Colorado ballot chock-full this year

With the longest ballot in the country this year, Colorado voters will face a dizzying list of 18 questions come November. But impassioned, signature-gathering citizens aren’t the only ones to blame for packing the mondo ballot. Four of the questions were placed on the ballot by the state legislature. Called referenda, this year’s items deal with state government rules and procedures. And, in a grand twist, one of them makes it harder for citizens to amend the state’s constitution via the initiative process.

In the Matter of The Rocky, Douglas Bruce and Anonymous Sources

No criminal charges. No witnesses. A classic “he said, she said.” Leadership would not corroborate. What is the difference between The Rocky Mountain News’ approach to stories involving anonymous sexual harassment charges against Rep. Michael Garcia and Rep. Douglas Bruce?…

Top Dem Leader Resigns Amid Sex Allegation

“State Representative Michael Garcia is resigning, effective immediately.  He will release a statement later today.”

4:30 P.M. UPDATE; Garcia has issued a statement, claiming the conduct between himself and the “other party” was “consensual,” though inappropriate given his…

Hole-in-One Berens Takes Aim at Newspaper

The Broomfield Enterprise reported today that Representative Bill Berens (R-Broomfield) plans to file a complaint against the newspaper for printing a letter to the editor referencing a $20,000 cash gift he received from the Colorado Oil…

UPDATED: GOP State Legislator Takes Legally-Questionable Gift from Oil & Gas Group

Colorado Confidential has learned that State Rep. Bill Berens (R-Broomfield) accepted $20,000 from the Colorado Oil and Gas Association in an apparent violation of a new law prohibiting legislators from taking cash contributions.

Oddly, Berens ratted…