thedenverpost--2020-09-19--Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledges to bring Trump’s SCOTUS pick up for a vote

WASHINGTON — The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday cast an immediate spotlight on the vacancy on the high court , with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowing to bring President Donald Trump ’ s nominee to a vote with just over six weeks before the election .
McConnell , in a statement released just over an hour after Ginsburg ’ s death was announced , declared unequivocally that Trump ’ s nominee would receive a vote , even though the Republican-controlled Senate did not give President Barack Obama ’ s pick a vote in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The death was poised to upend the presidential election , further stirring passions on a deeply divided nation as the campaign pushed into its stretch run .
Trump took the stage for a Minnesota rally a few minutes before Ginsburg ’ s death was announced .
He spoke for more than 90 minutes , never mentioning it , apparently not alerted to the development .
But he did say that whomever was elected in November would have the ability to potentially fill several Supreme vacancies , declaring , “ This is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of our country and we have to get it right.
” Democratic nominee Joe Biden , returning to Delaware from his own campaign stop in Minnesota , did not immediately release a statement on the death or vacancy .

WASHINGTON — The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday cast an immediate spotlight on the vacancy on the high court, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowing to bring President Donald Trump’s nominee to a vote with just over six weeks before the election.
McConnell, in a statement released just over an hour after Ginsburg’s death was announced, declared unequivocally that Trump’s nominee would receive a vote, even though the Republican-controlled Senate did not give President Barack Obama’s pick a vote in the months ahead of the 2016 election.
The death was poised to upend the presidential election, further stirring passions on a deeply divided nation as the campaign pushed into its stretch run.
Trump took the stage for a Minnesota rally a few minutes before Ginsburg’s death was announced. He spoke for more than 90 minutes, never mentioning it, apparently not alerted to the development.
But he did say that whomever was elected in November would have the ability to potentially fill several Supreme vacancies, declaring, “This is going to be the most important election in the history of our country and we have to get it right.”
Democratic nominee Joe Biden, returning to Delaware from his own campaign stop in Minnesota, did not immediately release a statement on the death or vacancy.


thedenverpost--2020-09-19--Rockies’ struggling Nolan Arenado staying in heart of order despite sore shoulder

Rockies manager Bud Black has no intention of moving Nolan Arenado out of the heart of the order .
Yes , Arenado ’ s left shoulder is aching and he was batting just .256 , with a .751 OPS ( well below his career mark of .891 ) entering Friday night ’ s game against the Dodgers at Coors Field .
But Black hit Arenado third Friday night and Arenado has batted either third or fourth in the lineup every game he ’ s started this season .
“ You want your best hitters to get the most at-bats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lining it up , ” Black said .
“ There ’ s really nobody , right now , really hot .
( Raimel ) Tapia is holding his own , leading off , and I think he ’ s a good fit at the top of the lineup .
But I don ’ t think there is any magic lineup or movement of lineup that will really get anybody going.
” Arenado has been batting for a decent average lately , hitting safely in 16 of his last 20 games with a .307 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has eight home runs but just one since Aug. 20 .
The third baseman has said that his sore shoulder does not allow him to follow through as he normally does .
Special K. Black has a great appreciation for Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw , who ’ s scheduled to start Saturday night ’ s game at Coors Field .
Black , after all , was a left-handed pitcher for parts of 15 big-league seasons .
He ’ s seen Kershaw evolve from a young power pitcher to a more nuanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5-2 , 2.28 ERA ) , is once again performing like one of the best pitchers in the game .
“ The fastball looks a little crisper , and so does the slider , ” Black said .
“ It looks a little crisper , so I think there ’ s been maybe just a little uptick in his overall stuff .
He ’ s always been able to locate the ball , and the last number of years I think we ’ ve seen him do that very well.
” Kershaw ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 91 and 93 mph , two to three ticks faster than it was each of the past two years .
Footnotes .
Boston acquired minor league right-handed reliever Jacob Wallace from the Rockies on Friday , completing the Aug. 31 trade for outfielder Kevin Pillar .
Wallace was selected by the Rockies in the third round of the 2019 draft .
… Black said that right-handed relievers Mychal Givens and Yency Almonte have been dealing with shoulder soreness , which is the reason why they have not been used lately .
Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be available Friday night if needed .
On Deck Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw ( 5-2 , 2.28 ERA ) at RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez ( 0-1 , 8.68 ) 6:10 p.m. Saturday , Coors Field TV : AT & T SportsNet Radio : KOA 850 AM/94.1 AM Kershaw owns the Rockies , going 23-8 with a 3.28 ERA in 42 starts against them , with a 1.15 WHIP and an average of 9.72 strikeouts per game .
