Daily Weather Report Powered By: and Phil Weiser have announced their candidacies for governor in 2026 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Stories you've missed since your last login: Recommended stories based on your interests: Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser speaks during an interview with The Associated Press on Nov Weiser spoke about his gubernatorial run with Colorado Politics on April 9 Two-term Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser launched his campaign for governor at the beginning of the year saying there was a "straight line" between his work as the state's top lawyer and the issues he described as crucial for Colorado's next chief executive to address environmental protection and the youth mental health crisis A former law professor and dean of the University of Colorado Law School Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Ruth Bader Ginsberg and worked in the Justice Department under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama He won election as attorney general by comfortable margins in 2018 and 2022 both times defeating Republicans and then-18th Judicial District attorneys Weiser's tenure has been marked by high-profile lawsuits including a series of wins targeting pharmaceutical companies that have yielded more than $800 million to address the state's opioid crisis he's joined fellow Democratic attorneys general in more than a dozen lawsuits aimed at challenging actions taken by the Trump administration Weiser's grandparents survived the Holocaust before immigrating to the United States after World War II. His mother, Estare, was born in the Buchenwald concentration camp shortly before the U.S Weiser got an undergraduate degree in political science from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and a law degree from the New York University School of Law Colorado Politics spoke with Weiser in Denver on April 9, two days before Bennet's widely anticipated entry into the gubernatorial race Our interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity Colorado Politics: You’re more than three months into your gubernatorial campaign Phil Weiser: So I started eight years ago running to be attorney general that I could serve in a Hillary Clinton administration and I thought hard and long about what I wanted to do you can't just wait to be appointed to serve You need to be one to raise your hand and serve as an elected official And serving as Colorado as attorney general has been incredibly meaningful and I have seen a number of critical areas that I've been working on: How do we improve public safety How do we address the affordability challenges around housing and childcare How do we make sure we defend our democracy and rule of law I've been doing that work as attorney general I want to keep doing that for Colorado as its next governor CP: Michael Bennet is getting in the primary I knew when I got in that others were going to get in I believe that the voters can and should be given a choice of who they want to serve My commitment is to always show up in communities across Colorado to listen hard to what's on people's minds I listened hard to communities in the San Luis Valley [Alamosa County Sheriff] Robert Jackson told me 90% of people there who were in his jail were struggling with opioid addiction and now $875 million were brought back to the state I went to the San Luis Valley to open up a new treatment center for the first time in generations The people of Colorado will know when they're looking at who they want for the next governor that if they want someone who's going to fight hard for them That's going to be what I'll continue to communicate through Election Day CP: Are they seeing results in the San Luis Valley when I went there as a candidate for attorney general eight years ago almost there was no treatment available in the San Luis Valley Now that I’ve gotten money by suing Big Pharma people who used to have no other option than end up in jail and go through detox All that's paid for by the funds and the framework that I set up There was a district attorney down there who had been violating the law mistreating victims [former 12th Judicial District Attorney Alonzo Payne] I'm fighting to protect the water in the San Luis Valley and I'm fighting for citizens of Costilla County against a massive fence that would harm their access to critical resources We can go through other parts of the state Everyone in Colorado knows I'm there to fight for them I've been the people's lawyer; I'll be the people's governor And I want communities to know I care about you I worked with the Grand Junction DA [21st Judicial District Attorney Dan Rubinstein] to prosecute Tina Peters thoroughly grounded by a commitment to the rule of law The DA that I mentioned in the San Luis Valley was a Democrat [and Rubinstein is a Republican] We’re going to do things the right way in Colorado and that’s how I want to serve as governor in that it's also going to be a different time The housing and the affordability issues are ones that have now been percolating up There's going to be a lot of work where we're going to have to follow through What I'm going to do is take the same sort of playbook that I've used in opioids regional governments — you work together on solutions and you work to support people in making progress And there's a framework for some future work in housing that’s going to be top of mind for me The challenges that we're facing around the Colorado River right now are going to be crucial for our state we've not made the investments we need in water infrastructure — something I've been very vocal about that we have to build the tools for what is going to be an ongoing drought situation And then the third thing I'd mention is youth mental health I'm really concerned about the state of young people — too much time on their phones got some money to use from that to build more school-community partnerships to help young people build more positive relationships Those are three areas that I'm going to lean into as top priorities — housing how we help young people and youth mental health — that haven't been the same issues that Gov CP: Youth mental health and housing both seem to have gotten much worse during the pandemic Did Democrats react the right way to COVID Polis’ leadership and you talk about the pandemic I think you can compare him to anyone nationwide and recognize the following point: he was very collaborative trying to work with and give flexibility to local governments to make decisions based on data we do have a strong understanding of local control and collaboration There were states that had bans on any outdoor activities And we had less of those restrictions in Colorado bring people along and see the value of social norms in terms of how people behave Where could things have been better in the pandemic I think to the point about youth mental health there's probably an under-appreciation for keeping kids out of school how it was going to affect them from a behavioral health because young people who lost certain learning that’s something we need to really be mindful about and address CP: What does it mean to be a Democrat these days the Colorado Democratic Party brand — and again I give credit to a lot of Democratic leaders Polis — is definitely better (than it is nationally) And part of what we need to make sure we do as Democrats is Part of the problem that I think has happened for many Democrats is they're viewed as out of touch And for us to have a viable brand in Colorado — and of course And that's something that I learned closely from Ken Salazar which is you need to make sure you go everywhere people don't think about you as red team or blue team and I've shown that I'm here to fight for everyone in Colorado we're not listening or we're condescending living paycheck-to-paycheck and feeling that the economy and our society isn't working for them Do I have the education and training to get a good-paying job particularly people who aren't getting the world handed to them on a silver platter That's been the brand of the Democratic Party That's Democratic Party that my parents and my grandparents grew up with That's what I believe Democratic Party stands for all that isolation at a crucial time in their lives but voters across the board have soured on Democrats Weiser: I think there are a few things going on if a lot of people looked at the Biden administration what did the Biden administration do for me and we as Democrats have to be really mindful Are we making a difference in people's lives look at what I've done as attorney general we’ve made sure the money was spent well to deliver tangible results And one of the challenges that I will continue to think about is how is the work we're doing affecting people's lives making sure people know we're doing that work CP: There’s a lot going on in the legislature setting training requirements for ownership of certain firearms Weiser: I don't know chapter and verse all the currents if you're going to have a very dangerous weapon the responsibilities that come with gun ownership is an appropriate concept here's the way I look at these issues: How do we think about options for keeping people safe that are a little bit like we did with driving so that when you have a car accident people are getting these protections If we can save lives by people having better training CP: But driving a car is not a Second Amendment right How do you explain that to folks — there are plenty of Coloradans who say that the bill is infringing on their constitutional rights it says reasonable limits on gun ownership to protect public safety are allowed And this is the question I'd ask about this bill: Is what's being asked of people reasonable And I want to make sure that we're thoughtful about implementation my dad has trained me how to use a firearm safely the Second Amendment has to be understood in the realities that their communities are operating And the idea of having some training is one that I want to make sure is fair and works in different communities Most responsible gun owners I know would say of course we're going to train anyone before we give them a firearm so that we're not just making it so easy for people who are dangerous We need to respond with measures that are reasonable under the Second Amendment CP: Do you support suing to declare TABOR unconstitutional Weiser: My job is going to be to defend TABOR the lawsuit against TABOR is under a constitutional provision known as the republican form of government clause This lawsuit would have to go to the Supreme Court and make a new law And so it is fair to say this lawsuit is a long shot My job will be to defend the state in this lawsuit I've done it once before; I'll do it again The way I want to approach fixing it as governor is to go to the ballot to make sure that we're basically relieving our state of what currently is a fiscal straightjacket what is a hard cap that is causing very painful cuts that are being done at a time that's not a recession but a time when this cap is running up against spending Some of its advocates forget that a majority of the local governments in the state have deBruced [voted to lift TABOR spending caps] — but that's built into TABOR Would you want to keep the portions of TABOR that require voting on tax increases Weiser: I think the voting on tax increases is pretty settled in terms of the public's desire and it's a healthy burden that you as a public official have to go to the public and say I want to raise revenue and spend it on this not the part of TABOR that I am so concerned about right now What I'm concerned about is this hard cap that is a straightjacket we have a cap that currently is more restrictive — because it's based on population growth and inflation — than the spending is in those areas So even though we're taking in the revenue we're forced to make cuts that are very painful Some of the cuts the legislature did this year are one-time cuts that we can't just do again next year That's why I think there needs to be a structural approach which is going to involve some TABOR reform The way I want to focus on this is to make sure we're doing it thoughtfully with some public engagement Dan Ritchie had a proposal years ago called Building a Better Colorado I really wish we had seen that through as a way to address TABOR I think part of the challenge is when we put things on the ballot without the public process and without clear state leadership pushing it That's what I think we need to make sure we do this next round I'm willing to put in that work to make sure that we do something like Ref C And part of what we need to do is educate the public — here’s what we have currently under TABOR CP: Say you win election next year — what would Colorado look like four years after you take office Weiser: We will be a model state that will have found ways to have a partnership with the state government making housing construction quicker and cheaper particularly for the middle part of the market that currently isn't being served We will have protections for consumers — they’re not being taken advantage of by junk fees or predatory tactics We will make sure that we're managing our water smartly for all of us helping agricultural areas continue to thrive We're going to need to make sure we protect our outdoor recreation economy and we continue to do the work we're doing meeting the challenges around climate change We're going to make sure that we are safer as a state advancing gun violence measures and addressing the drugs in our communities And we're going to make sure young people have a brighter future making sure we're addressing these youth mental health issues creating opportunities by improving our educational system and having a voluntary call to service for young people to serve in policing We're going to have a real spirit that we in Colorado care about one another We're working together to meet our challenges Colorado has been ranking near the top of crime statistics since the pandemic Weiser: I want to be a part of how we get more well trained One of the challenges around car theft is in some jurisdictions they don't have enough law enforcement officers they won't even send out a law enforcement officer We shouldn't be leaving victims on their own We should make sure victims know that law enforcement is here to protect you that we take crimes like auto theft or catalytic converter (theft) very seriously My office has been prosecuting