"The Big List": 2010 State House And Senate Races

Jeremy Pelzer (formerly of PolitickerCO and 5280) has a complete rundown of announced, projected, and speculative candidates for Colorado House and Senate in 2010 (to be continuously updated):

2010 House Candidates

2010 Senate Candidates

Jeremy's blog Mile High Politics is sure to be a key source for political news for 2010, so be sure to bookmark it and check back frequently.

Denver Metro Young Republicans Legislative Reception 2009

Join Denver Metro Young Republicans on April 7 for our Third Annual Legislative Reception.

Meet your Colorado GOP representatives and senators, along with other Republican officials and VIPs, over cocktails and desserts including (in no particular order)--Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams, Rep. Cory Gardner, CU Regent Tom Lucero, Attorney General John Suthers, Aurora Citycouncilman Ryan Frazier, Independence Institute President Jon Caldara, and many many more representatives, senators, and other past elected officials and prospective 2010 candidates from around the state, not just the Denver Metro Area.

Where: Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, 290 E. Speer Blvd. (parking available behind the building)

When: Tuesday, April 7, at 6:00pm

Admission - pay online through PayPal or at the door:

* Current DMYR members: $10
* Non-members: $15
* Joining members: $30 ($25 membership plus half-price admission - save $5!)

Haven't you heard? Spending limits were a "mistake"!

The big spenders in the state legislature and their supporters just will not drop their attempts to “fix” the “spending constraints” set forth in Colorado law. The Denver Post reported today that some members of the state legislature are now declaring that the legislature’s legal advisors made a “mistake” when they assumed that Arveschoug-Bird was a spending limit like TABOR. Arveschoug-Bird is a 1991 appropriations limit that sets a 6 percent cap on increases in general fund spending; some say that its passage was a last-ditch attempt to prevent activists from moving forward with TABOR. Sort of like saying, “See, we can police ourselves! No need for TABOR!” The voters were unconvinced and passed TABOR in 1992.

The latest outrage from the pro-spending spin doctors is that the legislature can simply declare Arveschoug-Bird to be something else, namely a law that tells lawmakers how to spend money, but didn’t set limits.

The issue with Arveschoug-Bird is that it now stands in the way of Colorado being able to “maximize” the federal “stimulus” dollars. Approximately $2 billion is slated to come Colorado’s way. Arveschoug-Bird’s limits mean that the General Fund appropriations can’t exceed 6% more than the previous year, or 5% of personal income, whichever is lower. So far, the 6% has always been lower. Arveschoug-Bird has its own ratcheting effect, which Referendum C eliminated on TABOR by setting new baselines for the 2011 fiscal year.

The drive to get rid of Arveschoug-Bird is nothing more than a prong of the larger movement to eliminate all spending restrictions. Liberals, and others with an agenda, are moving forward to kill Arveschoug-Bird, TABOR and anything else that stands in their way. They use phrases like “outdated constraints,” “leveling the playing field,” and “cannibalizing one priority for another.” They are masters at the old trick: repeat something often enough, and people start to believe it. The people of Colorado, however, have proven themselves to be pretty smart. Coloradans keep turning down the big spenders. This is why repeated attempts have been made to cloak spending limit gutting in flowery language and feel-good causes (the failed Amendment 59), or even to circumvent the people altogether (the Ritter property tax debacle, now tied up in court).

Most of liberals’ pet causes are funded by General Fund expenditures. The major things that fall under the General Fund include K-12 education, health care and human services, corrections and judicial, and higher education. If the 6% is exceeded, then the money is mandated to fill the General Fund reserve account (4%), and then excess goes into transportation funding and, in some cases, capital construction projects. If appropriations limits were removed, then Colorado’s lawmakers could cut the budget, use the stimulus money and not have to worry about constraining themselves to 6% over the cut figure when there are no more federal bonus dollars left.

It remains to be seen if the legislature will get away with following a constraint for 17 years, and then suddenly declaring this course of action to be a “mistake” and just voting the constraint away. Jon Caldara promises legal action if the legislature pursues this path. The spenders chose not to save during fat economic times. Now that we are facing down a couple of lean years, they still do not want to consider saving. It is easier to do away with spending limits.

