Tag: Ted Harvey

A bill to force counties to participate in Secure Communities died in a Senate committee Monday. Opponents cited racism and opposition to forcing another unfunded mandate on rural counties.

Secretary of State Scott Gessler's bill to require proof of citizenship of all Colorado voters died Monday in a Senate committee--on a party-line vote. Proof the bill is needed just wasn't there, Democrats said.

After extensive and energetic debate, a bill which would allow undocumented students who attended high school in Colorado access to in-state tuition, passed second hearing in the Senate in a 20-13 vote. The bill passed on party lines.

Former Colorado Springs Senator Dave Schultheis is no longer holding forth on bills on the Senate floor in Denver, but he has continued to exert influence this year as the powerful force behind the conservative Republican Study Committee of Colorado. Now that influence may be waning. This week, a third of the RSCC flock quit the committee, rejecting the would-be radical-right revival.

The feud between outgoing state Republican Party Chair Dick Wadhams and state Sen. Ted Harvey, who aims to succeed him, is exploding with revelations about Harvey’s financial history.

Though the power of the Tea Party weighed on the minds of some Republican legislators today, it was not strong enough to stop the passage of a resolution that would make it more difficult for people to amend the constitution through the ballot amendment process.

The Secretary of State will periodically check voter banks for non-citizens if Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, gets his way in the House. Partnering with Rep. Chris Holbert, R-Parker, to introduce the bill, HB 1149 would accomplish similar goals as Harvey's recently defeated bill that would have required proof of citizenship before registering to vote. The bill includes considerable modifications that could serve to defuse some traditional arguments against the this type of legislation.

In the wake of Dick Wadhams’ exit from GOP leadership, a shootout is erupting over the soul of the state Republican Party. Wadhams this week said he is done with the political sniping – particularly from Tea Party and 9-12 sectors - and is not seeking a third term as party chair.

Declaring that he would have won, but just didn't want to put up with all the second-guessing and back-stabbing, Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams today told Fox 31 he is not running for another term.

The state senate late last week had some fun debating the legacy of former President Ronald Reagan. Had an amendment by Senate Majority Leader John Morse passed Friday, President Ronald Reagan would have been honored by the Senate not only for his achievements in helping to bring down the communist wall, but also for bringing amnesty to 1.7 million undocumented immigrants, tax increases to the State of California and for closing corporate tax loopholes.