Tag: Art Way

You might think the issue of marijuana legalization had been settled, at least as far as Coloradans were concerned. Turns out some people aren't so sure, and one of them is former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy.

According to a Rasmussen poll of 1000 adults conducted May 12 and released last week, American voters favor legalizing marijuana by a margin of 56 percent to 36 percent.

This morning, proponents of a statewide initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana submitted nearly 160,000 signatures in support of placing the measure on the 2012 ballot. Only 86,105 valid signatures of registered Colorado voters are needed to qualify.

Colorado Congressman Jared Polis wasted no time in taking advantage of his appointment to the Judiciary Committee. Thursday Polis sat down with Attorney General Eric Holder and asked whether the Ogden memo was still in effect.

It is probably just a coincidence, but polling released today by Public Policy Polling shows that Coloradans love Tim Tebow and think marijuana should be legal. If they had to choose one or the other, though, it looks like Tebow in a landslide.

Local community advocates say Monday's resignation of Denver Manager of Safety Ron Perea does not end their concern about the office in the wake of police excessive force allegations. After the sped-up process of selecting Perea following former Manager of Safety Al LaCabe's decision to retire, advocates interviewed by the Colorado Independent are calling for more community involvement in both the selection process and Perea's replacement.

DENVER-- On Monday lawmakers and civil rights activists celebrated Governor Bill Ritter signing into law the so-called informed consent bill, which requires police to tell people they have a right to refuse to be searched during interaction with authorities. Although the bill drew rare bipartisan support in the fractious legislature this session, supporters were concerned that Ritter, a long-time tough District Attorney loath to dilute law enforcement power, might veto the bill. He didn't, which was cause for celebration.

Civil rights activists are turning up pressure on Gov. Bill Ritter to sign legislation this week that would force police to inform citizens of their right to deny police searches.

DENVER-- Backed by a coalition of citizens' rights groups, Democratic lawmakers Rep. Karen Middleton of Aurora and Sen. Pat Steadman of Denver introduced a bill that would require police to inform citizens of their right to refuse voluntary searches. The groups backing the bill believe it would limit traffic stops and searches that stem from discrimination.