More on the attempts to gut TABOR later.

Douglas Bruce's Latest Kerfuffle--"Illiterate Peasants" Quote Elicits Opposition, Threats

Haven't had much time to follow Bruce's latest misstep--the "illiterate peasants" quote--but Ben DeGrow and Night Twister have summed up my feelings quite well.

Colorado Tuition Bill For Purple Heart Recipients Killed By House Appropriations Committee

"We’re talking about our countrymen who are serving to protect us and provide the freedom we all enjoy. These are the people who put their lives on the line for us. They deserve to be taken care of"--Rep. Rafael Gallegos, sponsor of the free tuition bill for decorated combat veterans

"The representatives argued in line with the higher education lobby, that the state simply did not have the money to fund the worthy cause"--Rocky Mountain News

Think elections don't have any consequences?

A bill to provide free tuition to post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients (previous coverage) has been killed by the House Appropriations Committee in a 9-4 vote to postpone the bill indefinitely:

Butcher (D)--Yes
Ferrandino (D)--Yes
Judd (D)--Yes
Kerr J. (R)--No
Massey (R)--Yes
McGihon (D)--Yes
McNulty (R)--No
Riesberg (D)--Yes
Vaad (R)--Yes
Weissmann (D)--Yes
White (R)--No
Pommer (D)--Yes
Buescher (D)--No

The bill itself was sponsored by a Democrat--Rep. Rafael Gallegos--but he could not overcome the opposition from fellow Democrats (plus two slimy Republicans) and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (whose Executive Director, David Skaggs, called for in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants last year). The "representatives argued in line with the higher education lobby, that the state simply did not have the money to fund the worthy cause":

The House Appropriations Committee killed a bill this morning that would have given free college tuition to post-9/11 Purple Heart recipients.

Lobbyists for the state's colleges and universities strongly urged lawmakers to vote against the bill after it sailed through the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee in February.

Cathy Wanstrath, a lobbyist for the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, sent an e-mail then to two dozen state Capitol lobbyists, laying out a plan to kill the measure when it was heard by the Appropriations Committee.

"I think you all agree we need to kill this bill, and (the Colorado Department of Higher Education) has been happy to take the lead," said the e-mail obtained by the Rocky Mountain News. "However, we need your help in the next couple of days to count the votes to kill it in committee."

The bill was held over for nearly two months in hopes that its sponsor Rep. Rafael Gallegos, D-Antonito, could come to a compromise agreement with the higher education lobby. The lobby's chief concern was that the state could not afford to give free tuition to anyone.

This morning, Gallegos offered amendments aimed at decreasing the cost of the bill. His amendments would have capped tuition waivers at 25 total recipients this fall, with a maximum of five at each state institution. That cap would have lifted after the first year.

Gallegos also offered to tighten the award's qualifications only to apply to those who received the Purple Heart or a higher decoration, and only during combat after Sept. 11, 2001.

Those modifications would have kept the cost of the bill to the state under $250,000 in its first year.

However, lawmakers voted against Gallegos' amendment and then voted to postpone the bill indefinitely - essentially killing it - on a vote of 9-4.

Opponents offered the weak argument that state could not afford the tuition waiver, and one Democrat was worried that the bill would attract Purple Heart recipients to Colorado--oh the horrors!:

"We need to take care of many other things," said Rep. Anne McGihon, D-Denver, who said such tuition benefits were the responsibility of the federal government. She added that she was concerned the bill would attract Purple Heart recipients to move to Colorado in order to cash in on the benefit.

Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, voted against postponing it indefinitely, saying the state had an obligation to provide for its veterans.

"I think we could do a lot worse" than attract Purple Heart recipients to Colorado, McNulty said.

Undaunted by the setback, the plucky Gallegos vows to press on:

Gallegos, who is up for re-election this fall, said he'll bring the bill back next year if he wins.

"This is just the beginning of what we can do for veterans and I will continue to pursue the matter," he said. "Colorado is waiting for this bill to pass."