But he has struggled at Coors Field , at least in relative terms , going 10-5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 22 starts .
He last pitched Monday against the Padres , allowing three earned runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings and getting charged with his second loss of the season .
He struck out nine , with no walks , while throwing a season-high 99 pitches .
Gonzalez , who ’ s essentially replacing the injured Jon Gray in the rotation , is 0-1 in two starts this season , giving up seven runs in just 3 1/3 innings .
In two relief appearances , he ’ s given up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fared well against the Dodgers last season , going 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA in four games ( three starts ) .
Trending : The Dodgers entered Friday ’ s game having homered in 41 of their first 51 games this year .
The Dodgers ’ 95 home runs lead the majors , ahead of the Yankees ( 88 ) and the Padres ( 85 ) .
According to STATS LLC , there have only been seven NL teams that have led the majors in homers since the designated hitter was first used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliever Carlos Estevez is struggling mightily .
He ’ s been scored upon in five of his last six appearances , giving up 12 runs over just four innings ( 27.00 ERA ) .
For the season , left-handers are hitting .302 against him , while right-handers are batting .346 .
Pitching Probables Sunday : Dodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin ( 1-1 , 1.51 ) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela ( 4-2 , 3.30 ) , 1:10 p.m. , ATTRM Monday : Rockies RHP German Marquez ( 2-6 , 4.33 ) at Giants LHP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 7:45 p.m. , ATTRM Tuesday : Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland ( 2-2 , 3.75 ) at Giants LHP Tyler Anderson ( 2-3 , 5.06 ) , 7:45 p.m , ATTRM

Rockies manager Bud Black has no intention of moving Nolan Arenado out of the heart of the order.
Yes, Arenado’s left shoulder is aching and he was batting just .256, with a .751 OPS (well below his career mark of .891) entering Friday night’s game against the Dodgers at Coors Field. But Black hit Arenado third Friday night and Arenado has batted either third or fourth in the lineup every game he’s started this season.
“You want your best hitters to get the most at-bats, and that’s how we are lining it up,” Black said. “There’s really nobody, right now, really hot. (Raimel) Tapia is holding his own, leading off, and I think he’s a good fit at the top of the lineup. But I don’t think there is any magic lineup or movement of lineup that will really get anybody going.”
Arenado has been batting for a decent average lately, hitting safely in 16 of his last 20 games with a .307 average, six doubles and nine RBIs. He has eight home runs but just one since Aug. 20. The third baseman has said that his sore shoulder does not allow him to follow through as he normally does.
Special K. Black has a great appreciation for Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw, who’s scheduled to start Saturday night’s game at Coors Field. Black, after all, was a left-handed pitcher for parts of 15 big-league seasons.
He’s seen Kershaw evolve from a young power pitcher to a more nuanced veteran. This season, Kershaw (5-2, 2.28 ERA), is once again performing like one of the best pitchers in the game.
“The fastball looks a little crisper, and so does the slider,” Black said. “It looks a little crisper, so I think there’s been maybe just a little uptick in his overall stuff. He’s always been able to locate the ball, and the last number of years I think we’ve seen him do that very well.”
Kershaw’s fastball is coming to the plate between 91 and 93 mph, two to three ticks faster than it was each of the past two years.
Footnotes. Boston acquired minor league right-handed reliever Jacob Wallace from the Rockies on Friday, completing the Aug. 31 trade for outfielder Kevin Pillar. Wallace was selected by the Rockies in the third round of the 2019 draft. … Black said that right-handed relievers Mychal Givens and Yency Almonte have been dealing with shoulder soreness, which is the reason why they have not been used lately. Black, however, said that Givens would be available Friday night if needed.
On Deck
Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (5-2, 2.28 ERA) at RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-1, 8.68)
6:10 p.m. Saturday, Coors Field
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 AM
Kershaw owns the Rockies, going 23-8 with a 3.28 ERA in 42 starts against them, with a 1.15 WHIP and an average of 9.72 strikeouts per game. But he has struggled at Coors Field, at least in relative terms, going 10-5 with 4.26 ERA and a 1.286 WHIP in 22 starts. He last pitched Monday against the Padres, allowing three earned runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings and getting charged with his second loss of the season. He struck out nine, with no walks, while throwing a season-high 99 pitches. Gonzalez, who’s essentially replacing the injured Jon Gray in the rotation, is 0-1 in two starts this season, giving up seven runs in just 3 1/3 innings. In two relief appearances, he’s given up two runs across six innings. Gonzalez fared well against the Dodgers last season, going 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA in four games (three starts).
Trending: The Dodgers entered Friday’s game having homered in 41 of their first 51 games this year. The Dodgers’ 95 home runs lead the majors, ahead of the Yankees (88) and the Padres (85). According to STATS LLC, there have only been seven NL teams that have led the majors in homers since the designated hitter was first used in 1973.