auto theft cases only at the gang level but we need to make sure that we as a state have a clear message we are committed to effective policing I'm working on improving our police training working on police recruitment and retention efforts We have to make sure that we have all the tools we can and that we're constantly looking for the best strategies One of the challenges that unfortunately happened is we let the Colorado Commission on Criminal Juvenile Justice end which was a vehicle for how we improve our criminal justice system That's experience I'll bring to bear as governor CP: We’re sitting here at a table on a sidewalk near downtown Denver and it certainly doesn’t feel at all unsafe for why Colorado has ranked so high in crime stats I don't know that you have the same fear of car theft or an assault that you do in Denver And so one of the challenges is to look across different communities and say what explains both the data as well as people's impressions and perceptions when you have a downtown like the 16th Street Mall So we organized a conference in our office’s Peace Officer Standards and Training program what are data-driven strategies to fight crime And one of them is to look where are hot spots Pueblo set up a real-time crime center to help get that intelligence what strategies can basically address those hot spots We need commitment across our state for real because in some places we see effective crime-fighting strategies We're at our best in Colorado when we're learning from one another providing support for the best practices and making sure we're learning from one another CP: It seems that as attorney general you are leading or joining lawsuits against the federal government and the Trump administration How do the attorneys general decide where to file those lawsuits they've all been in states with what I think are 100% Biden- and Obama-appointed U.S district court judges and appellate courts but I do think you're correct to say that we aren't picking where we file and how we frame the cases at random We are looking hard and long at how do we make our best case and where we make them And it's a very high-functioning team between myself and other state attorneys general as we continue to collaborate on defending the rule of law I'm asking a question: Is Colorado harmed by this action CP: Are there any states attorneys general lawsuits that you haven't joined we in Colorado might not be affected by something I might have thought the legal theory wasn't as compelling but those are the two questions I ask if you say or I didn't think it was necessarily illegal it means I think Colorado was harmed and the administration did things illegal CP: Has Colorado taken the lead on any of these the one that we just won a relief involving public health funding was Colorado-led but it was us who were the lead in that lawsuit which provides crucial public health and behavioral health funding including money that's relevant for what we're doing now addressing measles and other concerns around building our infrastructure for public health CP: Are you confident that the courts are going to be a backstop against the country moving in an authoritarian direction as President Trump's critics say is happening and the administration has said they're complying with these rulings There was a moment where the president made a suggestion that he wouldn't comply and would try to impeach a judge and then Chief Justice Roberts took the very rare stance of publicly calling out the president in that statement And I think the American people overwhelmingly think the president is not above the law The president can't disregard court orders And what we saw here last weekend in Denver a very clear message — we believe in the rule of law in America CP: Do you anticipate that the Supreme Court will agree with you We're not going to necessarily win every case we're bringing there’s some cases where the court might rule against us because it's such a clear constitutional protection I'm very confident we're going to win that case I'm also confident that the result will be that the administration accepts the court's ruling We went to court against the Treasury Department who is giving DOGE access to people's Social Security numbers and bank information If the Treasury Department — whether it's the secretary or the assistant secretary — doesn't follow a court ruling And I think there's a price to be paid in the court of public opinion as well The public overwhelming says it's very important that we not have an executive branch that's acting above the law CP: What's your reaction to the constant stream of news out of Washington what’s gone on with tariffs and the administration deporting immigrants to El Salvador I'm going to first pick your point about the Fifth Amendment that the government could say we can pick up whoever we want and ship them off to a foreign country without any legal process Our nation was built on the principle that everyone's got to be treated fairly I'm going to fight hard for that principle due process of law is now an applause line People want to commit to protect this critical safeguard suggests Colorado will be told by the federal government that we can't adopt policies to drive towards more renewable energy sources We've been doing that Colorado for 20 years That is our right as our state to have its own sovereign authority to make decisions about our energy I'm not going to let the federal government try to tell us what to do — that’s a violation of the 10th Amendment look at the work that I and my team are doing we're going to come through this difficult time or to feel invigorated that we're going to fight for our Republic I believe we're going to preserve our Republic and on the other side of the Trump presidency Colorado is going to be a national model for how we govern ourselves And the reason I want to be governor is because I love Colorado and I love America My mom and my grandparents survived the Holocaust and if we can do a good job standing up for people and I believe we're going to learn some important lessons in the process you learned on the campaign trail this year is people are hungry for positive leadership and how we bring people together to make life better in Colorado So whether it's legends like Roy Romer or Polly Baca that I'm doing this to serve the people of Colorado and I feel a lot of that commitment behind me and I'm going to keep running hard to the tape The Colorado Supreme Court enacted a new set of rules in March governing how those seeking to enter the legal profession may seek disability-r… who is serving in his second and final term Colorado Politics caught up with House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese on her priorities and expectations Colorado Politics caught up with House Majority Leader Monica Duran on her priorities and expectations Email notifications are only sent once a day Colorado Politics is published both in print and online Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily designed for public policy arena professionals Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper containing outstanding features and news stories Secure your subscription to Colorado’s premier political news journal You can be in the know right alongside Colorado’s political insiders I'm the Idaho News 6 neighborhood reporter dedicated to spotlighting stories and adventures from the Backroads of Idaho A landslide took out a portion of Highway 95 in between Council and McCall in March but the community has rallied to provide an alternative The Weiser River Trail is the longest rail line converted into a trail in Idaho the Friends of the Weiser River Trail opened up a one-mile section to help people get around the construction site "As we go through each community we are part of that community," said Leonard Messersmith the President of the Friends of the Weiser River Trail This is a wonderful thing and I think we have done the right thing by opening this up Braun-Jensen Inc. out of Cambridge has been contracted by the Idaho Transportation Department to repair Highway 95 this local company has two of their workers performing eight hour shifts driving people back and forth in a side-by-side Ron Keller is one of the Weiser River Trail taxi drivers for Braun-Jensen and he told us he puts 125 miles on the side-by side everyday and around 100 people use the shuttle on a daily basis "It's been relaxing and the people are really appreciative of us doing this." Without the bypass it would take them four hours to drive all the way around "It’s amazing the cars are lining the whole road and the word is out about how efficient it is," said Kirk Kundrick "It is working to get everybody through in a timely manner." Mountain Community Transit opened a bus line heading north to Valley county from the construction site neighbors have helped neighbors and what could have been a huge inconvenience showcases the resiliency of rural Idaho the Idaho Transportation Department says the road could be back open by the beginning of May This past week crews installed a retaining wall and this upcoming week they will re-pave Highway 95 The shuttle has run for 18 days helping workers get to mill north of the landslide There are a lot of people that work and live on the opposite side of the construction site We also met a pair of ladies who used the shuttle to take their cat to the veterinarian "I know there are a lot of businesses affected by opening this up in a positive manner," said Messersmith The Weiser River Trail provides a place for hikers, bikers and horseback riders to enjoy. I can tell you from experience that biking this section is pretty fun as the trail starts in the pines and goes all the way down to Weiser. Shuttles are available in Cambridge and Weiser The Friends of the Weiser River Trail is a non-profit and this trail was deeded to them in 1997 There mission is to preserve the integrity of the Pacific and Idaho Northern Railroad corridor manage a public recreational trail and protect natural habitats along the corridor We cover stories making an impact in Idaho Backroads. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Idaho Backroads and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! 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Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience ¿Le gustaría continuar en la página de inicio de Brennan Center en español We respect your privacy Wendy Weiser is vice president for democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School a nonpartisan think tank and public interest law center that works to revitalize and defend our systems of democracy and justice She oversees the center’s work on voting rights and elections Weiser directs research and policy development and public education strategies to strengthen democracy so that it works for all Americans She has launched multiple successful programs at the center including its Voting Rights and Elections Program Her work and the work she oversees are grounded in thorough research A constitutional lawyer and an expert on a range of democracy issues Weiser has authored multiple publications and articles on democracy issues testified on multiple occasions before both houses of Congress and in state legislatures and provided legislative drafting assistance to legislators and administrators nationwide She has crafted and advanced a number of successful policy initiatives which is now used in roughly half the states and she helped lead the national push for the Freedom to Vote Act and John R She is a frequent public speaker and media contributor on democracy issues appearing regularly on major television and radio networks Her commentary has been published in outlets including the New York Times Weiser was a senior attorney at NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund; a litigation associate at Paul Wharton & Garrison; and a law clerk to Judge Eugene H District Court for the Eastern District of New York She received her BA from Yale College and her JD from Yale Law School The illegal order risks preventing millions of eligible American citizens from voting The Supreme Court’s “Breathtakingly Radical” New Approach to Election Law The U.S. election is under attack — from Trump, The Washington Post 6 Reasons Not to Panic About the Election What It Will Take to Protect the 2020 Election Op-Ed: What effect will coronavirus have on Tuesday’s primaries?, Los Angeles Times US elections need a fundamental reboot, Boston Globe Let the Private Sector Help Save the Election. We Have No Choice, Newsweek To Protect Democracy, Expand Vote by Mail, Newsweek Symposium: There is no valid justification for the citizenship question, SCOTUSblog Automatic Voter Registration Boosts Political Participation, Stanford Social Innovation Review (January 2016) Shaping the Voting Rights Narrative, in Legal Change: Lessons from America’s Social Movements, Brennan Center for Justice Voter Suppression: How Bad? (Pretty Bad), American Prospect Modernizing Elections, in The Book of the States 2013 The Battle Over the Vote in 2012, lecture at Pitzer College reprinted in the Nieman Watchdogat Harvard University Regulating Judges’ Political Activity After White, Albany Law Review68 (2005): 65 The Equal Pay Act, Employment Discrimination Law (BNA, 2004) Workplace Protections for Domestic Violence Victims, Clearinghouse Review Voters are Hungry for Reform: Congress Must Deliver, The Hill, Nov Why the Supreme Court Must Strike Down Extreme Partisan Gerrymandering, New York Daily News Democracy in North Carolina Could Disappear. Is Your State Next?, Time The White House’s Voter Fraud Commission Has Already Damaged our Democracy, Washington Post Jeff Sessions and the Rule of Law, Huffington Post This GOP Bill Could Make It Easier for Russia to Hack U.S. Elections, Fortune The Actually True and Provable Facts About Non-Citizen Voting, Time The Faulty Logic of Chris Christie's Automatic Voter Registration Veto, Huffington Post The Revolution is Participation, The Nation Wrong on Voting Rights, U.S New Voting Laws Show That the Struggle Continues, billmoyers.com How Much of a Difference Did New Voting Restrictions Make in Yesterday’s Close Races?, billmoyers.com We Already Know Who Won the 2014 Election, Huffington Post Politics Finally, There's Reason for Optimism on Voting Laws, The Atlantic Bring voting into the digital age, CNN.com The entire U.S. voting process is flawed, Denver Post Keep voting free of politics, McClatchy newspapers