It’s Thursday, November 21, 2024. The 2025 General Assembly will convene in 48 days.
These updates are curated from multiple news sources and designed to be a “choose-your-own-adventure.” Please read any coverage of interest and skip anything you deem to be irrelevant. Hyperlinks are provided to add additional context. With the 24/7 news-cycle I hope to keep us all in the loop on items we may want to know about or better understand. Please feel free to share if you think someone outside FGMC needs to be aware of this information.
Disclaimer – The news and articles contained within this update do not represent any political positions or policy opinions of Foster Graham Milstein & Calisher, LLP. This update is designed for informational purposes only.Apologies for the lack of updates this week.
I’ve been home sick with the latest COVID variant. I can definitely confirm that COVID is still going strong, so please be cautious as the holidays approach! Now that I’m on the mend, here’s the latest major news…
Today’s Big Three Things-To-Know:
It’s a big night for DPS. The Denver school board will decide Thursday whether to close 10 schools, a move that faces strong opposition from parents and students. This decision could affect over 1,000 students across the district. Superintendent Alex Marrero has recommended closing five elementary schools and two middle schools entirely, along with partial closures at three other schools, at the end of this school year. He cited declining enrollment and the potential to save nearly $30 million in facility costs. In the two weeks since the list of impacted schools was announced, parents and students have fervently asked board members to spare their schools. Many have challenged the district’s data, questioning its accuracy and claiming the projections are too short-sighted. Some even organized protests at the district headquarters, chanting, “Keep your hands off our school!” Parents are concerned their children will lose beloved teachers and be separated from friends, while teachers fear for their jobs. Schmitt Elementary principal Jennifer Nelson told the board, “The only way to get me out of this school is to kick me out because my heart lives here.” School board members have visited all 10 affected schools. “We haven’t decided yet how we’ll vote,” said board president Carrie Olson at a packed meeting at West Middle School, one of the schools on the list. “That’s why we’re here today, to hear from you.” Keep your eyes on tonight’s vote.
The latest on the Trump transition team. With Wicked hitting theaters tomorrow and the announcement of Dr. Oz joining the Trump cabinet, I’m sure there’s a joke to be made here somewhere. But alas, my COVID brain is blocking the punchline. Donald Trump took further steps in shaping his Cabinet on Tuesday, announcing several key nominations. The president-elect selected Dr. Mehmet Oz, a physician and TV personality, to head the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He also named Wall Street billionaire Howard Lutnick as his pick for commerce secretary. Additionally, Trump revealed that WWE co-founder Linda McMahon would be nominated for education secretary. On Monday, Trump chose Fox Business host and fellow former reality TV star Sean Duffy to serve as Secretary of Transportation, and appointed Brendan Carr to lead the Federal Communications Commission.
The red wave settles. The country made a significant rightward shift in this presidential election compared to four years ago. In 2020, President Biden won six of the seven key battleground states. However, in this election, all of these states tilted toward President-elect Donald Trump. Additionally, Trump is poised to win the popular vote, whereas Biden secured it by a margin of 7 million votes in 2020. So, what caused this shift? Trump’s success in the suburbs played a crucial role. Suburban areas have become more diverse and populous, with over half of voters in 2024 coming from these regions, according to exit polls. The suburbs have emerged as swing areas, crucial to determining the outcome of the presidential race and home to some of the most contested House districts. In fact, the candidate who wins the suburbs has claimed victory in 11 of the last 12 presidential elections since 1980. This year, Trump won the suburban vote, 51%-47%, according to exit polls.
***Bonus Story – Welcome to the lame duck! Keeping the federal government open. Providing more disaster aid. Passing a defense policy bill. And for Senate Democrats, confirming more judges. It’s a short but important to-do list as Congress returned to Washington to begin what is known as a lame-duck session — that period between Election Day and the end of the two-year congressional term. But with only a few months remaining before President-elect Trump’s inauguration, Biden administration officials are scrambling to protect their accomplishments and priorities. For President Biden — who aimed to establish himself as the most progressive president since FDR — Trump’s upcoming second term poses a significant threat to many of his key achievements. With approximately two months left until Trump’s swearing-in, prominent Democrats are urging their party to maximize every remaining moment of the Biden administration. Keep your eyes on Washington.
***Bonus, Bonus Story – Welcome to the new legislators! The upcoming legislative session will feature a combination of both new and returning faces, with several current House members transitioning to the Senate. With nearly two dozen newly elected officials poised to begin their terms in January, here’s a look (from Colorado Politics) at the individuals who will be influencing the state’s policies in 2025.
