Resolution Introduced by House Republicans Aims to Remove Secretary of State Jenna Griswold
Tuesday evening, a resolution introduced by Republicans in the Colorado House attempting to impeach Colorado Secretary of State Jenna Griswold was argued for over 5 overs in the state judiciary house. The resolution, HR 24-1006, argued that Secretary Griswold abused her position as Secretary of State when overseeing the initial removal of Donald Trump from the presidential ballot for Colorado’s general election. Republicans arguing for Griswold’s impeachment specifically cited a series of tweets from her in 2023 in which she repeatedly refers to former President Trump as an insurrectionist and a danger to the U.S., rhetoric that matched the arguments heard and accepted by the Colorado Supreme Court in November for removing him from the ballot. Griswold defended herself by stating that she had followed every court ruling and was simply acting within her capacity as a defendant in the referred case that removed Trump from the ballot. The resolution was introduced by interim House Minority leader Rose Pugliese [PEW-GLEESE] of El Paso County, the latest in a series of political moves taken during this election year since she was appointed to the position in place of former representative Mike Lynch. The vote among the judiciary committee was 8-3 to kill the impeachment resolution, with the vote split among party lines.
Colorado GOP Chairman Refuses to Acknowledge Removal of Colorado Sun Journalist
Following the controversial expulsion of Colorado Sun reporter Debra Fish from the Colorado House floor on Sunday, Colorado journalists and politicians alike have spoken out about the event. Fish was on the floor to cover a Republican gathering when she was abruptly removed by the demand of Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams, who stated that he [quote] “Felt her reporting had been unfair lately,” while also saying that she was [quote]“A fake journalist.” Fish was attending the event with an approved press pass and appears to have been following all rules for press coverage in the capitol. Colorado Sun editor came to her defense stating that he believed the Sun’s coverage to be impartial and that [quote]“A healthy democracy demands free, unfettered press.” Prominent GOP figure Deborah also spoke in Fish’s favor, calling her removal [quote]“wrong and a violation of the First Amendment.” In the face of pushback from politicians and journalists alike, Chairman Williams has refused to apologize to Fish for his actions.
Jared Polis Directed Colorado Public Utilities Commission Investigates Xcel Outage
Governor Jared Polis announced this morning that he has directed the Colorado Public Utilities [ or PUC] Commission to investigate reforms following power outages that affected over 155,000 Xcel Energy customers during a windstorm in Boulder County last weekend. Despite efforts by Xcel to restore power, some customers were without electricity for days, leading to frustrations over lack of communication and preparation. Polis emphasized the need for transparency, real-time information, and accountability from utility providers during such incidents. He requested the PUC to ensure better communication with customers, provide timely information about outages and restoration efforts, and investigate Xcel’s shortcomings in informing and protecting customers. The PUC is currently soliciting feedback to determine if new approaches are necessary for future precautionary outages. This incident marks the first time a state utility preemptively cut power to prevent wildfire risks, and Xcel has admitted to shortcomings in communication with affected customers.
News Briefs Written by Josh Archie