At issue: Right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez is struggling mightily. He’s been scored upon in five of his last six appearances, giving up 12 runs over just four innings (27.00 ERA). For the season, left-handers are hitting .302 against him, while right-handers are batting .346.
Pitching Probables
Sunday: Dodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin (1-1, 1.51) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (4-2, 3.30), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: Rockies RHP German Marquez (2-6, 4.33) at Giants LHP Drew Smyly (0-0, 3.94), 7:45 p.m., ATTRM
Tuesday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (2-2, 3.75) at Giants LHP Tyler Anderson (2-3, 5.06), 7:45 p.m, ATTRM


thedenverpost--2020-09-19--Spotlight turns to Colorado’s Cory Gardner after Justice Ginsburg’s death

Following the death Friday of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , one big question faces Republican Sen. Cory Gardner : Does he believe the Senate should fill her vacancy before the next inauguration day ?
Gardner ’ s office and his campaign did not respond to requests for comment on that question Friday evening .
The senator , who faces re-election in 45 days , did offer his condolences in a statement .
“ It is with a solemn heart that I pray for the family of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , ” he said .
“ Thank you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our nation ’ s highest court .
Our nation mourns the loss of a trailblazing leader.
” As one of the Senate ’ s possible swing votes , and because of statements he made four years ago about replacing justices during an election year , Gardner has been thrust into the spotlight anew by Ginsburg ’ s death .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday evening that “ President Trump ’ s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.
” In February 2016 , the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gardner said , “ I think we ’ re too close to the election .
The president who is elected in November should be the one who makes this decision.
” A spokesperson for Sen. Michael Bennet , a Denver Democrat , said Bennet believes now , as Gardner did then , that a new Supreme Court justice should not be confirmed by the Senate before the election or during a lame-duck session between November and January .
Ginsburg ’ s death spurred an outpouring of sentiment from politicians of both parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who clerked for Ginsburg in 1995 and 1996 , said he last saw her in Washington in December .
“ I was able to stop by and visit her , and she said to me , tongue in cheek , ‘ How ’ s my favorite general ?
’ I ’ m the only one of her clerks who was elected attorney general , ” he said .
Weiser described himself as “ heartbroken ” over her loss .
“ Justice Ginsburg is an inspiration , she is an extraordinary jurist , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s a part of my life .
It ’ s hard to believe she ’ s gone .
… Our nation ’ s jurisprudence , commitment to equality and belief in the rule of law are better because she served and was a tremendous leader .
I ’ m feeling a lot of gratitude on a national level and a personal level .
I ’ m also feeling a lot of a sense of loss , on a national and a personal level.
” Rep. Ken Buck , a Windsor Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ Tonight , the country mourns the loss of a great jurist and an influential trailblazer .
The thoughts and prayers of Colorado Republicans are with her family and loved ones .
Rest in peace , Justice Ginsburg.
” Said Democratic Gov .
Jared Polis in a statement : “ Today , Coloradans and our nation mourn the loss of a titan .
We have lost a fearless advocate for women and families and someone who never stopped working toward greater equality for all in the eyes of the law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
” A candlelight vigil for Ginsburg was announced for 8 p.m. Friday in Denver ’ s City Park , at the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. , according to Democratic state lawmakers helping to organize the event .
This is a developing story and will be updated .

Following the death Friday of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one big question faces Republican Sen. Cory Gardner: Does he believe the Senate should fill her vacancy before the next inauguration day?
Gardner’s office and his campaign did not respond to requests for comment on that question Friday evening. The Republican senator, who faces re-election in 45 days, did offer his condolences in a statement.
“It is with a solemn heart that I pray for the family of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” he said. “Thank you for your service to our country and our nation’s highest court. Our nation mourns the loss of a trailblazing leader.”
As one of the Senate’s possible swing votes, and because of statements he made four years ago about replacing justices in an election year, Gardner has been thrust into the spotlight anew by Ginsburg’s death.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday that “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.” In February 2016, the week that the late Justice Antonin Scalia died, Gardner said, “I think we’re too close to the election. The president who is elected in November should be the one who makes this decision.”
On Nov. 3, Gardner will face John Hickenlooper, a Democratic former governor, in a race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate, the body that confirms justices.
“The Senate must not confirm a new Supreme Court justice until after a new president is sworn in next year,” Hickenlooper said late Friday night. “Senator Gardner must uphold the commitment he set more than four years ago and allow the president elected in November to make this decision.”
Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet believes a new Supreme Court justice should not be confirmed by the Senate before the election or during a lame-duck session between November and January, a spokesperson said.