The House Appropriations Committee and its rejection of our service men and women who have made the sacrifice for this country and for this state, is handily taken to task in the comments over at the News:

The PURPLE HEART is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.

Thank you for your service to our county, UNFORTUNATELY it means nothing to COLORADO COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION.

I am a post 9/11 war veteran and I have friends who received the Purple Heart and they deserve everything they get for LITERALLY putting there lives on the line for out Country. They have been shot, taken fragments from mortars and RPG's, they have lost limbs, sight, hearing, but not their spirit.

I hope Cathy Wanstrath and her cronies never know what war is like and live in the Freedom the Service Men and Women provide for these ungrateful scum of our country!

A tight-belted response from the party of handouts?

Oh, that's right. It's the military. Not the right target group.

And yes, it does make a difference.

Rima Sinclair--Not A Centrist

Michael at Best Destiny has the story, Ben DeGrow has more.

Rima--in comic form.

Blogger To Challenge GOP Stealth Candidate

A week ago I linked to news from blogger Joshua Sharf of a stealth GOP candidate, anti-Israeli non-conservative Rima Barakat Sinclair, and joined in calling for others to step up and challenge her positions and prevent the nomination from becoming automatic.

Well, Joshua himself has taken up the challenge and declared himself a candidate for Colorado House District 6:

So, after casting about for a candidate to challenge Rima Barakat Sinclair, a candidate who's a legitimate conservative, reasonably articulate, with a history in the party, and a record of promoting free markets, personal liberty, and limited government, a group of us has finally hit on...er, me.

Yes, I'll be spending my summer just about the last way I thought I would, petitioning on to the ballot to force a primary, and then going on to represent the party in the fall election.

No, the blog's not going away. If anything, it's going to become more important, as a sounding board for ideas and issues. And as important as this race is to me, what profiteth it man if he gain the nomination and lose his personality?

If you'd like to contribute time or, eventually, money, drop me a line here or at my email, jsharf@jsharf.com, and you can be plenty sure I'll get back to you.

The adventure begins.

Fellow blogger Ben DeGrow has already endorsed Joshua, and I will add my own words of support.

Joshua's blog may serve as an initial introduction, but from my own personal experience he is a man of integrity, strong conservative principles, and an outstanding GOP candidate. His economic knowledge is extensive (as you will discover on his blog), but his wit and insight reveal an intelligent and circumspect individual--a rarity among candidates on either side of the aisle.

As Ben points out, House District 6 is a Democrat stronghold--this is House Speaker Rep. Andrew Romanoff's seat, after all (he's term-limited)--so this isn't about politics.

It's about principles.

If you are so inclined, you should drop Joshua an email. What he needs now are "boots on the ground" to collect signatures in HD-6 (you have to a registered Republican).

Good luck to Joshua. I'll keep you updated as his campaign progresses.

Here is a look at State House District 6, smack dab in the center of Denver County (click to enlarge):

Well-funded Muslim GOP Candidate With Ties To Bush Finds Himself In Hot Water

This story has it all--an aspiring Muslim Republican star in the state of Colorado, family connections to President George W. Bush, temporary restraining orders for hacking his girlfriend's computer, and Kobe Bryant's law firm . . .


Ali Hasan, 27, is popular with old-school Republicans partly because he has two key resources not easy to find in state legislative candidates: time and money. (Preston Utley, Vail Daily News)

Back in January, Westword featured the bright, well-heeled rising GOP star Muhammad Ali Hasan:

"I'm not old and white," Ali replied. "I have brown skin and I have a strong Muslim background. I'm not from the Front Range. These guys say, 'We see these things as advantages and not disadvantages.' The fact that you came here shows me that you are not afraid to promote me. It says that you accept these things about me. I'll do my best to win 56. People will say, 'This is the party of open-minded, inclusive people.'"

The audience clapped wildly, and an older woman in the foyer wagged her finger in excitement. "Yeah! Yeah!"

As the crowd broke up, Ali stayed behind to shake hands with the legislators, two of whom would follow him to Avon that evening for another town hall meeting. It had been a "notch" morning in his words, a day that he gained legitimacy with the Republicans — and didn't compromise himself while doing it.