****One More Story & Breaking News – Matt Gaetz has withdrawn himself from consideration to President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, the former Florida congressman announced on Thursday afternoon. More information is becoming available but you can find the breaking news story here.
And now, more news…
Around the city…Denver Nuggets crowned NBA’s fastest-growing brand after more than doubling value.
From Denver Business Journal, the Denver Nuggets is the NBA’s fastest-growing brand with the franchise more than doubling its brand value in the last few years, a new report from Brand Finance found.
Riding the momentum of their first NBA Championship from the 2022-2023 season, the Nuggets brand value more than doubled, increasing 122% to $344 million, the report found. The growth placed the team No. 12 out of 30 for overall brand value in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors topped overall brand value among NBA franchises with a $1.5 billion value.
The Nuggets brand value skyrocketed primarily due to increased revenues from gamedays, higher ticket prices and the team playing more games with deep playoff runs, due to on-court success, the report said.
You can read more from DBJ here.
More from Denver…Fire inside abandoned house has neighbors frustrated with derelict property program.
This from [http://Fire Inside Abandoned House Has Neighbors Frustrated With Derelict Property Program]Westword, on November 8, the home at 4463 Winona Court was billowing smoke and on fire, and neighbors were hardly surprised.
“When you have a home that’s abandoned and has this much hoarding inside of it, it truly is a tinder box,” says Nate Boyer, who lives next door. “They cannot get the flames to where they will stop smoldering because of how much stuff is in there. Boyer says he watched the Denver Fire Department work for hours to contain the fire. He’s thankful he was home when it started, because he fears his property could have gone ablaze, too. Smoke from the fire poured toward Boyer’s home, leaving him worried about the possible effects on his wife, who is pregnant, and the inside of his house.
“When you’ve got sixty-year-old newspapers and magazines…there were boxes of eight-tracks that caught on fire. It’s a pretty disgusting smoke,” Boyer says of the contents of the burning house. “I had to air [my] house out for a few days.”Boyer and others in the Berkeley neighborhood have watched the property deteriorate for years. The home, on Denver’s Neglected and Derelict Building list since May 2023, isn’t just full of stuff, either. People often squat there, according to neighbors, who say they regularly see drug deals and trash on the lawn, and often worry about their safety.
You can read more from Westword [http://Fire Inside Abandoned House Has Neighbors Frustrated With Derelict Property Program]here.
From DPS…Denver Public Schools to vote on school closures Thursday night.
Via Fox31, Thursday night, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education will vote on the closure or restructuring of 10 schools.
The big question: Is this a done deal already? To answer that question, take a look back at October 2022.
Back then, DPS proposed the closure of 10 schools due to the same reasons they’re citing now — low enrollment, declining birth rates and high costs. During a board meeting in March 2023, the board decided to close just three schools out of 10.
So, with 10 more schools on the list again this time, that doesn’t guarantee that they will all close.
You can read more from Fox31 here, Axios here, Chalkbeat Colorado here, Denver Gazette here, and The Denver Post here.
Around the metro…Former Jeffco Clerk and Recorder George Stern mulling run for Colorado secretary of state.
As reported by Colorado Politics, former Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder George Stern is considering a run for Colorado secretary of state in two years, the Democrat told Colorado Politics. Stern, 37, said his experience turning around one of the largest county clerk’s offices in the state could help bolster trust in Colorado’s elections at a time when the state’s voting system has been under heightened scrutiny.
“I think it’s more important than ever that we have people with election administration experience serving as secretaries of state throughout the country, as we work to continue to defend the integrity of our elections and also to rebuild trust in our elections,” Stern said in an interview.
You can read more from Colorado Politics here.
More around the metro…Douglas and Arapahoe counties opens long-term care facility for homeless families.
According to Colorado Politics, Douglas and Arapahoe county officials on Wednesday celebrated the opening of a newly upgraded residential facility focused on helping homeless families.
The care facility’s mission includes serving families that entered through Douglas County’s homeless program. The long-term care facility is operated by Colorado nonprofit The Family Tree, an agency focused on working with domestic abuse, child abuse and family-related homeless cases. It’s located in Aurora.
The new residential care center for homeless families is called the GOALS facility, which stands for the “generational opportunities and achievement long-term success program.”
You can read more from Colorado Politics here.
Across the state…How Donald Trump’s presidency may impact 10 areas that Coloradans care about most.