A couple hundred Ginsburg supporters gathered Friday evening for an impromptu vigil in Denver’s City Park. The mood was part sadness, part determination.
“It is upon all of us here to put every bit of (expletive) pressure we can on Cory Gardner, to make sure he does not side with Mitch McConnell and violate their own (expletive) rules,” Democratic Colorado House Speaker KC Becker said.
An 11-year-old girl named Dahlia Zimmerman-Voll cried in her mother’s arms. Wearing a Ginsburg shirt and holding a Ginsburg doll, she said the justice was her idol, and that in her honor, she is “definitely going to bring justice.”
Vigil for RBG in Denver. Some tears, a lot of quiet in this crowd. pic.twitter.com/9ZMakzcXuz — Alex Burness (@alex_burness) September 19, 2020
Ginsburg’s death also spurred an outpouring of sentiment from Colorado politicians of both parties. Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser, who clerked for Ginsburg in 1995 and 1996, said he last saw her in Washington in December.
“I was able to stop by and visit her, and she said to me, tongue in cheek, ‘How’s my favorite general?’ I’m the only one of her clerks who was elected attorney general,” he said.
Weiser described himself as heartbroken over her loss.
“Justice Ginsburg is an inspiration, she is an extraordinary jurist, she’s a valuable mentor, and she’s a part of my life. It’s hard to believe she’s gone. … Our nation’s jurisprudence, commitment to equality and belief in the rule of law are better because she served and was a tremendous leader. I’m feeling a lot of gratitude on a national level and a personal level. I’m also feeling a lot of a sense of loss, on a national and a personal level.”
Rep. Ken Buck, a Windsor Republican who chairs the Colorado Republican Party, said, “Tonight, the country mourns the loss of a great jurist and an influential trailblazer. The thoughts and prayers of Colorado Republicans are with her family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Justice Ginsburg.”
Said Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in a statement: “Today, Coloradans and our nation mourn the loss of a titan. We have lost a fearless advocate for women and families and someone who never stopped working toward greater equality for all in the eyes of the law. I am deeply saddened by the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-18--Joe Biden under pressure to unveil list of potential court picks

ATLANTA — Joe Biden is resisting calls from President Donald Trump and even some fellow Democrats to release his list of potential Supreme Court picks seven months after he pledged to name the first Black female justice .
Some on the left suggest that outlining potential picks would help Biden build enthusiasm in the final weeks of the campaign , particularly after he already selected California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate , making her the first Black woman on a major presidential ticket .
Trump , meanwhile , is eager to comb through a list to find possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Biden as an extreme liberal .
Trump helped insert the Supreme Court squarely into presidential politics in 2016 by taking the unprecedented step of releasing a list of potential nominees before he was elected , a move that helped rally the conservatives who ultimately carried him to victory .
But some of Biden ’ s allies say a list won ’ t provide the same payoff for him and could hurt him by distracting voters from Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus and give the president fuel to suggest Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delaware Sen. Chris Coons , a Biden protégé and confidant , pointed to the former vice president ’ s 36 years in the Senate and his brand as a liberal pragmatist as assurance enough for voters .
“ He doesn ’ t need to issue some lists in order for Democrats to be comfortable that they know his values and his priorities , ” Coons said , arguing that voters of all stripes know Biden would elevate “ highly qualified , mainstream jurists.
” Still , the issue represents a familiar tightrope for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishment figure aiming for a broad ideological coalition to defeat Trump in an era when the loudest voices come from the political poles .
On issues from health care to the climate crisis , progressives hammer Biden as too incremental while conservatives cast him as too liberal .
A Supreme Court nomination is certain to amplify those dynamics .
Trump offered a preview last week , challenging Biden to match his list of choices while sketching a caricature of “ radical justices ” he insisted would gut Second Amendment rights , remove “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allegiance and declare the death penalty unconstitutional .
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley , a former Senate Judiciary chair , followed up Wednesday by urging Biden not to “ hide ” his intentions for the court .
On the left , the group Demand Justice wants to match the right ’ s intensity on judicial politics , while a second group , She Will Rise , is raising awareness about the possibility of a Black woman joining the high court .
Demand Justice has assembled a list of 17 Black women it says would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law professors , leading civil rights attorneys and jurists from lower federal courts and state supreme courts .
But there are no names as prominent as the headliners on Trump ’ s list : Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton .
Demand Justice has launched a $ 2 million ad campaign targeting voters in Arizona , Michigan , North Carolina , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin around the Supreme Court and Biden ’ s promise of a Black female nominee .
But executive director Brian Fallon argued that Biden could do more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making a general commitment like that would only be expanded and furthered if he put out some names of people he ’ s considering , ” said Fallon , an adviser on Hillary Clinton ’ s 2016 presidential campaign .