It's Time for States to Step Up and Educate Voters About Their Voting Rights, Huffington Post Politics Voter ID Laws Are Designed to Keep People from Voting, U.S Electronic registration a great leap forward, Albany Times Union Voter Fraud Claims Are Smoke Without Fire, U.S Put Voting War on Hold to Update Registration, Roll Call Avoiding Intimidation at the Ballot Box, The Hill Can We Registers Voter Better? Yes, Huffington Post Should photo identification be required for voting?, Costco Connection Florida’s Obstacle Course to Voter Registration, The Hill Remember to Vote, Hope It Counts, New York Times Wendy Weiser on Voting Rights, Political Breakdown With Control Of Congress, Democrats Aim To Address Voting Rights, Weekend Edition Sunday With Miles Parks, NPR If we Raise Our Expectations We Could Have A Better System, Turnout with Katie Couric, Dec The Supreme Court's Radical View of Election Law and Rollback of Voting Rights, Background Briefing With Ian Masters What To Expect On Election Day And The Days After : Consider This from NPR, Consider This, NPR How And When Are Votes Officially Counted?, All Things Considered, NPR How To Avoid Potential Problems With Mail-in Ballots, Smerconish, CNN Why 'Record Levels of Enthusiasm' Are Causing Long Lines At The Polls The U.S. Election is Under Attack- From Trump, Opinion, Washington Post Pennsylvania's Counting Chaos, Dan Lieberman, NBC 'Democracy Is A Group Sport', Turnout With Katie Couric, KCM Pennsylvania Election on Hold, With Jim Sciutto, CNN Tossed Ballots Raise Concerns As Voters Mail In Their Ballots The 2020 Voting Challenge: Ensuring Free, Fair, And Safe Elections on November 3rd, Midday Today, WYPR More States Are Moving To Mail-In Voting Amid The Coronavirus Crisis. How Secure Is It?, Nightly News Debate Over Mail-In Voting Continues In The Wake Of The Coronavirus, Eric Shawn, Fox News Interview With Ali Velshi “How Secure is Your Vote?,” Velshi & Ruhle “The Battle Over Your Right to Vote,” Life of the Law “Supreme Court Could Decide to Take on Gerrymandering Case,” CBS News “SCOTUS Strikes Down North Carolina Redistricting,” The Brian Lehrer Show “New Year Changes to California Voter Laws Aim to Improve Elections,” KPCC “Democracy Debrief: Voting Access,” The Brian Lehrer Show “How Are Controversial Voter ID Laws Affecting Voters?,” PBS Newshour “Why Rigging an Election is Nearly Impossible,” The Leonard Lopate Show “Intimidation Nation,” Amicus, Slate “How Real is Voter Fraud and Can the Election Actually Be Rigged?,” CBS This Morning “The Fact and Fiction of Rigged Elections Claims,” On Point “Watching the Vote,” Eric Shawn Reports “Voting Rights in the Courts,” We the People “N.C. Voters Heading to Polls Face Strict New Voter ID Law,” CBS News “After Bush v. Gore,” Retro Report, New York Times “Redistricting Rocks Racially-Diverse Counties in Alabama,” Now with Alex Wagner “Assessing the First Post-Voting Rights Election,” The Brian Lehrer Show “Partisan Divide Over Voting Rights Has Intensified in the Obama Era,” Morning Edition “The Voting Wars: Who’s Winning? Who’s Losing?,” To The Point “On the Fall Docket: Who Gets to Vote—And Who Gets to Decide,” Morning Edition “Update on New Voting Laws Across the Country,” The Diane Rehm Show “New Report Highlights Voter Suppression,” Politics Nation “Proposal to Add Photos to Social Security Cards Meets Resistance,” Fox News “Citizens United Critics Fight Money With Money,” NPR “Wendy Weiser on Voting Changes Post-Shelby County,” Now With Alex Wagner “What Would a 2013 Voting Rights Act (Section 4) Look Like,” Code Switch “The Voting Rights Act and New York City,” The Brian Lehrer Show “President Obama Takes on the Issue of Long Lines,” Fox News “Rethinking Voting,” On Point with Tom Ashbrook “Wendy Weiser on Voting Laws,” ABC News “Pre-Election Legal Battles Target Voting Rules,” Morning Edition “Self-Appointed Poll Watchers Raise Concerns About Intimidation,” The Rachel Maddow Show “Waging a Battle Over Voter ID Laws,” PBS NewsHour “Wendy Weiser on New State Laws Regulating Voting,” Washington Journal “New State Voting Laws,” The Diane Rehm Show “How Safe Is Your Ballot? Tracking Voter Suppression, Intimidation on Election Day,” Democracy Now! “Efforts to Prevent Voter Fraud Draw Scrutiny,” Morning Edition Department of Commerce v. New York 2019 (on whether the Trump Administration’s attempt to add a citizenship question on the census form was legally justifiable) Rucho v. Common Cause 2019 (on the constitutionality of partisan gerrymandering) Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky 2018 (on whether application of Minnesota law prohibiting political apparel in polling places to t-shirts saying “Please I.D Husted v. A. Phillip Randolph Institute 2017 (on whether Ohio voter roll purges violate the National Voter Registration Act) Gill v. Whitford 2017 (on whether Wisconsin’s legislative map is an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander) Northeastern Ohio Coalition for the Homeless v. Husted 2017 (on whether a provision of the federal Civil Rights Act can be enforced by private parties) McCrory v. Harris 2016 (on whether North Carolina’s congressional map is racially discriminatory) Evenwel v. Abbott 2015 (on whether states must use voting-age citizen population as the basis for redistricting rather than total population) Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission 2015 (on whether Arizona’s independent redistricting commission is incompatible with the U.S Williams-Yulee v. The Florida Bar 2014 (on whether certain state regulations of judicial candidate fundraising violate the U.S Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama 2014 (on whether Alabama’s legislative map is racially discriminatory) Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. 2014 (on whether a corporation owned by a religious shareholder is entitled to a religious exemption from certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act) National Labor Relations Board v. Canning 2013 (on whether President Obama’s recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board are constitutional) Shelby County v. Holder 2013 (on whether a core provision of the federal Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional) Arizona v. Intertribal Council of Arizona Election Assistance Commission can override state rules regarding the federal voter registration form) Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. 1 v. Holder 2009 (on whether a core provision of the federal Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional) Crawford v. Marion County Election Board 2007 (on whether Indiana’s voter ID law violates the U.S Sole v. Wyner 2007 (on whether attorneys’ fees should be available to plaintiffs who win preliminary injunctions) Lawrence v. Texas 2003 (on whether Texas’s sodomy law violates the U.S Nevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs 2002 (on whether Congress has the power to enact the Family and Medical Leave Act) Testimony Before House Committee on Administration in Support of the For the People Act Working Together to Restore Protections of the Voting Rights Act Testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution Testimony before the U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections Testimony before the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government on the EAC Testimony before the Senate Special Subcommittee on Aging We respect your privacy. Beaty/DenveriteColorado Attorney General Phil Weiser speaks during an Aurora Branch NAACP meeting at the Community College of Aurora as they kick off their 5280 Good Trouble initiative to encourage people to vote As Coloradans returned from the New Year’s holiday on Thursday the state’s top prosecutor announced a major resolution: to run for governor in 2026 Democrat Phil Weiser is midway through his second term as Attorney General Over his six years in the office he made a name for himself fighting the first Trump administration in court as well as suing opioid manufacturers and social media companies.  many political observers anticipate a crowded field of Democrats vying to succeed him Weiser believes his tenure as AG provides the experience and leadership credentials to distinguish himself from the competition I've worked on every single issue that Colorado faces I've been there with Governor Polis as we've dealt with issues on public health Attorney general is Weiser’s first elected office He previously served as dean of the CU law school He also held posts in the Obama administration including Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the anti-trust division and as an advisor to the national economic council Weiser intends to build on the work of recent Democratic governors focusing on things like expanding pre-K access further implementing full-day kindergarten and meeting the state’s renewable energy goals “Colorado is so fortunate to have had prior leaders like Gov Hickenlooper who set a high bar for innovative leadership for bold ideas and for making Colorado a leader nationally on many fronts,” said Weiser When asked what would be the most important issues the next governor needs to tackle the Attorney General highlighted housing affordability as the top priority He also stressed the importance of addressing climate challenges through strong leadership to protect Colorado's natural resources Also central to his vision is a focus on mental health crime prevention and law enforcement training The left-leaning group Healthier Colorado, and right-leaning Magellan Strategies recently surveyed 630 Democratic and unaffiliated voters on four of the potential primary candidates Twenty percent of those polled said they’d support congressman Joe Neguse in a theoretical Democratic primary, 16 percent went for Secretary of State Jena Griswold, 11 percent for former Interior Secretary and U.S. Senator Ken Salazar and 8 percent for Weiser – with almost 40 percent of respondents stating that they have never heard of him But Weiser said he’s not daunted by a lack of name recognition at this point “The honest truth is when I started running for Attorney General “So I've made a lot of progress and I'll keep making progress and we'll fight hard to win it.” On the Republican side, state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, and outgoing 4th Congressional District Rep. Greg Lopez who was selected to fill out the last few months of Ken Buck’s term are potential contenders for governor.  none of those potential candidates has yet confirmed they’re interested in the office Editor's Note: This story has been updated with quotes from A.G Weiser and more information about his campaign Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now. © 2025 Colorado Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy News | Feb 25 zgoldstein@vaildaily.com Phil Weiser, Colorado’s attorney general, sat down for an interview Monday with the Vail Daily to talk about suing the federal government, his office’s efforts to protect youth mental health and his campaign for governor Colorado has brought five different lawsuits against the federal government since Jan. 21, along with filing amicus briefs in two other cases “There are two basic questions I look at which are: ‘Is the federal action illegal?’ and second: ‘Is the federal action harming Colorado?’ A number of these cases were very easy to answer both questions,” Weiser said I looked at what was being done and saw it as being harmful we’ve had success stopping the harm and defending the rule of law,” Weiser said “It is common,” for states to sue the federal government I wish the federal government was taking more care to follow the law and not to break it in ways that are threatening and harmful.” During President Donald Trump’s first term Weiser’s office brought “several” suits when the “federal government acted in ways we believed were illegal,” Weiser said “We were very successful in those lawsuits.” Weiser said he hopes he will not have to levy any more lawsuits against the federal government but he will take action against future illegal and harmful orders these actions have come quickly over the last several weeks so I don’t know which ones are going to be coming down the pike,” Weiser said While much of the work Weiser’s office does has a general impact on Eagle County there are three recent cases that have specific impacts Weiser brought a case against Vail Resorts for the 2021 Gore Creek fish kill incident which resulted in a $275,000 settlement to restore the Gore Creek basin and support the state’s water quality improvement work Weiser also brought a case to block the merger between grocery store chains Albertsons (Safeway) and Kroger (City Market), which was successful in December. Weiser held a town hall in Edwards in May 2023 to receive feedback ahead of arguing the case Weiser’s office showed evidence during the trial that prices are lower at the City Market in West Vail which has direct competition from Safeway across the parking lot “We highlighted that the current lack of competition in these communities has led to higher prices for groceries and that this merger would make that situation even worse,” Weiser said Weiser’s office also wrote an amicus brief in support of blocking the Uinta rail line project that would bring large amounts of crude oil out of Utah and run along the Colorado River Eagle County was the lead plaintiff in what became a broad-based case against the Utah coalition “We’re fighting against that because it could be dangerous to the ecosystem here and could have real negative consequences with oil spills that we’ve seen before,” Weiser said Weiser’s office has taken three large-scale actions to address what it calls the “youth mental health crisis” in Colorado “We very much want to see ways to build more relationship skills and resilience skills among young people so they don’t turn to vaping,” Weiser said Weiser’s office is also currently suing Meta and investigating TikTok “because of the way social media is operating and harming young people,” Weiser said “Young people now spend five to six hours a day on their smartphones on social media That includes one and a half hours during the school day,” Weiser said Weiser’s argument is that the way Meta’s social media platforms operate is designed to keep people engaged for as long as possible often by promoting content that is harmful to mental health “They’ve also been deceiving people about the impact of being on these platforms there’s no harm to your mental health.’ But their internal research said the opposite,” Weiser said Weiser’s goal is to not only get Meta to tell the truth about its practices “We want to change how these platforms operate,” Weiser said The current plan is to go to trial in spring 2026 against Meta Third, Weiser’s office is pushing bipartisan legislation at the Colorado State legislature that would require schools to have policies preventing smartphones from interfering with learning. The Eagle County School District passed its own cell phone policy at the end of last school year Weiser said he opposes the decision to rescind the “sensitive locations” policy that prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting arrests at schools “I do find the move to threaten people at educational institutions or houses of worship and perhaps courthouses offensive and highly problematic,” Weiser said and they’re an immigrant or undocumented … It’s a constitutional right for everyone And we want people to be able to testify in court cases.” Weiser’s ability to intervene in Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests is limited but he said he will step in if the agency violates due process of law “What I’m concerned about is the possibility that ICE will engage in mass and indiscriminate enforcement as opposed to following the normal procedures,” he said “Roundups and efforts at mass deportation to scare people who may have a range of bases to stay here — they are married to someone who is an American citizen or they have kids who are American citizens or they’re a Dreamer — that’s a real concern.” Weiser will also be keeping “a close eye” on potential legal interventions to protect Colorado’s national parks as the Trump administration slashes funding Weiser launched a campaign for governor in the 2026 election “I love serving the people of Colorado Being an elected public servant in the state has been an incredibly meaningful role,” Weiser said “I’m really concerned about some challenges that our state has.” Weiser said he plans to address the rising cost of living in Colorado plan for the impacts of climate change and support the mental health of Colorado’s young people his day job as the state’s highest legal officer “will always come first.” “I’m working really hard because I’ve got an additional responsibility,” Weiser said “I’m going to always prioritize serving the people of Colorado as attorney general and if there are political consequences from that This is the critical job I’ve got to do at this key time and whatever happens in this campaign for governor will happen.” Après Madness Championship Party at Avanti F&B The NCAA College Basketball Tournament may have crowned a champion on Monday but Friday is when you can congratulate this year’s winner of Vail’s own form of competition:.. Après at The Amp For its third year in a row Ford Amphitheater has proven that it’s not just a summer venue the Swedish pop band that took the world by storm in the 1970s and early 1980s with its hits “Waterloo,” “Take a Chance on Me” and “Dancing Queen,” will virtually.. Project Funway Get ready to be wowed by the fashions at Project Funway which returns to Dobson Arena again this Saturday One of the most creative fundraisers in the Vail Valley Family fun at Beaver Creek Spring break is here and that means that families are enjoying a break from school and hitting the slopes Beaver Creek has a ton of family programming happening through the.. are rooted in her life experiences and she has drawn on them time and time again from Indiana to California when she was 8 years old her father survived a serious heart attack but was disabled for the rest of his life and could no longer work leaving her mother—who had been a stay-at-home mom—to take charge Her mom opened a day care facility and helped the family get by we were suddenly thrown into a life of food stamps and welfare,” Banet-Weiser recalls She says witnessing and participating in what her mother prioritized in life has been a tremendous influence in her life In the fall of 2023, after being named dean of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and students to determine shared and group-level priorities After the University announced that it would fund gatherings within individual schools to discuss topics of interest over a meal called the Dinners Across Differences series Banet-Weiser worked these themes into the meals were about how a university works and the role of media scholars in times of crisis including crises of misinformation and disinformation “I think that compassion and care should always be part of an academic community but I think those things come into bold relief when you’re in times of crisis,” Banet-Weiser says and you need to be intentional and not just assume that care is going to happen and not just assume that everyone understands empathy in the same way.” The dean has carried this mindset into this school year, laying out a theme of care and joy in her fall welcome message Banet-Weiser wants to intentionally communicate that this is at the crux of the Annenberg community—which includes 24 standing faculty and 21 research centers— and for scholars to foreground it in their research “Many faculty and students here are doing work that has and care for others is built into that research,” Banet-Weiser says “Dean Banet-Weiser is dedicated to the mission of Annenberg,” says Interim Penn President J. Larry Jameson and her leadership is inspiring Annenberg faculty and students to bring their knowledge to bear on the great challenges of our time from climate change to misinformation to health communication.”   Banet-Weiser spent the first 20 years of her career at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, rising to director of the School of Communication and then vice dean of the School for Communication and Journalism. She developed a friendship and partnership with Willow Bay then the director of the School of Journalism and now the dean of USC Annenberg “I quickly came to admire her intellectual impact and clarity a true love for nurturing students,” Bay says she became my most trusted advisor as I transitioned from the industry to the academy we created new and innovative ways to build bridges between the two.” Banet-Weiser left USC in 2018 to head the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science while holding a joint appointment at Penn’s Annenberg as the Lauren Berlant Professor of Communication That fall, she established the Annenberg Center for Collaborative Communication, designed to bridge the two Annenberg schools. The center has facilitated student and faculty exchanges between the institutions, created writing mentorship opportunities, held numerous research talks and symposia, and produced podcasts on topics such as feminist networks. Banet-Weiser is one of the foremost scholars of gender in the media and has written about feminism She developed the concept of popular feminism in her book “Empowered” and how it plays out in advertising and online and multimedia platforms center the ways in which media representations A few months before becoming dean, Banet-Weiser published the book “Believability: Sexual Violence, Media, and the Politics of Doubt” with Kathryn Claire Higgins a former postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Collaborative Communication and current lecturer at Goldsmiths while law is an important discipline for sexual violence cases narratives and whether women are believed play out in media culture It creates the stories that we then understand and live our lives by and some of those stories are really damaging and have been damaging for centuries,” Banet-Weiser says “We created those stories in the first place so we can recreate them in ways that resist sexist and racist structures rather than support them.” and Cheats: con(fident) women and post authentic femininities on television.” “I think that Sarah Banet-Weiser’s work is particularly great for its ability to have incisive commentary on topics that matter to a lot of people and that a lot of people are conversant on,” says second-year Annenberg doctoral student Sara Reinis one of the dean’s advisees and a recent co-author “but then taking it to a deeper level and examining specifically feminist issues but also other issues of power.” Reinis says she came to Penn specifically to work with Banet-Weiser inspired by how she has shifted her research across topics Reinis says that Banet-Weiser has made her feel like she’s “invested in you as an individual and the community of Annenberg as a whole” and that the dean is accessible and approachable despite her busy schedule to have all the administrative abilities and being invested personally for so many students,” Reinis says Barbie Zelizer, the Raymond Williams Professor of Communication at Annenberg and director of the Center for Media at Risk has known Banet-Weiser for decades and describes her as someone who “represents an amalgam of the field of communication” and will “embrace different perspectives or different pathways to solve different problems internationally recognized scholar who has led the field in thinking about gender,” Zelizer says She really knows how to lead simultaneously from the head and from the heart Banet-Weiser took Annenberg down that road with purpose and strength with gratitude for what she has and excitement for what is to come at Annenberg As Banet-Weiser looks to share the Annenberg story, she has embarked on a new podcast series called Annenberg Conversations in which she speaks with scholars about new research in the field of communication The first episode delved into election politics and in February the second will investigate the labor of care An important element of Banet-Weiser’s vision for Annenberg involves incorporating strengths of faculty, centers, and labs into research networks that enhance understanding of the School’s work and foster collaboration. Vice Dean Emily Falk is leading a pilot launching this spring broadly framing the research and learning at Annenberg in four categories: computational social science The school is also embarking on a renovation project that will result in more collaborative spaces And for the first time in more than two decades Annenberg is planning to reintroduce a master’s degree in communication and media industries Banet-Weiser says that, in line with Penn’s strategic framework, In Principle and Practice a lot of work at Annenberg is about being anchored in Philadelphia Most of the school’s talks are open to the public and graduate students partner with artistic organizations across the city in their multimodal scholarship “Part of what I have been talking about from the moment I was appointed dean is to tell the story of Annenberg more clearly to tell the story of Annenberg more widely to make sure that Annenberg doesn’t just stay within these walls but engages with the community,” Banet-Weiser says “We are a school of communication and media scholars and part of that is about engaging with different members of the community and different kinds of projects in the community.” she is left with one question: “How lucky am I?” really lucky that I am part of this school and that I have the community that I do,” she says “I think that does sound kind of sentimental but things like joy and grace and friendship are actually the way forward and I think we do our best work in those circumstances when we’re not motivated by fear or by anger I’m just trying to help create the conditions where that can continue.” the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt The new Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology boasts adaptable laboratory spaces to support the dynamic needs of pioneering research Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 1939 to Eldred Bud and Wynola (Long) Craig Nancy graduated from Minerva High School in 1957 She worked for many years as a secretary and bookkeeper then went on to raising her family full time Nancy was a member of Massillon Garden Club and St Nancy made many happy memories with her family Her family loved her deeply and she will be missed by all of them dearly Those left to cherish her memory are her daughters (James) Pasek and Jennifer Ethel Weiser; grandchildren Stella Eve Kraft and Thomas William Kraft; and two brothers She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband and lifetime partner of 69 years Charles William Weiser; and her three sisters Interment will be at Alliance City Cemetery This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Lee was born on May 29,1939 in Philadelphia She graduated from Olney High School in 1957 then went on to marry the love of her life This beautiful butterfly left behind her loving caterpillars: Daughters Randi (Glen) Weisman and Traci (Michael) Albuck and her sister Michelle Caney More of her caterpillars include her grandchildren Andrew (Erin) Weiser Predeceased in death by the love of her life Relatives and friends are invited to her Funeral services on Tuesday 25 at 1:30pm at Goldsteins’ Rosenberg’s Suburban North Memorial donations in Lee’s memory may be directed to Fox Chase Cancer Center, www.foxchase.org Goldsteins Rosenberg's Funeral Directors Suburban North Click to watch Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text Type a search term or query below and press enter Bella Health and Wellness is a nonprofit Catholic healthcare clinic in Colorado that offers life-affirming and children from all backgrounds and faith traditions Consistent with its religious duty to honor the dignity of human life Bella’s OB-GYN practice offers progesterone—a commonly prescribed naturally occurring hormone—to pregnant women at risk of miscarriage But a Colorado law has made it illegal for religious healthcare clinics like Bella to offer women progesterone for the purpose of treating threatened miscarriages caused by the first abortion pill a treatment commonly known as abortion pill reversal Colorado’s ban on abortion pill reversal will force women to continue unwanted abortions Founded by Catholic mother and daughter nurse practitioners Dede Chism and Abby Sinnett the inspiration for Bella Health and Wellness came from a medical mission trip the pair took in the Andes Mountains of Peru Dede and Abby were convicted that everyone has a unique story and that every life deserves the utmost protection Dede and Abby discerned the call to open a life-affirming Catholic medical clinic for women in the Denver metropolitan area Bella Health and Wellness has since expanded