"I want to change the Republican Party," he said later. "And it's easier to do that when the Republican Party is supporting you."

And his parents--the source of Ali Hasan's wealth?

Hasan lives in a $10 million Beaver Creek mansion with his parents, who made a fortune in the health-maintenance-organization business and have been willing to part with significant sums for the Republican Party.

Ali's father, Malik, is a Bush Pioneer, one of the party's elite national fundraisers. Ali and his mother, Seeme, created Muslims for Bush, and the family home is dotted with pictures of the Hasans with the current occupant of the White House.

Now for the soap opera-like drama:

The race for House District 56 should have been a bright spot in state Republicans' effort to retake the legislature: They had found a candidate, Muhammad Ali Hasan, who is young and articulate and had both the time and money to wrest the seat from Democrats.

But then Hasan's campaign publicist and former girlfriend filed for a temporary restraining order against him, alleging that he tried to hack into her computer and tracked her whereabouts after their personal relationship soured.

Hasan, the scion of one of the state's biggest Republican fundraisers, countered by hiring the same high-priced law firm that defended basketball star Kobe Bryant in a sex-assault case.

The publicist, Alison Miller, dropped her effort for a permanent order but said it was under heavy pressure from prominent Republicans who cared more about the party's image than possible inappropriate behavior by its well-heeled candidate.

And the issue may still end up in criminal court.

The whole thing has made for tit-for-tat coverage in the local media, turning 2008 into one of the most bizarre local campaign seasons many people in Eagle County can remember — and it's only March.

This should be a really interesting election cycle.

You just can't make this stuff up--I'll be keeping an eye on this story.

At least this GOP candidate has some conservative credentials, unlike Rima Barakat Sinclair, an anti-Israeli, pro-choice stealth candidate put on the ballot by the GOP in Denver.

Quote Of The Day 032608

Classic:

"If you found out that you only had six weeks to live, you would want to spend it with Doug Bruce – because every day would seem like a lifetime" -- Rep. Jim Kerr, joking about fellow Republican Rep. Douglas Bruce whose droning floor speeches dominated much of the endless budget debate Wednesday.

Colorado Disabled Veterans' Tuition Bill Suffers Setback, Now All But Dead

"We’re talking about our countrymen who are serving to protect us and provide the freedom we all enjoy. These are the people who put their lives on the line for us. They deserve to be taken care of"--Rep. Rafael Gallegos, sponsor of the free tuition bill for decorated combat veterans



Email Rep. Gallegos--rafael.gallegos.house@state.co.us--and let him know you support continuing the fight for veterans' tuition



An update from a few weeks back, when it was revealed through leaked emails that the Colorado Department of Higher Education was aggressively trying to kill a tuition waiver bill for veterans--including the disabled--through back-door channels:

In the duel between veterans and the Colorado Department of Higher Education, the bean counters parried successfully this morning.

Lobbyists for Colorado’s cash-strapped colleges and universities unwittingly revealed in an e-mail earlier this month that they planned to kill House Bill 1068, which would grant free tuition to Colorado veterans. The universities contend that they can’t afford the tuition break and that no one can say how many veterans would qualify.

For now, the lobbyists’ plan is working; as of today, the bill was ailing, if not dead.

During the House Appropriations Committee meeting, lawmakers tabled the bill after committee members cast a tie vote on whether to add an amendment that would limit the number of veterans who would qualify. The amendment would have restricted free tuition to disabled veterans who had received the Purple Heart in post 9/11 wars.

Rep. Rafael Gallegos, D-Antoninto, who sponsored the bill, said he was willing to compromise on limiting the tuition break to post 9/11 service members. But, Gallegos thinks it’s too restrictive to give the benefit only to disabled veterans.

“We’re talking about our countrymen who are serving to protect us and provide the freedom we all enjoy,’’ Gallegos said. “These are the people who put their lives on the line for us. They deserve to be taken care of.’’

As noted in the previous post, among the opponents of the bill claiming a lack of funds is David Skaggs, who called for in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants just last year.