Pew Research found in August that 66 % of Biden supporters identified Supreme Court nominations as a “ very important ” issue , more than the 61 % of Trump supporters who said the same .
That ’ s a reversal from 2016 , when Pew found Trump ’ s supporters were 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s to consider the court a key issue .
There were key differences in 2016 .
Most important was a vacancy : Justice Antonin Scalia , a conservative icon , had died and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to consider President Barack Obama ’ s nominee , Merrick Garland , who would have tilted the court ’ s majority to the left .
There is no vacancy now , despite considerable attention on the health of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , the liberal wing ’ s 87-year-old leader .
Further , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including white evangelicals , because of his support as a private citizen for Democratic politicians and public statements in favor of abortion rights and same-sex marriage .
Trump turned that to his advantage by accepting help from the Federalist Society and other conservative legal advocates to compile a public list of would-be justices .
He ’ s since nominated Justices Neil Gorsuch , who appeared on a preelection list in 2016 , and Brett Kavanaugh , who appeared on a post-election list .
“ Without that list , he wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is some irony in Supreme Court politics being such a potentially prominent variable in Biden ’ s presidential hopes .
The conservative political movement on the judiciary blossomed after Biden , as Senate Judiciary chair , helped scuttle the nomination of conservative firebrand Robert Bork submitted by President Ronald Reagan in 1987 .
Biden angered some women four years later during the confirmation hearings of another conservative , Clarence Thomas , because of senators ’ treatment of Anita Hill , who accused Thomas of sexual harassment .
Biden voted against Thomas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5-4 Supreme Court majority deciding the 2000 presidential election in favor of Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore did little to shift campaign dynamics concerning the court .
All five justices in the majority were nominated by Republican presidents .
“ Kitchen-table issues , health care and economics have always resonated more with our voters , ” said Donna Brazile , a former Democratic Party chair and Gore ’ s campaign manager .
Fallon acknowledged , “ much to my chagrin , ” that it would be a first for Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential issue more effectively than Republicans .
Finney said part of the challenge is the Democrats are mostly protecting existing precedent , while conservatives have spent decades trying to reclaim lost turf , from the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide to decades of rulings on civil rights and the expansion of federal power .
In short , it ’ s harder to get voters on the left to understand potential threats to rights they already take for granted .
“ Republicans have been better at using fear as a motivator , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of NARAL , an abortion-rights group , Finney added : “ I ’ ve had people say to me , ’ Do we really need NARAL anymore ?
Aren ’ t our abortion rights safe ?
’ No !
” Another example : A divided Supreme Court in 2013 gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act , but Democrats didn ’ t make that an issue in 2016 even with the vacancy from Scalia ’ s death .
If there ’ s a shift in 2020 , Finney predicted it won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a historic nomination .
“ Trump ’ s list is a motivating factor by itself , ” she said .
“ There is no Democrat who wants to see Ted Cruz on the Supreme Court.
” Associated Press writer Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report .

ATLANTA — Joe Biden is resisting calls from President Donald Trump and even some fellow Democrats to release his list of potential Supreme Court picks seven months after he pledged to name the first Black female justice.
Some on the left suggest that outlining potential picks would help Biden build enthusiasm in the final weeks of the campaign, particularly after he already selected California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, making her the first Black woman on a major presidential ticket. Trump, meanwhile, is eager to comb through a list to find possible nominees who would bolster his false depiction of Biden as an extreme liberal.
Trump helped insert the Supreme Court squarely into presidential politics in 2016 by taking the unprecedented step of releasing a list of potential nominees before he was elected, a move that helped rally the conservatives who ultimately carried him to victory.
But some of Biden’s allies say a list won’t provide the same payoff for him and could hurt him by distracting voters from Trump’s handling of the coronavirus and give the president fuel to suggest Biden’s choices are too far left.
“Why play into Trump’s hands?” asked Karen Finney, a prominent Black Democratic strategist.
Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a Biden protégé and confidant, pointed to the former vice president’s 36 years in the Senate and his brand as a liberal pragmatist as assurance enough for voters.
“He doesn’t need to issue some lists in order for Democrats to be comfortable that they know his values and his priorities,” Coons said, arguing that voters of all stripes know Biden would elevate “highly qualified, mainstream jurists.”
Still, the issue represents a familiar tightrope for Biden. He’s a center-left establishment figure aiming for a broad ideological coalition to defeat Trump in an era when the loudest voices come from the political poles. On issues from health care to the climate crisis, progressives hammer Biden as too incremental while conservatives cast him as too liberal. A Supreme Court nomination is certain to amplify those dynamics.