its work in the Denver area to offer care to men and children as well Bella’s OB-GYN practice often prescribes women progesterone naturally occurring hormone that is essential to maintain a healthy pregnancy and frequently prescribed to women at risk of miscarriage Consistent with its Catholic beliefs in the dignity of all human life Bella also offers progesterone to women who seek help to continue their pregnancies after taking the first abortion pill That treatment is commonly known as abortion pill reversal Bella’s abortion pill reversal patients have now given birth to at least 11 babies since this case was filed Colorado law targets life-affirming healthcare clinics  Colorado made it illegal for life-affirming healthcare clinics like Bella to offer progesterone to women who have willingly or unwillingly taken the abortion pill Even though progesterone has been safely used for years to maintain healthy pregnancies the Colorado Legislature has categorically denied its use for abortion pill reversal State legislators have labeled progesterone’s use in this context to be “deceptive” and “unprofessional conduct,” while its use for all other purposes—including natural miscarriage—remains legal Bella would face up to $20,000 per violation and the loss of the medical licenses for its providers if it continues to offer abortion pill reversal The law protects Bella’s right to serve in accordance with its faith  Bella Health and Wellness has a religious duty to provide life-affirming medical care to every patient including women at risk of miscarriage due to the abortion pill Colorado cannot single out and attack clinics that provide life-affirming care to pregnant women who seek out their help The Supreme Court has consistently held that governments are barred from singling out religiously motivated practices from comparable secular practices simply because of their religious nature District Court for the District of Colorado to stop the State from targeting religious healthcare clinics that offer women care in accordance with their faith The district court quickly granted emergency relief to Bella Colorado government officials committed that the State would not enforce the law promising instead to act as if the law “never existed” pending rulemaking by the state’s Medical the district court ruled that the State “will not enforce the new Colorado law against any licensee” until three state boards implemented regulations required by the law The three licensing boards issued their regulations, doubling down on the legislature’s targeting of faith-based healthcare. On September 22, 2023, Bella again asked the Court for protection against the law. In an opinion issued on October 21, the district court blocked Colorado from enforcing the law finding that Colorado likely violated Bella’s free exercise rights in three different ways to offer healthcare to women who have changed their minds about abortion and seek Bella’s help to continue their pregnancies More than a year of full discovery confirmed that there is no safety or efficacy justification for banning abortion pill reversal while allowing medical practitioners to administer progesterone for any other purpose. On January 31, 2025, Bella asked the district court to make its temporary protections permanent Individual Freedom: Freedom of conscience is the human right to believe and act according to the dictates of an individual’s conscience Becket defends the right of all individuals to live according to their consciences without government coercion Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter and breaking news updates Staff taking additional steps to minimize impacts to big game following Paddock Fire Idaho Fish and Game staff in the Southwest Region will begin an aerial survey of the Weiser River Zone elk population – one of many survey efforts taking place around the state this year that help game managers understand population numbers and trends.   This survey is expected to take several weeks to complete People can expect low-flying helicopter operations for the first few weeks of January including in a portion of the area affected by the 2024 Paddock Fire.   “We understand that people may have some concerns about running an aerial survey in the burn area but we are taking steps to minimize impacts to big game during these survey flights,” said Regional Wildlife Manager Regan Berkley.   A typical abundance survey may take several weeks to complete and is typically flown between mid-January and early March to ensure deer and elk are concentrated on low elevation winter ranges each area is surveyed every 5-6 years.  “Abundance surveys are labor intensive and costly we are only able to conduct them in most areas on a five-year rotation." Berkley said. "Given the relative infrequency of these abundance surveys and the fact that they serve an important role in refining and verifying our population modeling we place a high importance on flying these when they come around.” impacts to big game animals from abundance surveys are minimal to begin with but Berkley said that biologists and survey pilots will be doing all they can to avoid disturbing mule deer – which tend to be more susceptible to winter mortality – during their flights this winter will be kept to the minimum required for biologists to complete the survey.   Fish and Game staff also decided not to capture and GPS-collar mule deer in the Weiser River deer units this year.   “Our annual capture and collaring efforts also provide critical information for us as wildlife managers our concerns about placing additional stress on the mule deer in the Weiser units outweighed our need for that data,” Berkley said.  Buy Licenses Hunt Planner Hunter Ed Fishing Planner IFWF Hunt Report Report Wildlife Crime Volunteer! Report Roadkill talks to volunteers at a get-out-the-vote rally on Oct Attorney General Phil Weiser announced his candidacy to be Colorado’s governor at the start of the year After weeks of speculation and trial balloons Senator Michael Bennet entered the governor’s race in early April As a kinetic attorney general that Colorado can remember Weiser has been on a straight-line path to the prize for some time Bennet’s route has been more circuitous as longtime U.S It is not the standard course of career advancement The usual direction of political aspiration is the opposite and his move from the governor’s office to the Senate chamber Perhaps there will still be another entrant into this contest Though that is looking increasingly doubtful Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar’s name has been actively floated But he has yet to take any steps in this direction Congressman Joe Neguse was thought to be headed to the governor’s race but instead decided to seek reelection to the House it bears mentioning that a Republican gubernatorial primary is also forming whoever wins the Democratic primary will be the next governor Much of the early media coverage of the Democratic race has cast Bennet as the considerable favorite Senators come with a certain prestige and a national fundraising network Bennet has won three top-of-the-ballot races Make that four if you count his takedown of Democratic heartthrob Andrew Romanoff in the 2010 Democratic primary I expect this to be a highly competitive duel Weiser has used his head start to his advantage He has built a solid base of support and endorsements within the Democratic Party far from chump change given Colorado’s extreme donor limits His meet-and-greets feature a list of hosts and sponsors that are a veritable who’s who of the local Democratic ranks if not the roster of their elected officials many of Weiser’s donors will match now that Bennet is in the race Some of his previous supporters may flip or sit on their hands None of that detracts from the solid campaign foundation Weiser has built This clash is not likely to be all that ideological Both Bennet and Weiser fall well within the party’s mainstream They would be dubbed “moderates” as opposed to “progressives.” Neither will be confused for AOC nor does it do much of an impersonation of Bernie Sanders there is a mood of intense frustration and dismay within the Democratic Party The root of it is the impotence felt in the face of the Trump onslaught and the fact that Democrats hold no real levers of power The response to Cory Booker’s 25-hour stemwinder spoke to the distress are figures of a Democratic establishment that is situationally unable to deliver the effective opposition its constituents crave but it provides running room for fresher faces and challengers Early indications are that Weiser will try to run to Bennet’s left There may be fertile terrain to be found there as both parties continue to polarize The notion of Weiser as some leftie champion is comical Much shouting and many contrived differences lie ahead even as the actual substantive variance between the two contenders is minimal Bennet’s candidacy is as much a commentary on the state of the Senate as it is on any attraction to be found in a gold-topped building at Colfax and Lincoln While Democrats may win back control of Congress the Senate is likely to remain in Republicans' grips for an extended period Bennet has raised the issue of who would appoint his senate successor should he win the governor’s office He insists the appointment would be his to make never known to be the overly passive or deferential type will be held at the end of June a year from now Eric Sondermann is a Colorado-based independent political commentator. He writes regularly for ColoradoPolitics and the Gazette newspapers. Reach him at EWS@EricSondermann.com; follow him at @EricSondermann where no Republican has won a major statewide race in more than a decade and with the Republican Party plotting major repairs it was probably inevitable a pair of well-liked and generally admired Democrats would face-off against one another in a primary When Attorney General Phil Weiser announced his 2024 candidacy in January it came as no surprise and seemed to place him as the presumed front-runner with one or more nuisance campaigns to emerge later in the year extended feelers last month regarding his return to the state and has now confirmed he is a gubernatorial aspirant Either gentleman seems likely to prove a worthy and competent governor Several pundits and political observers have jumped to the conclusion Sen Bennet arrives as an 800-pound gorilla who will swiftly eliminate any competitors Colorado Democrats have shown a propensity for just such sweeps with both Ken Salazar in 2004 and John Hickenlooper in 2020 clearing away their prospective opponents following announcement of their Senate candidacies Bennet is likely to enjoy a fundraising advantage on the "soft-money" side important with a state limitation of $400 for individual contributors AG Weiser raised eyebrows with a nearly $2 million dollar haul during the first quarter of 2025 Bennet’s entry more than a year before the 2026 Democratic primary Before weighing the relative strengths and weaknesses of each I'd be remiss not to acknowledge there will be a Republican nominee at a general election in November of 2026 Aurora mayor and former 5-term member of Congress may jump into the fray would be taken seriously his candidacy would enjoy broad appeal among Colorado Republicans but his party apparatus remains in utter shambles and it seems unlikely newly elected State Chairwoman Brita Horn can wash all the spilled blood from the carpets at her headquarters before Election Day the tangerine terror in the White House is doing little to bolster the Republican brand writ large while MAGA zealots who remain loyal are aware President Donald Trump is no friend of "Little Mikey," who valiantly refused to jump aboard the “Operation Aurora” immigrant-bashing bandwagon Stay up to speed: Sign up for daily opinion in your inbox Monday-Friday Colorado’s next governor will almost certainly be determined in the 2026 Democratic primary John Hickenlooper cruised to an easy Senate win over Cory Gardner in 2018 Attorney General Phil Weiser struggled mightily to defeat Democratic state legislator Joe Salazar for the Attorney General nomination He then faced a tough battle against Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler in November Bennet hasn’t faced a close race since his first election in 2010 when a then little-known Ken Buck ran close enough to delay the final count for several days Bennet went on to win his 2016 and 2022 reelection campaigns in relative romps over Darryl Glenn and Joe O’Dea as did AG Weiser in his 2022 campaign for re-election as AG Weiser has been a particularly active attorney general getting out of his Denver office to visit rural counties and assist district attorneys across the state This has allowed him to establish a network of grateful officeholders reflected in his lengthy roster of early endorsements He has raked in millions of dollars for Colorado from class-action settlements to brag about AG Weiser has joined lawsuits filed on behalf of Colorado ranchers nonprofits and assorted injured or aggrieved parties across the state He has earned many Colorado friends and supporters while acquiring a detailed understanding of how the wheels of local government turn He will also earn considerable attention between now and Election Day as his office works with other Democratic AGs to launch legal squabbles objecting to outrages emanating from DOGE the White House and the Department of Justice His campaign theme emphasizes Colorado will have to create its own solutions to policy problems Bennet has evidently reached a degree of frustration with the inability of Congress to get anything important done that he is now willing to throw in the towel and return home His personal crusade to extend the federal Child Tax Credit provided during the COVID pandemic has run aground in Washington He suggests Colorado should consider creating its own substitute which would cut the state’s childhood poverty rate in half and reduce taxes for 96% of Colorado families The Denver Post has suggested the senator should resign his seat although they made no such suggestion when then-U.S Bennet’s part to suggest he could appoint his own successor if he should win He will pay a campaign penalty whether he remains at his job in Washington or ignores his obligation to serve as an antidote to the toxic MAGA mix of arrogance and ignorance despised in Colorado Since there is little question our current governor might wish to take Sen perhaps the senator should commit