The same funding excuse continues to stall the bill:

John Karakoulakis, spokesman for the Colorado Department of Higher Education said his side will also work toward a compromise. Higher education officials had supported the today’s amendment. But, without it, the bill has little chance of moving forward. So, at the moment the bill is stalled.

“We were concerned that this was such a wide-open bill. We were trying to address the neediest veterans,’’ Karakoulakis said.

“We’re going to keep trying to work as well,’’ he said, but he said the cost of the bill is still unclear.

“There are is no good number out there (of how many veterans would qualify),” Karakoulakis said. “We don’t have estimates of costs right now.”

Since when do liberals and the bean-counters in higher education care about costs? If this bill were designed for some other group, there would be a moral imperative to find a way to get this tuition waiver through.

It appears the Democrat-controlled Colorado legislature (it must be noted that this bill is sponsored by a Democrat) can't seem to overcome the lobbying of the Colorado Department of Education, who is behind the attempt to kill the bill:

In an e-mail Monday to two dozen Capitol lobbyists, Cathy Wanstrath, a lobbyist for the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, laid out a plan to kill the measure when it is heard by the Appropriations Committee on Friday.

"I think you all agree we need to kill this bill, and (the Colorado Department of Higher Education) has been happy to take the lead," according to the memo obtained Tuesday by the Rocky Mountain News. "However, we need your help in the next couple of days to count the votes to kill it in committee."

Once again, here is the link to the Colorado Department of Higher Education, as well as the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.

Have a message for David Skaggs? (keep it polite)--executivedirector@cche.state.co.us

Douglas Bruce Refuses To Consponsor Resolution Honoring Military, Veterans

“That’s a man with no honor. He has no shame”--House Minority leader Mike May on Rep. Douglas Bruce' refusal to cosponsor a joint resolution honoring Military and Veterans Appreciation Day

Not simply content to kick a photographer for violating his own sense of "decorum", the classy, self-righteous Douglas Bruce--without explanation--refused to cosponsor a unanimous pro-military resolution:

Today he infuriated fellow lawmakers by being the lone legislator who refused to cosponsor a Joint House-Senate resolution honoring Military and Veterans Appreciation Day.

“Today we were honoring people who died for our country, who served our country, and Douglas Bruce is spitting in the eye of every veteran who served our country, and it’s a disgrace,” said Rep. David Balmer, R-Centennial, an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. “I’m so angry I can’t even talk right now.”

Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genessee, said he’d never seen a colleague refuse to cosponsor the annual resolution.

“Some of our veterans have sacrificed all for their country,” Witwer said. “The least we can do is say thank you.”

Even Democrats were floored:

Democrats were also stunned and dismayed.

“I feel like I want to say to him what we used to say in the McCarthy era, ‘Have you no shame?’” said Rep. Alice Borodkin, D-Denver.

“I think he truly believes he’s doing the right thing,” she said. “But I don’t think he realizes he’s out of step with everybody. He’s just different. What can I say?”

Bruce, who has succeeded in building bipartisan enmity, was thrashed by House minority leader Mike May, but without any result:

House minority leader Mike May, R-Parker approached Bruce immediately after he declined to co-sponsor the resolution: “I told him on a day when we honor those who have given such great sacrifice, that he can’t even put forth the effort to push the green button is disgraceful.

“That’s a man with no honor. He has no shame.”

Bruce is also getting slammed in the comments, and rightly so.

Colorado House Votes 62-1 To Censure Bruce

**Update: "Representative Bruce, you're not Jimmy Stewart, this is not a 1939 movie. This is today. Your actions were wrong"--Rep. Al White (R-Hayden)

"I categorically state I did not violate the order and decorum of the House"--Douglas Bruce, who issued a statement (pdf) following today's censure vote

Douglas Bruce, appropriately kicked to the curb by his peers:

The Colorado House voted 62-1 today to censure Rep. Douglas Bruce for kicking a Rocky photographer on the House floor last week.

Bruce stood on the side of the chamber, not in the well as could have been required, as the censure was read aloud this morning.