Trump offered a preview last week, challenging Biden to match his list of choices while sketching a caricature of “radical justices” he insisted would gut Second Amendment rights, remove “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance and declare the death penalty unconstitutional. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, a former Senate Judiciary chair, followed up Wednesday by urging Biden not to “hide” his intentions for the court.
On the left, the group Demand Justice wants to match the right’s intensity on judicial politics, while a second group, She Will Rise, is raising awareness about the possibility of a Black woman joining the high court.
Demand Justice has assembled a list of 17 Black women it says would make ideal justices. The list includes law professors, leading civil rights attorneys and jurists from lower federal courts and state supreme courts. But there are no names as prominent as the headliners on Trump’s list: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton.
Demand Justice has launched a $2 million ad campaign targeting voters in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin around the Supreme Court and Biden’s promise of a Black female nominee. But executive director Brian Fallon argued that Biden could do more.
“Whatever good is achieved by making a general commitment like that would only be expanded and furthered if he put out some names of people he’s considering,” said Fallon, an adviser on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Pew Research found in August that 66% of Biden supporters identified Supreme Court nominations as a “very important” issue, more than the 61% of Trump supporters who said the same. That’s a reversal from 2016, when Pew found Trump’s supporters were 8 percentage points more likely than Clinton’s to consider the court a key issue.
There were key differences in 2016. Most important was a vacancy: Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative icon, had died and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to consider President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, who would have tilted the court’s majority to the left. There is no vacancy now, despite considerable attention on the health of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal wing’s 87-year-old leader.
Further, Trump in 2016 faced distrust among many conservatives, including white evangelicals, because of his support as a private citizen for Democratic politicians and public statements in favor of abortion rights and same-sex marriage. Trump turned that to his advantage by accepting help from the Federalist Society and other conservative legal advocates to compile a public list of would-be justices. He’s since nominated Justices Neil Gorsuch, who appeared on a preelection list in 2016, and Brett Kavanaugh, who appeared on a post-election list.
“Without that list, he wouldn’t have won,” Coons said.
There is some irony in Supreme Court politics being such a potentially prominent variable in Biden’s presidential hopes.
The conservative political movement on the judiciary blossomed after Biden, as Senate Judiciary chair, helped scuttle the nomination of conservative firebrand Robert Bork submitted by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Biden angered some women four years later during the confirmation hearings of another conservative, Clarence Thomas, because of senators’ treatment of Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment. Biden voted against Thomas, but he was confirmed.
Even a 5-4 Supreme Court majority deciding the 2000 presidential election in favor of Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore did little to shift campaign dynamics concerning the court. All five justices in the majority were nominated by Republican presidents.
“Kitchen-table issues, health care and economics have always resonated more with our voters,” said Donna Brazile, a former Democratic Party chair and Gore’s campaign manager.
Fallon acknowledged, “much to my chagrin,” that it would be a first for Democrats to leverage the court as a key presidential issue more effectively than Republicans.
Finney said part of the challenge is the Democrats are mostly protecting existing precedent, while conservatives have spent decades trying to reclaim lost turf, from the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide to decades of rulings on civil rights and the expansion of federal power. In short, it’s harder to get voters on the left to understand potential threats to rights they already take for granted.
“Republicans have been better at using fear as a motivator,” Finney said. A board member of NARAL, an abortion-rights group, Finney added: “I’ve had people say to me, ’Do we really need NARAL anymore? Aren’t our abortion rights safe?’ No!”
Another example: A divided Supreme Court in 2013 gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, but Democrats didn’t make that an issue in 2016 even with the vacancy from Scalia’s death.
If there’s a shift in 2020, Finney predicted it won’t come from Biden or his promise of a historic nomination. “Trump’s list is a motivating factor by itself,” she said. “There is no Democrat who wants to see Ted Cruz on the Supreme Court.”
___
Associated Press writer Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-09-18--Avalanche re-signs former DU star Logan O’Connor on two-year contract

The Avalanche re-signed forward Logan O ’ Connor on a two-year deal that will keep the former University of Denver star at home through the 2021-22 season , the team announced Friday .
The two-way contract will pay O ’ Connor $ 700,000 with the Avs and $ 175,000 with the Colorado Eagles in the first year , before turning into an NHL deal for $ 750,000 in the second year , according to a team source .
O ’ Connor , 24 , played in 16 games for Colorado during the regular season ( scoring two goals ) in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its AHL-affiliate Colorado Eagles .
O ’ Connor made his Stanley Cup playoff debut in the second round against the Dallas Stars and provided an instant boost as a bottom-six forward with gritty and opportunistic play over five postseason games — earning one assist in Game 6 .