to turning any appointment over to Gov Hickenlooper and Bennet running on the same ballot in 2026 They’ve worked together for nearly a quarter of a century During an appearance in Grand Junction last week Hick was asked whether he was still considering another presidential run He replied he'd wrung that yearning out of his system since political analysts theorize a governor’s office provides a better platform for a national campaign than congressional experience Bennet will need to offer the same answer as his former boss Democrats can no longer assemble in the proverbial "smoke-filled" room to find a place for both Sen Miller Hudson is a public affairs consultant and a former Colorado legislator Attorney General Phil Wieser reads the due process clause of the 14th Amendment on the steps of the Denver City and County Building as part of a “Law Day” event on Thursday Lawyers and judges came to the event to condemn the Trump administration’s attacks on the rule of law Go to Admin » Appearance » Widgets » and move Gabfire Widget: Social into that MastheadOverlay zone Colorado Governor’s Mansion in Denver Michael Bennet reportedly set to announce his candidacy for Colorado governor in 2026 made it clear on Thursday that he’s staying in the race According to Axios will announce his bid for the governor’s mansion Friday morning Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, also a Democrat, announced his candidacy for governor back in early January is term-limited and therefore out of the running in 2026 Bennet’s campaign on Thursday sent out an email stating Bennet would make an unspecified announcement in Denver Friday morning In the following email blast to constituents Thursday afternoon Weiser wrote “I am all in to fight for Colorado.” Here’s the full text of his email: I also understood this would be a competitive race and now that it is reported we have our first opponent our contrasts to others will become clear—in who we are Here’s my promise to you: I am all in to fight for Colorado I will stand up to this lawless federal administration and fight for our future I entered this race early to build support across our state and to work with you to develop thoughtful effective policy solutions to the challenges we face I’m confident that together we will create a hopeful vision for Colorado’s future We’ll continue listening to and engaging with Coloradans to tackle critical issues like making life more affordable; improving the safety of our communities; protecting our land and water; and ensuring our kids have a bright future And we’ll continue to protect Coloradans from lawless actions out of Washington rob our state of critical medical research funding and rip apart programs and public institutions that so many people rely on I promised to serve as the “People’s Lawyer,” and I have delivered on that promise I have shown that I will not walk away from any fight and now I’m running to be the “People’s Governor.” and we have a tremendous team that will carry us to victory Thanks for being with us and for giving me the honor of serving our state at this critical time There’s a cost to producing the quality journalism you read here Fund Real Vail SIGN UP FOR NEWS ALERTS News | Jan 2 Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser on Thursday launched a 2026 campaign for governor, becoming the first major Democratic candidate to jump into what’s expected to be a crowded contest to replace Gov. Jared Polis. “There are many reasons why I’m running to lead this state I love, but the biggest reason is simple: I’m committed to fighting for the people of Colorado,” Weiser said in a written statement. Weiser was first elected attorney general in 2018 and then was reelected in 2022. His term ends in early 2027. During his tenure, Weiser has taken on the Trump administration in court, focused on consumer protection issues and battled to secure settlement dollars from opioid manufacturers and distributors. Before entering politics, Weiser was dean of the University of Colorado law school. Polis is term-limited and can’t run for reelection in 2026. The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization dedicated to covering the people, places and policies that matter in Colorado. Read more, sign up for free newsletters and subscribe at coloradosun.com. Kentucky Derby Parties The 151st Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday at 4:57 p.m. and here are a few places you can go for watch parties: Lookout Bar at Westin Riverfront in Avon Celebrate the Kentucky... Easter events in the Vail Valley Church services An Easter tradition that’s been going on for over 30 years is the Vail Mountain Easter Sunrise Service bright and early on Sunday morning. This takes place... Après Madness Championship Party at Avanti F&B The NCAA College Basketball Tournament may have crowned a champion on Monday, but Friday is when you can congratulate this year’s winner of Vail’s own form of competition:... Après at The Amp For its third year in a row, the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater has proven that it’s not just a summer venue. Each April a huge crowd comes out – rain, snow,... Mania: The ABBA Tribute ABBA, the Swedish pop band that took the world by storm in the 1970s and early 1980s with its hits “Waterloo,” “Take a Chance on Me” and “Dancing Queen,” will virtually... Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Flood warnings issued for Malheur and Weiser riversby CBS2 News Staff ID (CBS2) — The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for the Malheur River in eastern Oregon and the Weiser River in southwestern Idaho due to recent rain and snowmelt The Malheur River at Vale is expected to reach minor flood stage by Monday morning while the Weiser River at Weiser is forecast to reach action stage by Monday evening Residents in the affected areas are advised to stay informed and monitor updates from the National Weather Service visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website at water.noaa.gov Colorado gubernatorial candidate Phil Weiser a Democrat and the state's term-limited attorney general has raised more than than $1.5 million since launching his run just over two months ago Weiser has so far raised $1,517,000 — from more than 4,000 individual contributors — since the beginning of January That's on top of the $157,000 in leftover funds transferred from his attorney general campaign committee when he got in the race bringing his total so far to more than $1,674,000 That total is more than any non-self-funding candidate for Colorado governor has raised in an entire off year edging past the $1,513,000 reported in 2017 by Democrat Mike Johnston who lost the 2018 gubernatorial primary and was elected mayor of Denver in 2023 a former CU Law School dean and one-time Justice Department official in the Obama administration is so far the only Democrat running to take over when Democratic Gov Jared Polis faces term limits after next year's election 10 Republicans had filed paperwork to run for the office R-Colorado Springs; Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell; and former congressional candidate Joshua Griffin Democrats have had a virtual lock on the governor's seat in Colorado for 50 years Weiser said in a statement released by his campaign that he's drawn backing from across the state showing how much Coloradans value and recognize our resolve to take on big and important fights for all of us," Weiser said working with them to defend the rule of law and our rights Now more than ever we need leaders willing to stay on the front lines to protect us That’s what I’ve done as AG and what I’ll continue to do as governor." said Coloradans are responding to Weiser's record representing the state as attorney general “Phil Weiser is a hard worker and dedicated fighter for the Coloradans," Perlmutter said in a statement That’s why so many people are responding to his campaign and want to see him as our next governor.” State-level candidates' campaign finance reports covering the year's first quarter are due to be filed with the Colorado Secretary of State's Office by April 15 Federal candidates face the same deadline with the Federal Election Commission Both parties' primaries are scheduled for June 30 the contours of next year's statewide elections in Colorado seemed clear if the eventual results were still anybody's guess which is outlined in the 14th Amendment of the U.S joins his counterparts in 18 states and the District of Columbia in challenging the new administration In an interview with Colorado Matters Senior Host Ryan Warner Weiser explained why he is acting to thwart Trump whom voters returned to the White House in no small part because of immigration Ryan Warner: President Trump was catapulted to office in large part on the immigration issue Phil Weiser: The Constitution makes very clear in the 14th Amendment that if you're born here on U.S Colorado has a lot of people who are here and will be here because of what's called birthright citizenship It's happened twice before where this issue's come up This effort to undermine the Constitution by executive order is wrong Warner: The relevant constitutional amendment here indeed is the 14th "All persons born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens." And perhaps the operative phrase is “subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” So the Trump administration argues if mom is unlawfully present and dad's not a citizen or permanent resident they're not subject to “the jurisdiction thereof.” How do you interpret the 14th Weiser: Anyone who is here other than a couple special cases I'll get to in a minute and you are part of America and our jurisdiction Here's where the exception comes into play What if you're the child or you're a diplomat Or let's say you're an invading soldier subject to the Geneva Convention but not U.S should not be used to drive a truck through to turn a lot of people who are citizens into some other category Warner: Do you think birthright citizenship is abused or misused Weiser: I think that America has a commitment that we are a nation of immigrants and that we allow people to become Americans by virtue of being born here That's the spirit of what this nation's motto captures my mom and my grandparents came here after surviving the Holocaust this idea of accepting and welcoming immigrants is personal to me and I believe that this birthright citizenship policy is part of that spirit Warner: And you do not believe that it's abused or misused Weiser: I believe that when someone is born here citizens and that we are committed to this idea that everyone can be included in this great American story We should make sure that we are not just essentially abdicating what is and must be a system of asylum or there are standards that are managed This idea of undermining the Constitution isn't about fixing problems It's about frankly leading people who have been part of our country and should be part of our country and trying to override the constitutional protection in a way that is unlawful Warner: States also challenging this executive order include any number that Mr Weiser: The concern here comes down to a really basic principle And you're going to see this when this case goes forward Regardless of what party appointed someone who's sitting as a judge they're going to look at the 14th Amendment and they're going to say that a president can't undo the Constitution with a stroke of a pen And my colleagues who've looked at this are like me: deeply concerned about what this executive order says about whether or not we will continue to honor the rule of law the idea that the Constitution provides the framework for our nation and a president alone can't undo the Constitution Warner: If the executive order were allowed to stand what do you believe the effect would be on Colorado and Coloradans Weiser: Because we in Colorado do not just talk the talk Aurora is often referred to as the Ellis Island to the West we have a lot of people who are here who are immigrants who then have kids who are citizens because of this birthright citizenship We need to make sure that people who are citizens continue to be respected as citizens because Colorado gets more money based on how many citizens we have and other critical services the federal government supports you're saying that that would potentially de-rank those folks federal funding essentially based on our population would shrink commensurately people in Colorado who are viewed as citizens because of birthright citizenships are part of the population that warrants federal funding pull people out of what counts as a citizen and we're going to stand up for Colorado again and again If the Trump administration or any other administration wants to do things that harm Colorado and is illegal Birthright citizenship is in the Constitution and a president can't undo the Constitution with a stroke of a pen I'm thus very confident that we're going to continue to honor this commitment that we're going to make sure the protections of our Constitution are followed and that's why we're taking this case on and we'll litigate it all the way up to the U.S Weiser: This depends on whether or not there are multiple cases in different circuit courts and whether or not there's any reason for the Supreme Court to get involved with the case of this significance it's possible it'll get to the Supreme Court but it's also possible that Circuit Courts will all agree: This is a clear the text of the 14th Amendment speaks for itself and that might mean the case ends at the Circuit Court of Appeals and never gets to the Supreme Court Warner: Anything that hospitals or state agencies that handle birth certificates should keep in mind at this time we're seeking to get temporary relief as soon as possible is so that we don't end up in some never-never land where people aren't sure what to follow the text of the Constitution or an executive order so that no hospitals or no citizen has to worry about whether or not a newly born child is a U.S would that spell the end of birthright citizenship or a narrowing of it on how the Supreme Court handles this case I have a hard time imagining how the Supreme Court upholds this executive order because it would overrule not just the text of the Constitution but prior cases very unlikely if there is any Supreme Court decision that gives some comfort to this order it's going to be a dark day in our history and we'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it Warner: Are there other executive orders you're looking to challenge as this new presidential administration gets off to a swift start there were a lot of executive orders that were signed immediately and there are more that are coming out today So we're going to keep analyzing them and the questions I ask: "Will the order harm Coloradans?" and second "Is the order illegal?" When we find that to be the case and we're going to stand up for Colorado and the rule of law Warner: You announced recently you're running for governor and I'm cognizant of how careful you have to be not to campaign on official time But to what extent is being a foil for the Trump administration a boon to your political aspirations Weiser: My job as attorney general is to do what's right for Colorado And I'm going to do what's right regardless of any political consequences that is my first and foremost responsibility and will continue to be what guides me as I do this important work on behalf of the people of Colorado You want to know what is really going on these days We can help you keep up.  