The censure rebuked him for violating the House decorum and "ordinary standards of decency," by using physical force against Javier Manzano as the photographer crouched before the standing Bruce during the ceremonial morning prayer.

It was the first censure in the 131-year history of the Colorado legislature.

"We need to lead by example," said Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, co-chair of the committee that recommended censure.

"Violence can not be tolerated in this house."

Bruce was unfazed by his colleagues' decision and remained defiant:

Bruce remained unrepentant, blaming Manzano for provoking his "nudge" by refusing to heed the lawmaker's demand not to photograph him during the prayer.

"This resolution is the real overreaction to the nudge of a unruly photographer ... who broke his promise that he would not interrupt my participation in the prayer."

According to Bruce, first it was a "tap", now just a "nudge".

Exit question: what will Bruce do for an encore?

Douglas Bruce Gone Wild--Kicks Photographer At Swear-In Prayer, Then Demands Apology--All Following GOP Peer Rebuke

**Updated and bumped**

Don't bring the GOP down, Bruce! (my apologies, first thing that came to mind)

Douglas Bruce's no good, very bad day--entirely the result of his own actions.

First:
“He can take the oath or take a hike"--Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton

Bruce, the author of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, was criticized by Democrats and Republicans for delaying his swearing-in until five days into the 2008 session and then refusing to take the oath until the full House was present, an unprecedented request for an appointee filling a vacancy.

Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, gave Bruce the option to take the oath at four different times but refused to do it while the House was conducting business, setting up Monday’s showdown in the Capitol.

Bruce gave in, taking his seat while only five other legislators were in the chamber, saying he’d made his point that he was being picked on by House leadership.

Right before that, the House Republican Caucus voted 22-1 to ask the House District 15 Vacancy Committee to appoint someone else to fill the seat if Bruce did not take his oath by the end of the day. Members said they needed to send a message that the rules of the House are more important than a single man and that the district needs representation.

“He can take the oath or take a hike,” said Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton.

Other House GOP members (with one notable exception, Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud) took Bruce to task:

"The citizens of his House district need to be represented," House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, said during the caucus, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. "This can't go on. We can't have this sideshow every day of someone refusing to take the oath of office."
. . .
Rep. Al White, R-Hayden, introduced the resolution, saying the caucus must show Bruce that "no individual is greater than the office we represent or the constituents we represent," according to the Gazette.
. . .
Even Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, the lawmaker who helped Bruce enter the floor this morning as a guest, voted against him.

"It's the very strong sense of the Republican Caucus that a member who is elected or appointed to fill a vacancy ought to take the oath of office within a reasonable time and begin representing one's constituents," Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, said after the vote.
. . .
"It's also a sense that no single member of this body, of either party, is larger than the party or the work that we do. This is not about any single individual," Gardner said.

"We believe very strongly as representatives, and it is what I think we were expressing in our caucus today, that we expect people to be present for duty and to represent their constituents," he added. "Even more critical – our party is in the minority and we need each and every vote all of the time," he said.

With Douglas Bruce everything is about Douglas Bruce. Didn't you guys get the memo?

And if his actions up to this morning weren't cause for ensuring permanent minority party status for Colorado's recently floundering GOP, then his subsequent actions sure didn't help.

Following this brave and warranted (and welcome!) rebuke from his GOP peers--obviously fed up with his grandstanding even before he officially joined them--Bruce proceeded to provide even more anti-GOP fodder when, during the ceremonial prayer before his swearing-in, he kicked Rocky Mountain News photographer Javier Manzano while he was taking Bruce's picture--and then demanded that the photographer apologize to him:

Bruce brought a Bible to the Legislature and kicked a photographer from the Rocky Mountain News after the man took his photo during the traditional morning prayer to open Monday's brief session.

Several photographers were taking pictures of Bruce to chronicle his first day as a legislator.

"Don't do that again," Bruce said, then brought down the sole of his shoe hard on photographer Javier Manzano's bent knee.

Denver Post photographer Mark Osler was right next to Manzano when it happened.