“ Logan has continued to elevate his game each season and made the most of his opportunities this year and in the Stanley Cup playoffs , ” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said in a news release .
“ He ’ s a hardworking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our lineup and we ’ re excited to have him for another two seasons.
” The Avalanche signed O ’ Connor as a free agent in 2018 after three standout seasons at DU .
He finished his college career with 43 points ( 16 goals ) and captured an NCAA championship as a sophomore in 2016- ‘ 17 .
O ’ Connor has also been a consistent producer in the AHL with 67 points ( 31 goals ) over the past two seasons .
The Avalanche have contract decisions looming for several forwards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jost and Valeri Nichushkin are restricted free agents .
Vladislav Namestnikov , Colin Wilson and Matt Nieto are unrestricted free agents .

The Avalanche re-signed forward Logan O’Connor on a two-year deal that will keep the former University of Denver star at home through the 2021-22 season, the team announced Friday.
The two-way contract will pay O’Connor $700,000 with the Avs and $175,000 with the Colorado Eagles in the first year, before turning into an NHL deal for $750,000 in the second year, according to a team source.
O’Connor, 24, played in 16 games for Colorado during the regular season (scoring two goals) in addition to splitting time between the Avs and its AHL-affiliate Colorado Eagles. O’Connor made his Stanley Cup playoff debut in the second round against the Dallas Stars and provided an instant boost as a bottom-six forward with gritty and opportunistic play over five postseason games — earning one assist in Game 6.
“Logan has continued to elevate his game each season and made the most of his opportunities this year and in the Stanley Cup playoffs,” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said in a news release. “He’s a hardworking player who brings speed and energy to our lineup and we’re excited to have him for another two seasons.”
The Avalanche signed O’Connor as a free agent in 2018 after three standout seasons at DU. He finished his college career with 43 points (16 goals) and captured an NCAA championship as a sophomore in 2016-‘17. O’Connor has also been a consistent producer in the AHL with 67 points (31 goals) over the past two seasons.
The Avalanche have contract decisions looming for several forwards this offseason. Andre Burakovsky, Tyson Jost and Valeri Nichushkin are restricted free agents. Vladislav Namestnikov, Colin Wilson and Matt Nieto are unrestricted free agents.


thedenverpost--2020-09-18--Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , a diminutive yet towering women ’ s rights champion who became the court ’ s second female justice , died Friday at her home in Washington .
She was 87 .
Ginsburg died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer , the court said .
Ginsberg ’ s death just over six weeks before Election Day is likely to set off a heated battle over whether President Donald Trump should nominate , and the Republican-led Senate should confirm , her replacement , or if the seat should remain vacant until the outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is known .
Ginsburg announced in July that she was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for lesions on her liver , the latest of her several battles with cancer .
Ginsburg spent her final years on the bench as the unquestioned leader of the court ’ s liberal wing and became something of a rock star to her admirers .
Young women especially seemed to embrace the court ’ s Jewish grandmother , affectionately calling her the Notorious RBG , for her defense of the rights of women and minorities , and the strength and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal loss and health crises .
Those health issues included five bouts with cancer beginning in 1999 , falls that resulted in broken ribs , insertion of a stent to clear a blocked artery and assorted other hospitalizations after she turned 75 .
She resisted calls by liberals to retire during Barack Obama ’ s presidency at a time when Democrats held the Senate and a replacement with similar views could have been confirmed .
Instead , President Donald Trump will almost certainly try to push Ginsburg ’ s successor through the Republican-controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more to the right .
Ginsburg antagonized Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign in a series of media interviews , including calling him a faker .
She soon apologized .
Her appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1993 was the first by a Democrat in 26 years .
She initially found a comfortable ideological home somewhere left of center on a conservative court dominated by Republican appointees .
Her liberal voice grew stronger the longer she served .
Ginsburg was a mother of two , an opera lover and an intellectual who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , though she ditched them for more fashionable frames in her later years .
At argument sessions in the ornate courtroom , she was known for digging deep into case records and for being a stickler for following the rules .
She argued six key cases before the court in the 1970s when she was an architect of the women ’ s rights movement .
She won five .
“ Ruth Bader Ginsburg does not need a seat on the Supreme Court to earn her place in the American history books , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her appointment .
“ She has already done that.
” On the court , where she was known as a facile writer , her most significant majority opinions were the 1996 ruling that ordered the Virginia Military Institute to accept women or give up its state funding , and the 2015 decision that upheld independent commissions some states use to draw congressional districts .
Besides civil rights , Ginsburg took an interest in capital punishment , voting repeatedly to limit its use .
During her tenure , the court declared it unconstitutional for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killers younger than 18 .
In addition , she questioned the quality of lawyers for poor accused murderers .