The Lookout is a free daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado Sign up here and we will see you in the morning © 2025 Colorado Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. They say ending birthright citizenship violates constitutional rights to which all children born in the U.S “The White House executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship is flatly unconstitutional The idea that a president could override the Constitution with the stroke of a pen is a flagrant assault on the rule of law and our constitutional republic,” Weiser said in a press release Tuesday morning “The executive order cannot be allowed to stand and I will fight to ensure that all who are born in the United States keep their right to fully and fairly be a part of American society as a citizen with all its benefits and privileges,” he said Other jurisdictions joining the legal challenge include Arizona and the City and County of San Francisco.  On his first day in office Monday, Trump issued the executive order, something he’d promised on the campaign trail I know we need to secure our border so that the sacred process of American citizenship is not degraded then we won't have massive illegal immigrant caravans exploiting birthright citizenship,” said Rep Evans represents the 8th Congressional District where the broader immigration issue helped him narrowly defeat Democrat Yadira Caraveo Evans wrote an opinion piece in the Colorado Sun last month outlining his priorities for fixing the immigration system “For those who are contributing to our society and want to legally join the American dream I do not support immediate deportation or family separation,” Evans wrote Lauren Boebert said in a statement Wednesday that she supports the order from President Trump “I strongly believe it is time to end birthright citizenship moving forward which has been badly warped from its original intention and turned into a magnet for abuse by tourists and illegal aliens," Boebert said "I expect there will be a legal battle over this topic “The constitution makes very clear in the 14th amendment that if you're born here on U.S I'm going to fight to protect them,” Weiser told Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner in an interview Tuesday Representatives of Colorado government agencies which may have a role in dealing with any changes declined interview requests A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said that it's carefully evaluating all executive orders and monitoring any related legal actions and is prepared “to uphold the integrity and privacy of our vital records system.” Colorado is a “closed record state,” meaning vital records Only individuals with a qualifying relationship to the newborn or decedent are eligible to request them that Colorado birth certificates do not include any information regarding citizenship A spokesperson for the Colorado state demographer said it’s reviewing all federal executive orders to evaluate the impact to our state and Coloradans as is customary with every change in administration “The order does not take effect for 30 days,” she noted National advocates for immigrants’ rights advocates on Monday also sued the Trump administration over the executive order Colorado lawmakers have taken steps to head off things like courthouse arrests and preventing Colorado law enforcement agencies from arresting and detaining people without warrants signed by a judge, said Tim Macdonald, the legal director for ACLU of Colorado he said his group was getting calls from people wondering about what the order would mean.“This is such a cruel and misguided effort It will impact real people's lives,” he said in an interview “People who are doing their best to support their family and be standup members of our communities Representatives for hospitals in Colorado said they weren’t sure what impact the order would have the senior medical director of infection prevention and control for UCHealth urged patients with questions to discuss their situation with their doctor or nurse “Talk to their providers because I think there's a lot of safety nets that exist on the local level as well as other levels that there are resources that can be provided to individuals,” she said in an interview “I don't want people to fear going to see their doctor or their provider because they're worried about all this other stuff.” “Children’s Hospital Colorado remains committed to being the trusted pediatric health resource for all children and youth caregivers and providers who need us across the region and we will continue to deliver expert care while complying with all state and federal rules and regulations,” said a spokesperson in a statement “As the pediatric health care landscape is always evolving we will not speculate on any changes at this time.” The most recent available U.S. Census survey data from 2023, put the total number of foreign-born residents at a bit under 10 percent of Colorado’s population of almost 6 million. That figure is about 565,000 people, CPR reported in October Nearly half are naturalized citizens.  Estimates on the number of foreign-born residents in Colorado without proper documentation have varied from around 140,000 to about 160,000.  and shrink the number of people who can get it based on parental’ legal status The suit argues the decision violates the 14th Amendment and Section 1401 of the Immigration and Nationality Act District Court for the District of Massachusetts and aims to invalidate the order and stop actions to implement it Weiser said there was no gray area on the issue “The idea that the president could override the constitution with an executive order is appalling and is a flagrant assault on the rule of law and the rights of people who are born in this country,” Weiser said at the time “If my conclusion was this was violative of our constitution And if that meant having to go to court in order to force the issue back into Congress’s hands I would do that,” Brauchler said in November 2018.  The lawsuit states birthright citizenship dates back centuries and has been upheld in the past by the U.S “It's happened twice before where this issue's come up It's not going to stand and we're going to win in court,” Weiser said in the interview “I have a hard time imagining how the Supreme Court upholds this executive order because it would overrule not just the text of the Constitution If there is any Supreme Court decision that gives some comfort to this order it's going to be a dark day in our history and we'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it.” citizenship would lose “most basic rights,” like a right to vote serve on a jury and run for some elected offices and would be “threatened with the risk of deportation,” it said It would also have a big impact on states like Colorado and have to modify the operation and administration of benefits for a wide variety of state-administered programs from Medicaid to CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) to adoption assistance programs Weiser announced earlier this month that he’s running for governor Warner asked to what extent being a foil for the Trump administration could be a boon for his political aspirations “My job as Attorney General is to do what's right for Colorado and I'm going to do what's right regardless of any political consequences,” Weiser said “That is my first and foremost responsibility and will continue to be what guides me as I do this important work on behalf of the people of Colorado.” have argued that allowing birthright citizenship for children of immigrants without legal documentation is based on a misreading of the amendment They say that people who aren’t lawfully present in the United States are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the government in the U.S Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect additional comment from Weiser and those from other Colorado state agencies FILE PHOTO: Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser speaks in Denver in May Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser is the first Democrat out of the gate to officially declare a bid for the 2026 gubernatorial race Weiser has been Colorado's Attorney General since 2018 he laid out the arguments for his gubernatorial campaign and noted what he described as accomplishments while serving as attorney general When he started campaigning for Attorney General in 2017 he met Sheriff Robert Jackson of Alamosa County who told him 90% of the people in his jails struggle with opioid addiction a problem the sheriff had no resources to solve "I talked about opioids and this crisis regularly," Weiser said As Attorney General, Weiser said he took on big Pharma, such as Purdue, Johnson & Johnson and McKinsey, and touted his work as having brought in $800 million to Colorado to address the opioid crisis through a collaborative framework with local governments. He said that campaign was named the best in the nation by Johns Hopkins Those efforts included a treatment center in the San Luis Valley adding he continues to talk to Alamosa's Jackson Weiser said there's a "straight line" between his work as Attorney General and the issues he would address as governor "This is a natural step and it's one I'm really excited about," he said law enforcement and others that they can't afford to live in the communities in which they work Housing affordability will require a range of solutions and won't get addressed overnight Healthcare and childcare costs are also top of mind he sees part of the challenge as recruitment and training of law enforcers will make the state smart on how it fights crime Youth mental health has also been a focus in his time as attorney general noting his office is part of a multi-state effort to investigate TikTok and previously was part of an antitrust lawsuit against Meta His office also sued the vaping company Juul which will go toward school-community partnerships to help young people build better resilience and relationship skills Weiser said he also would continue working to defend freedoms when it comes to abortion rights and same-sex marriage Weiser has had a relatively scandal-free during his time as attorney general A campaign finance complaint from Defend Colorado in 2021 accused him of failure to report campaign contributions and expenditures and accepting illegal contributions while on a trip to Hawaii for the Attorney General Alliance's annual meeting The complaint was dismissed in January 2022 due to insufficient evidence He has been criticized by Republicans for positions taken on legal cases most often by District Attorney George Brauchler Brauchler has since been elected as district attorney in the 23rd Judicial District Six other candidates have filed the paperwork for the governor's seat one identified as "non-partisan," two unaffiliated individuals and one with the American Constitution Party Weiser is expected to file his candidacy paperwork with the Secretary of State later today Weiser earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Swathmore College and a juris doctorate from the New York University School of Law where he was the articles editor for the NYU Law Review White and Ruth Bader Ginsburg and began his law career as an antitrust lawyer for the Department of Justice Weiser was named Deputy Assistant Attorney General by President Barack Obama for the department's antitrust division and later worked in the White House as a senior advisor for technology and innovation for the National Economic Council He served as dean of the University of Colorado law school from 2011 to 2016 and has been on the faculty of the law school since 1999 After weeks of arguing in a Denver courtroom over the statewide effects of what could have been the largest grocery merger in the U.S. it's still unclear what a local judge will rule Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser kicked off 2025 with the announcement he's running for governor in 2026 Weiser had raised over $157,000 from 1,051 individuals Outgoing Pueblo District Attorney Jeff Chostner is among those on Weiser's honorary campaign steering committee "My life's work is service," Weiser told the Chieftain "I am someone who's a first-generation American who has benefitted from this country's commitment to give everyone a chance to get ahead." Weiser's mother and grandmother were refugees freed from Buchenwald concentration camp by U.S Weiser's experience includes time spent as a law clerk for two U.S Supreme Court justices and a deputy assistant attorney general under former President Barack Obama Weiser listed several ways his work as Colorado's attorney general has impacted Pueblo This includes preventing the Kroger-Albertsons merger — which could have raised grocery prices limited the collective bargaining of unions and offloaded ownership of two Pueblo stores In 2021, Weiser announced a plan to distribute $400 million owed to the state of Colorado from lawsuits against opioid distributors and manufacturers Funds have been used in Pueblo for awareness Weiser also noted his office's contribution to launching the Pueblo Financial Empowerment Center and his support of the 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office his office is funding school-community partnerships with $32 million received from a settlement with e-cigarette company Juul Labs I've been able to work on all sorts of issues that affect the people