"I took two pictures in quick succession and Javier was about to take a picture and Mr. Bruce looked down at him and said something to the affect of, 'don't,' and Javier put his camera down," said Osler. "He put the camera up and took one frame and at that point Mr. Bruce said something to the affect of, 'I told you, don't,' and he kicked him pretty hard."

Dude.

Dude.

"How showing a person in prayer is negative, I don't understand. If there's a problem, there's ways of dealing with it that are not kicking another human being."--RMN publisher John Temple

Video shot by CBS4 shows Bruce bowing his head in prayer, the DP and RMN photographers, and finally Bruce kicking Manzano and then verbally reprimanding him.

Bruce remained defiant and chastised the media for even broaching the subject (video of news conference):

"I think the Rocky Mountain News photographer ought to apologize to the House and to me and to all the people whom he disrupted. He needs to get a lesson in manners and decorum," said Bruce. "He was told already not to block the aisle. See you want to make a big deal out of it and again sort of make me out to be the bad guy. He was disrupting a prayer and disrupting a Pledge of Allegiance and blocking traffic and I told him politely not to do it and he insisted on doing it and he ought to be ashamed of himself."

"I said, 'Don't do that,'" said Bruce. "His behavior was reprehensible. He shouldn't be disrupting a public prayer during a House session."
. . .
"He should not have done what he did. You want me to say that 50 times? I'll send you an e-mail. He should not have done what he did. He should apologize to me and to the House," Bruce told the media. "I was trying to stop him from causing a public disruption and I asked him not to do it beforehand. Specifically. I'm glad that he maybe, finally, I hope, learned a lesson."

The other photographer and RMN publisher John Temple argued that Manzano did nothing wrong (agreed, wholeheartedly) and that Bruce's actions were reprehensible:

Osler says the photographers were not violating any rules.

"There's nothing that would have given anybody any cause to think that what was going on was inappropriate. No one else responded to it other than Mr. Bruce," said Osler.

Rocky Mountain News Publisher John Temple said Manzano had a right to take Bruce's picture.

"It's standard and no lawmaker makes the rules of what should occur on the floor. The rules are set by the Speaker of the House and if there's a problem, the Speaker of the House will address the problem," said Temple.

Temple said he would discuss the incident with House leadership.

"The House floor is a place where journalists are allowed to operate. It's outrageous for Mr. Bruce in a public place to assault a photographer," Temple said. "All the leadership that I spoke to were concerned about what the impact this was on the reputation and the image of the House."
. . .
"It was certainly inappropriate and over the top," said Osler. "You have to be able to exhibit restraint when you are operating in the capacity he is and he didn't and I think that's inappropriate."

"How showing a person in prayer is negative, I don't understand," said Temple. "If there's a problem, there's ways of dealing with it that are not kicking another human being."

It appears that the only person on the House floor in need of a good lesson "in manners and decorum" is Bruce himself.

You stay classy, Douglas Bruce.

The Colorado Index--Doug Bruce, the clown
FTS--YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP...

Dem blogs are all over this--and rightly so--and in a rare moment of bipartisanship applaud the remaining House GOP members for taking a stand against Bruce's self-aggrandizement:
SquareState--Doug Bruce assaults Rocky photographer
ColoradoPols--Bruce Goes on the Attack...Literally
Elevated Voices--Colorado’s Top Jackass: Douglas Bruce, Doug Bruce Kicks Photographer at State Capitol

Rocky Mountain Jihadis?

Courtesy of Gates of Vienna, via Michelle Malkin (click image for link)

Or just skittish videographers?

Three suspicious incidents in downtown Denver this summer have triggered a notice to law enforcement officials stating someone in the area may be conducting surveillance activity.

According to an internal document obtained by the Rocky Mountain News today, a man was seen about 6:30 p.m. on July 11, standing on Tremont Street between 16th and 17th streets.

He was outside one of the buildings there, videotaping the security desk through a window. The man, described as "believed to be of Middle Eastern descent," then walked to 16th and Tremont, where he filmed more of the outside of the building.

When a security guard tried to approach the man, he "started running down 16th Street and was lost in the crowd," according to the bulletin.