As reported by The Colorado Sun, call it “the resistance 2.0.” Call it “life goes on.” But the early landscape of how blue Colorado will handle a second conservative-activist Trump administration is unfolding on a sun-drenched rooftop next to the Benihana in southeastern Denver.
Trainees screwed solar panels into brackets atop Jewish Family Service on South Tamarac Drive on Friday, working in a technical education program funded by Denver’s climate-dedicated sales tax approved by voters in the 2020 election. “Regardless of the national election results, Colorado continues to train and install solar in our beautiful state,” said Mike Kruger, director of the trade group Colorado Solar and Storage Association.
The pointed message from advocates for renewable energy and other environmental causes, after voters nationally embraced a second Donald Trump administration and a GOP-controlled Congress, is that Coloradans who voted blue will fight to protect gains they believe they have made under Democratic policies. On solar energy. On abortion rights. On protecting rights for undocumented migrants. On keeping extractive industries away from beloved open spaces.
You can read more from The Colorado Sun here.
On transportation…Polis’ new Colorado transportation vision: Fewer car trips and doubling bicycle, transit and walking by 2035
Via CPR, Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday said the state needs to massively and quickly expand public transit service and make it easier for Coloradans to walk and ride their bicycles to drastically reduce its reliance on cars and slash climate emissions.
“This saves people money, reduces traffic and cuts pollution,” Polis said at a press conference where he was flanked by legislative and environmental advocacy allies. “Today, too many Coloradans simply don’t have a safe, convenient alternative to driving for daily tasks, whether it’s getting to work or going to the grocery store.”
You can read more from CPR here and Governor Polis here.
Watch the weather…Bomb cyclone will likely fall apart before hitting Colorado.
As reported by CPR, the storm has brought heavy rain and strong wind to northern California, Oregon and Washington state since Tuesday. The National Weather Service has issued a risk for excessive rainfall through Friday for the region, along with hurricane-force wind warnings along the coast.
But the storm will likely be a far cry from its current form by the time its remnants reach Colorado.
“We will get some snow for the mountains starting Sunday, and we may get a little bit of snow down here (in the Denver area) in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, but that one in particular hit hard out there and is not going to bring a big deal to us.” said Nelson.
The term “bomb cyclone” has become all too familiar in recent years after severe storms in 2018 and 2022 in different parts of the United States. Colorado experienced its first aptly named bomb cyclone in March of 2019.
You can read more from CPR here.
From the Gold Dome…Democrats want to nix Labor Peace Act provision in order to boost Colorado unions
Via The Sum & Subtance, a group of Democratic legislators hopes to upend Colorado’s 81-year-old Labor Peace Act governing workforce unionization, saying Tuesday that they will introduce a bill to end its requirement for a second election before union negotiators can collect fees from workers.
Leaders of major business groups immediately pushed back on the proposal, warning that it will lead to erection of unnecessary barriers between employers and workers and will damage the state’s ability to be competitive for company expansions even further. Early announced opponents include the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Competitive Council, Colorado Concern and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Passed in 1943, the LPA is a unique compromise between the 26 states that have right-to-work laws preventing mandatory union membership and 23 states that require workers at unionized companies to pay fees to the unions that negotiate on their behalf. Workers here can unionize with a majority vote but must pass a second vote with 75% approval to permit union security, which allows organized labor to deduct fees from their checks to help fund union work and bargaining activities.
You can read more from TS&S here.
From the Governor…Pinnacol conversion plan is as much about aiding company as it is about balancing budget.
As reported by The Sum & Substance, Gov. Jared Polis’ pitch to convert Pinnacol Assurance into an independent company is being driven not just by money it could generate for the state budget but by the belief that failing to loosen the company’s operational restrictions could jeopardize its sustainability.
The Democratic governor sat for an interrogation before the powerful Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday about his plans to address a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall, including $638 million in expense cuts and revenue additions he has proposed. Among the most prominent and controversial of those suggestions is a proposal to allow the state-chartered workers’ compensation insurer of last resort to act as a private company, which could add $100 million to next year’s budget and more in future years.
You can read more from TS&S here.
From Colorado courts…Colorado Supreme Court rebuffs AG’s plea to scrap restitution ruling while remaining open to tweaks.
According to Colorado Politics, during a marathon session of oral arguments on Tuesday, members of the Colorado Supreme Court appeared open to tweaking their landmark 2021 decision warning trial judges and prosecutors to follow the law when awarding restitution to crime victims.