of Colorado," he said Weiser said he'd look to continue his work in combatting the opioid crisis by searching for "lasting commitments" to funding Narcan access and providing support to jails in treating medication addiction "Helping people live in recovery is critical to our state's future," he told the Chieftain "It's going to be a top priority and the leadership I've shown the commitment I've shown as attorney general — that's who I am He also desires to address affordability in Colorado as it relates to housing look at my record of how I've been able to meet challenges in what is a truly collaborative and innovative way working with communities across our state to solve problems," he said "That's the mindset as a creative problem solver I will bring to being our next governor and I'm committed and excited to take on that work." governors are limited to serving two consecutive Jared Polis will finish his second consecutive term in January 2027 He will be succeeded by the winner of the 2026 gubernatorial election Housing in Pueblo: More apartments, fewer houses: Permits skyrocket for new apartments and duplexes in Pueblo Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com. Jessica L. Weiser, 37, Forrest, died at 11:57 pm Sunday, April 6, 2025 at her residence, Forrest. Her funeral will be held at 11:00 am Monday, April 14, 2025 at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury with Fr. Scott Archer officiating. Burial will be in Chenoa Twp. Cemetery, Chenoa. Visitation will be 2:00 to 5:00 pm Sunday at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the family. Jessica was born June 10, 1987 in Hinsdale, IL the daughter of Edward and Diane Hasselberg Weiser. Survivors include her father, Edward Weiser, El Paso, IL, two daughters, Starlet Weiser, Forrest, IL, Briella Steidinger, Fairbury, IL, boyfriend, Brandon Matern, Forrest, one brother, Edward (Dena) Hasselberg, Orland Hills, IL, two sisters, Marie (David O’Brien) Weiser, Fairbury, IL, and Gina (Michael) Vanover, Pontiac, IL. She is preceded in death by her mother and one brother. Jessica was a 2005 graduate of Prairie Central High School. after a jury found two paramedics guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Elijah McClain.Four top state officials Jared Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser were censured by International Association of Fire Fighters for prosecuting two Aurora paramedics last year The paramedics administered a lethal dose of ketamine to Elijah McClain The criminal prosecutions and ultimate convictions were among the first of their kind nationally for on-duty conduct for paramedics Former Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper were convicted by an Adams County jury of criminally negligent homicide after giving McClain a fatal dose of ketamine in 2019 and also not doing enough to help him while he struggled on the ground in distress in handcuffs At an international convention held last week the international fire fighters union resolved to censure Polis Assistant Attorney General Jason Slothouber and Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson Slothouber and Stevenson tried the case against Cooper and Cichuniec on behalf of the Colorado Department of Law “This resolution serves as a formal expression of disapproval and a call for these individuals to take full responsibility for their actions to rectify the wrongs committed and to ensure that such injustices are never repeated in the state of Colorado,” the resolution It was unanimously adopted at the convention amid dozens of other resolutions censuring or admonishing public officials mayors and others for not supporting firefighters on the job The resolution is ceremonial in nature and has no binding power or authority the president of AFR Local 1290 said in a statement to CPR News that they were calling for “exoneration of Brothers Cichuniec and Cooper.” Pulliam said in the statement that McClain’s initial autopsy was an undetermined cause of death but that Polis appointed Weiser to prosecute his death regardless which meant he chose “politics over public safety.” “An autopsy that stood unchallenged for 18 months was changed the delivery of medical care was criminalized and two firefighter/paramedics who followed department protocols and their training were found guilty of a crime they didn’t commit,” the written statement said Cichuniec was also convicted of an unlawful administration of drugs charge and has been incarcerated since the December conviction He is scheduled to appear in court in a couple of weeks where attorneys are expected to argue that he has served enough time.  Cooper’s sentencing has been delayed pending an appeal and he has yet to serve any prison time Weiser’s office had no comment because of pending appeals but a spokesperson for Polis said that he supports local law enforcement and first responders.  “While there is no way to bring Elijah McClain back Polis stands by his decision to appoint Attorney General Weiser as the special prosecutor in this case to ensure justice Elijah McClain’s death was a tragedy and was unnecessary and the governor hopes that no other parents have to go through what Elijah McClain’s family did.” His office also pointed out that he signed legislation earlier this year to remove the term “excited delirium” from law enforcement and emergency responder training and death certificates He also signed a law in 2021 to limit the use of ketamine for restraint She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Wilton (Mary) Edwards and aunt Marsha Edwards Leslie is survived by her mother Mary Jo Tucker; step-father Jack Tucker and family of South Carolina; partner Kirk Hale of Georgia; and two aunts Cathy Ulring and Patty Brown She is also survived by numerous cousins and friends Leslie graduated from Fairmont High School in 1984 where she was captain of the drill team She later graduated from Ohio University 1989 and was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority She later moved to California and enjoyed dancing and music Leslie is well loved and will be deeply missed Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday 2024 at Newcomer Funeral Home 3940 Kettering Blvd Visitation will be held one hour prior to services Donations may be made to SICSA Pet Adoption & Wellness Center To share a memory of Leslie or leave a special message for her family This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page COLORADO — Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has added the state to another lawsuit against the Trump administration On Thursday, March 13, Weiser announced that Colorado is joining the lawsuit against the Trump administration's "dismantling" of the Department of Education (DOE) The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it will lay off approximately half of the DOE workforce DOE Officials told Scripps News Group that the following employees will be removed from the department: Weiser and 20 other states have filed a lawsuit against this decision the DOE programs serve over 50 million K-12 students throughout the country Weiser says that this decision will negatively impact school programs in Colorado since the state received "over $1.2 billion from the federal government during the 2024 fiscal year for school programs." His office believes that the department will be unable to perform efficiently with the layoffs and students will feel those negative impacts Weiser is concerned about the 'gutting' of the DOE's Office of Civil Rights (which protects students from discrimination and sexual assault) and possibly making it harder for students to apply for financial aid The lawsuit claims that the administration's decision to cut its workforce and programs is illegal and unconstitutional The DOE is an agency authorized by Congress and the lawsuit argues that the Executive Branch doesn't have the legal authority to dismantle it without approval from Congress The following states have also joined the lawsuit: The Department of Education has given News5 the following response: it's worth noting that service members who retire and then teach at the Academy are considered civilian instructors Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5 Report a typo Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said his gubernatorial campaign raised more than $155,000 a day after launching his campaign Weiser announced his candidacy for governor on Thursday It's customary for candidates to unveil their fundraising numbers shortly after announcing their campaign for elected office The Weiser campaign also announced its leadership team a former Aurora mayoral candidate; Meg Porfido a former chief of staff for the governor's officel; and Ed Perlmutter Also joining the team as honorary campaign chair is former Gov Other early endorsers included former state legislator Polly Baca and former State Senator and now Jefferson County Commissioner Rachel Zenzinger Weiser is so far the first Democrat to announce intentions to succeed Gov Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty on Tuesday became the first candidate to launch a campaign to replace term-limited Colorado Attorn… View Visitation & Service details > he was the son of the late Clement Russell Weiser and Mary Elizabeth (Shultz) Weiser He was the husband of Anne Weiser who passed away in 2019 He was a graduate of York High School where he was a star athlete in football and track Russell’s track team won the state championship in the 4×400 meter run which at that time was a state record He also won several individual District 3 track titles Russell proudly served in the Navy for four years as a Machinist Mate Russell worked as a tool and die draftsman for many years later in his career he worked as a boiler inspector at Burnham Boiler he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends while enjoying a good meal at his favorite restaurant UCC where he served on the Property Committee and participated in the men’s breakfast group Russell is survived by two children: Eric Weiser Condolence Message: Be sure to include your name Please note that your condolence will not appear on this page until it is reviewed Condolences usually appear within 24 hours of being submitted Our seven funeral homes in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties makes it easy and convenient to make arrangements and host services close to home « Back McMURRAY – The goal Saturday for Bri Morreale and the rest of Peters Township’s starting five was to build a big enough cushion so that senior reserves Megan Castor and Gabby Catalogna could get plenty of playing time in their final home game but eventually Peters Township found high gear and pulled away for a 58-25 victory over District 3’s Conrad Weiser in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A girls basketball playoffs The Indians had a bit of a disjointed first quarter and led 9-5 but outscored the Scouts 26-7 in the second They continued to build the lead from there and Castor and Catalogna “We have some subs that are seniors that don’t always get in and we wanted them to get a chance to experience playing their last game on this court,” Morreale said The win sets up a fourth meeting this season between Peters Township (24-3) and Thomas Jefferson in the PIAA second round on Wednesday The Indians beat the Jaguars twice during section play and in the WPIAL semifinals The Indians struggled to find momentum in the first quarter and had some possessions that led to turnovers but turned up the defense in the second quarter During a sequence of four out of five Conrad Weiser possessions the Indians forced a turnover that turned into points Morreale and Natalie Wetzel finished off steals with layups and Jordyn Welsh swiped a pass and scored They scored 14 unanswered in the middle part of the quarter “The first quarter we didn’t play our best but we said on the bench that we needed to come out better and we did that,” Morreale said “We got stops and we were able to finish the stops with baskets.” The Indians forced 13 turnovers in the second quarter and led 35-12 at halftime They deployed a full-court press for most of the first half “Sometimes it can be hard to adjust to play a game like that where we know we need to do it but it’s not our identity,” Indians coach Steve Limberiou said but we settled in during the second quarter and our shots started to go in Once that happened it started rolling downhill.” Peters Township put the game into mercy rule with a 13-0 run to begin the third quarter Welsh hit consecutive three’s during the run the starters got most of the fourth quarter off giving way to the reserves the younger sisters for Daniela Radulovich and Bri Morreale Castor hit a three-pointer in the second quarter Catalogna made a basket in the fourth and all five starters jumped from their seats on the bench in celebration “Megan and Gabby are both great kids,” Limberiou said “I think they did a good job and certainly deserved the opportunity They don’t get as much attention as Natalie or Daniela but they are part of one of the winningest senior classes in school history I think everyone needs to recognize that.” Wetzel finished with a game-high 16 points in her final home game Alex Trevina and Lauren Grabovsky led the Scouts with six points each If you have an account and are registered for online access sign in with your email address and password below Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe Copyright © Observer-Reporter | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy COLORADO SPRINGS — Attorney General Phil Weiser will be speaking in Colorado Springs on April 29 at the First United Methodist Church Attorney General Weiser will address judicial limits to President Donald Trump's recent and potential executive orders The visit is apart of a meeting for Indivisible Colorado Springs Attorney General Weiser was among those who secured a federal court order forcing President Trump's administration to release critical federal funds for emergency management “I’m pleased that the court agreed with us that the Trump administration’s orders freezing federal funds which have caused chaos in Colorado and across the country must be restored,” said Weiser on the ruling “Unilateral cuts to everything from lifesaving health care to resources for firefighters would be devastating for our state and I will continue to do everything in my power to stop these reckless Anyone who wants to register can do so at the Indivisible Colorado Springs website.