colorado’s House and Senate announced a “compromise” over how to proceed with implementing…

Battle Anew Brewing Over Amendment 41

The off-again, mostly on-again battle over implementing Amendment 41 is back on again, with proponents renewing calls on the state Senate to quit “dragging their feet” – or risk a statewide ballot amendment this year that would clarify the…

Compromise Reached On Ethics Law

State House and Senate Republican and Democratic leaders, bickering for months over an ethics in government amendment, on Wednesday reached a compromise over implementing the new law.

The conciliation came just two hours after Denver attorney Mark Grueskin…