But the justices quickly gave the Colorado Attorney General’s Office a reality check, indicating the Supreme Court would not be caving to the government’s demand to abandon the precedent in part or in whole. “All of these arguments about reversing,” said Justice Melissa Hart within the first five minutes, “are sort of an irritant.”
In Colorado, as part of sentencing, judges must consider whether defendants owe financial restitution to their victims. If so, prosecutors generally need to provide the requested amount by the time of sentencing or within 91 days of sentencing. Judges must also impose the restitution amount within 91 days of sentencing. If judges need to extend either deadline, they must find extenuating circumstances or good cause.
You can read more from Colorado Politics here.
On water…Feds release options for future of Colorado River as negotiations between states stall.
As reported by The Denver Post, federal officials released a range of scenarios Wednesday that could be used to manage the overallocated and shrinking Colorado River as time for the seven basin states to reach an agreement grows short.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s four proposed plans are not set in stone, but for the first time offer insight into how federal leaders are planning for the future of a river that is depended upon by 40 million people across the Southwest. A new long-term operating plan must be created before the expiration of current management guidelines at the end of 2026.
“These alternatives represent a responsible range from which to build the best and most robust path forward for the basin,” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in a statement. “I have confidence in our partners and the Reclamation team in continuing this work to meet the needs of the river for the future.”
You can read more from The Denver Post here.
On education…Denver has spent millions in voter-approved bond money to upgrade schools it might close.
Via Chalkbeat, Denver Public Schools has spent $22.6 million in voter-approved bond dollars over the past four years on schools that district officials are now considering closing or downsizing, according to information obtained by Chalkbeat in an open records request.
That dollar amount only includes construction projects unique to the 10 school buildings that would be closed or partially closed if the Denver school board votes yes Thursday on a proposal by Superintendent Alex Marrero to shutter seven schools and shrink three more due to declining enrollment. It does not include districtwide projects.
Of the 10 schools, five are located in standalone buildings that would become vacant. About $4.6 million of the $22.6 million in bond money was spent at those five schools. The rest was spent on shared buildings that would continue to serve students. It’s unclear how much was spent in the parts of the buildings occupied by schools that could close.
You can read more from Chalkbeat here.
On energy…Xcel Energy slams the brakes on its EV discounts, frustrating low-income car buyers.
From CPR, Colorado drivers hoping Xcel Energy will help pay for an electric car are officially out of luck.
Earlier this month, Colorado’s largest utility announced it had officially run out of funding for its EV rebate program, which offered income-qualified customers $5,500 off a new EV or $3,000 off a used model. The company closed the discounts after exhausting a $5.3 million budget approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission earlier this year. Tyler Bryant, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy, said the program has provided 1,176 rebates for new and used EV purchases. The company won’t ask regulators to let it allocate more funding and reopen applications.
“Customers fund our rebate programs, and we are keeping affordability in mind as we manage our budgets to the levels approved by the PUC,” Bryant said in an email to CPR News.
You can read more from CPR here.
In regulation…Colorado marijuana sales — and tax dollars — are still falling. The rise of intoxicating hemp may be to blame.
According to The Colorado Sun, forget the pandemic boom in marijuana sales — Colorado now collects fewer marijuana tax dollars than it did in 2018. About half the country now has joined Colorado in legalizing recreational marijuana, with a total of 24 states and Washington, D.C., regulating cannabis. The spread of legalization has taken a toll on Colorado’s more established market, with the wholesale price of legal marijuana falling to its lowest recorded level, according to state budget documents.
But a new analysis by Joint Budget Committee staff found that there’s another factor to blame for the decline of Colorado’s marijuana industry: the rise of intoxicating hemp.
You can read more from The Colorado Sun here.
From the transition team…Who has Trump picked for his Cabinet so far? Dr. Mehmet Oz among latest picks
Via USA Today,Donald Trump continues to paint a clearer picture of his incoming Cabinet with more nominations Tuesday. The president-elect chose physician and TV star Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as the administrator of the U.S Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Wall Street billionaire Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary. He later revealed WWE co-founder Linda McMahon is his pick for education secretary.
And on Monday, he picked Fox Business host and fellow former reality TV star Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation and Brendan Carr to head the Federal Communications Commission.
You can read more from USA Today here.
More from the White House cabinet…Trump transition team ‘quietly’ looking at alternatives to Pete Hegseth after he ‘wasn’t honest’ about past.
According to Yahoo News, Donald Trump’s transition team is said to be “upset” with Pete Hegseth because he “hasn’t been honest” about the sexual misconduct allegation from his past – prompting insiders to consider other options to lead the Pentagon.