As of yet, investigators have not determined any motive for the man’s actions, and it is not certain how significant the incident is, said Lance Clem, a spokesman for the Colorado Information Analysis Center, a branch of the state’s Homeland Security Agency.

Similar reports arise on average about once a month, he said.

"It’s not unusual — put it that way," he said.

The same man was alleged to have mumbled some Arabic, including the phrase "Al-Aqsa".

Until more information is available (if ever), this seems to be insignificant, BUT we should not let our guard down, thinking a city like Denver would be too remote for potential terrorist activity--did anyone consider the possibility that an unarmed man with mental issues would enter the state capitol just a few weeks ago, declaring himself emperor and forcing law enforcement to shoot him, thus necessitating that Governor Ritter and the state legislators would have to reconsider capitol security? Didn't think so.

So what should we do?

Clem confirmed the contents of the bulletin, but refused to comment on any details. He did say reports to the CIAC may vary in severity, some spotty like this bulletin, but all are treated the same.

"We don’t always know why some people do things like this (suspicious surveillance of buildings)," he said. "But whenever we get reports, they’re taken seriously and they’re handled seriously.

"We don’t want to discourage people from filing reports. Anytime they see anything that’s out of place, they should let us know."

Vigilance does not equal vigilantism. But just don't let CAIR know about you, John or Jane Doe.

Colorado 'Emperor' Shooting Updated

An update of the story, including more details from yesterday.

Best Destiny discovers moonbattery via a left-wing blog that blames gun accessibility and right-wing talk radio for the shooting--and not what clearly seems to be a case of mental disturbance.

Political Pale Horse reminds us of Rep. Cory Gardner's defeated bill that would have allowed businesses to use deadly force to protect themselves. Not everyone has a Capitol security force.

Colorado Democrats On Education

A liberal "teaching moment" if you will, properly thrashed by Ben DeGrow at Mt. Virtus and Michael at Best Destiny.

For Democrats in 2007:

Liberal sex education = good

Math and science = “out of date, old-fashioned,” and “so 20th century”

And we put these moonbats in charge of the children?

*God help us all!

*Yes, I said GOD.

Dumb Political Reform Idea Of The Day--Eliminate Colorado's Senate

"Good intentions" but really bad ideas as a way to increase third party efficacy and reduce partisan bickering:

DENVER (AP) -- Hoping to take some of the sting out of politics, a legislative task force on Wednesday began studying potential changes to Colorado's election process designed to ratchet down the rhetoric and give minor parties a bigger role.

Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, said recent campaigns have been so bitter they have driven voters away. He said voters often end up casting ballots for major-party candidates when they want to vote for unaffiliated or minor-party candidates.

"It seems like the playing field isn't level," Kefalas told the 11-member committee.

Recommendations on the table include instant runoff voting, also known as ranked-choice voting, where voters pick their first choice for a candidate but also list their second, third, fourth and fifth choices, depending on the number of candidates.
. . .
Another plan would retain the state House of Representatives, which currently has 65 members, but eliminate the 35-member state Senate, giving Colorado a unicameral or single-chamber Legislature.

Those 35 Senate seats would be reallocated to the House.
. . .
"We need to get away from the concept that we're voting for the lesser of two evils," she said.

PPH calls this a "step towards totalitarianism" and an abrogation of checks and balances.

As if a move to one legislative house would decrease instead of increasing partisan rancor--right!

What Would Dick Wadhams Do?

Colorado Democrats really have their knickers in a twist over Dick Wadhams:

House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, suggested Wednesday stamping "WWDWD" on bracelets for statehouse Republicans.

She said the letters stood for "What Would Dick Wadhams Do?"

Wadhams, an ace political operative, is the Republican Svengali who returned to Colorado to head the state party after its recent electoral losses.

Aside from the obvious savior reference, Wadhams gets the full smear/backhanded compliment treatment--an "ace political operative" and "Republican Svengali". Apparently "savvy political strategist" was unavailable for this story.

Colorado Democrats really do have a bit of Dick envy.

Wadhams spent some time with radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt (scroll to April 25, hour 2)