Hegseth was tapped last week to become Trump’s defense secretary but now those in the president-elect’s inner circle are “quietly preparing a list of alternative” candidates, Vanity Fair reported. “It’s becoming a real possibility,” a source told the outlet’s special correspondent Gabriel Sherman.
You can read more from Yahoo News here.
More about the presidency…What Trump can — and can’t — do as president.
This from Wake Up to Politics, over the last few weeks, a lot of people have been asking variations of the same few questions: What parts of Trump’s agenda will he be able to implement as president? Where might he be blocked by Congress or the courts, and where does he have full authority? Will X actually get done? Is Y a possibility?
So, Gabe Fleischer put together a guide to walk you through what Trump will and won’t be able to do in his second term. This isn’t exhaustive, of course, but he tried to cover a broad range of categories — and tried to remain as concise as possible, to make this an easy piece to refer back to, share with your friends, or use to sound smart at dinner parties. I am a big fan.
You can read more from Wake Up to Politics here.
From Congress…Democrats push judicial nominations through GOP delays.
As reported by Roll Call, while Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer pushes to confirm many of Biden’s judicial nominees through the lame-duck session, Republicans have employed a series of procedural tactics to slow down the process as much as possible.
When Schumer attempted to file cloture on nominees Monday evening, a procedural step typically done in just a few minutes with unanimous consent, Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and John Thune, R-S.D., asked for the yeas and nays on each motion.
That forced the chamber into a series of 18 roll call votes lasting more than four hours as it moved back and forth from legislative to executive session. By the end, shortly before midnight, cloture had been filed on nine district court judges.
You can read more from Roll Call here.
In the Biden White House…What Biden can do as a lame duck president.
According to Axios, with mere months until President-elect Trump’s inauguration, Biden administration officials are in a race against time to safeguard their goals and achievements.
For President Biden — who sought to secure a legacy as the most progressive president since FDR — Trump’s second term in the White House threatens to undermine many of his signature achievements. With about two months until Trump’s inauguration, key Democrats are calling on their party to make use of every last second of the Biden administration.
You can read more from Axios here and The Associated Press here.
Across America…Most of the country shifted right in the 2024 presidential election.
Via NPR, the country largely shifted to the right in this presidential election from where it was four years ago.
In 2020, President Biden won six of the seven most closely watched states, but this year, they all shifted toward President-elect Donald Trump. What’s more, Trump is on track to win the popular vote this time, when Biden won it by 7 million in 2020.
So, what happened? Trump won the suburbs The suburbs have become increasingly diverse and populous. More than half of voters in 2024 were in suburban areas, according to exit polls. They have become swing areas, home to some of the most closely targeted House seats, and a good barometer of who will win the presidential election. The winner in the suburbs has won 11 of the last 12 presidential elections, dating back to 1980. And this year that was Trump, 51%-47%, according to exit polls.
You can read more from NPR here.
On public health (and just in time for the holidays)…83 tons of ground beef recalled over E.coli contamination concerns.
According to The Hill, approximately 83.5 tons of ground beef have been recalled due to possible E. coli contamination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled about 167,277 pounds of beef products, which were shipped to restaurant locations nationwide.The recalled fresh items have a use-by date of Nov. 14, while the frozen products have an Oct. 22 production date. According to the alert, the affected products have establishment number “EST. 2574B.” The USDA has lists of affected products and labels.
You can read more from The Hill here.
And in international news…Netanyahu’s arrest sought by International Criminal Court.
Via NYT, the International Criminal Court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, dealing an extraordinary blow to Israel’s global standing as it presses on with wars on multiple fronts.
The court on Thursday also issued a warrant for the arrest of Muhammad Deif, Hamas’s military chief, for crimes against humanity, including murder, hostage taking and sexual violence. Israel has said that it killed Mr. Deif in an airstrike, but the court said it could not determine whether he was dead.
The court’s chief prosecutor had requested the warrants in May, prompting Israel and the United States to fiercely deny the allegations. The warrants issued Thursday have not been made public, but the court said they include accusations of using of starvation as a weapon of war and “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.”
Netanyahu’s office swiftly rejected what it called “absurd and false accusations,” insisting on Thursday that Israel would keep defending its citizens by fighting in Gaza. The Israeli leader “will not surrender to the pressures; he will not recoil or withdraw until all of the war’s goals — that were set at the start of the battle — are achieved,” the office said in a statement.
You can read more from The New York Times here and The Wall Street Journal here.
That’s all for now! Have a wonderful day!