In the most divisive of cases , including the Bush v. Gore decision in 2000 , she was often at odds with the court ’ s more conservative members — initially Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O ’ Connor , Antonin Scalia , Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas .
The division remained the same after John Roberts replaced Rehnquist as chief justice , Samuel Alito took O ’ Connor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh joined the court , in seats that had been held by Scalia and Kennedy , respectively .
Ginsburg would say later that the 5-4 decision that settled the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush was a “ breathtaking episode ” at the court .
She was perhaps personally closest on the court to Scalia , her ideological opposite .
Ginsburg once explained that she took Scalia ’ s sometimes biting dissents as a challenge to be met .
“ How am I going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a real putdown ?
” she said .
Scalia died in 2016 .
Ginsburg authored powerful dissents of her own in cases involving abortion , voting rights and pay discrimination against women .
She said some were aimed at swaying the opinions of her fellow judges while others were “ an appeal to the intelligence of another day ” in the hopes that they would provide guidance to future courts .
“ Hope springs eternal , ” she said in 2007 , “ and when I am writing a dissent , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or sixth vote — even though I ’ m disappointed more often than not.
” She wrote memorably in 2013 that the court ’ s decision to cut out a key part of the federal law that had ensured the voting rights of Black people , Hispanics and other minorities was “ like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.
” Change on the court hit Ginsburg especially hard .
She dissented forcefully from the court ’ s decision in 2007 to uphold a nationwide ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion .
The court , with O ’ Connor still on it , had struck down a similar state ban seven years earlier .
The “ alarming ” ruling , Ginsburg said , “ can not be understood as anything other than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this court — and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to women ’ s lives.
” In 1999 , Ginsburg had surgery for colon cancer and received radiation and chemotherapy .
She had surgery again in 2009 after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2018 for cancerous growths on her left lung .
Following the last surgery , she missed court sessions for the first time in more than 25 years on the bench .
Ginsburg also was treated with radiation for a tumor on her pancreas in August 2019 .
She maintained an active schedule even during the three weeks of radiation .
When she revealed a recurrence of her cancer in July 2020 , Ginsburg said she remained “ fully able ” to continue as a justice .
Joan Ruth Bader was born in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the second daughter in a middle-class family .
Her older sister , who gave her the lifelong nickname “ Kiki , ” died at age 6 , so Ginsburg grew up in Brooklyn ’ s Flatbush section as an only child .
Her dream , she has said , was to be an opera singer .
Ginsburg graduated at the top of her Columbia University law school class in 1959 but could not find a law firm willing to hire her .
She had “ three strikes against her ” — for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as she put it in 2007 .
She had married her husband , Martin , in 1954 , the year she graduated from Cornell University .
She attended Harvard University ’ s law school but transferred to Columbia when her husband took a law job there .
Martin Ginsburg went on to become a prominent tax attorney and law professor .
Martin Ginsburg died in 2010 .
She is survived by two children , Jane and James , and several grandchildren .
Ginsburg once said that she had not entered the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought I could do a lawyer ’ s job better than any other , ” she wrote .
“ I have no talent in the arts , but I do write fairly well and analyze problems clearly .
”

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a diminutive yet towering women’s rights champion who became the court’s second female justice, died Friday at her home in Washington. She was 87.
Ginsburg died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer, the court said.
Ginsberg’s death just over six weeks before Election Day is likely to set off a heated battle over whether President Donald Trump should nominate, and the Republican-led Senate should confirm, her replacement, or if the seat should remain vacant until the outcome of his race against Democrat Joe Biden is known.
Ginsburg announced in July that she was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for lesions on her liver, the latest of her several battles with cancer.
Ginsburg spent her final years on the bench as the unquestioned leader of the court’s liberal wing and became something of a rock star to her admirers. Young women especially seemed to embrace the court’s Jewish grandmother, affectionately calling her the Notorious RBG, for her defense of the rights of women and minorities, and the strength and resilience she displayed in the face of personal loss and health crises.
Those health issues included five bouts with cancer beginning in 1999, falls that resulted in broken ribs, insertion of a stent to clear a blocked artery and assorted other hospitalizations after she turned 75.
She resisted calls by liberals to retire during Barack Obama’s presidency at a time when Democrats held the Senate and a replacement with similar views could have been confirmed. Instead, President Donald Trump will almost certainly try to push Ginsburg’s successor through the Republican-controlled Senate — and move the conservative court even more to the right.
Ginsburg antagonized Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign in a series of media interviews, including calling him a faker. She soon apologized.
Her appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1993 was the first by a Democrat in 26 years. She initially found a comfortable ideological home somewhere left of center on a conservative court dominated by Republican appointees. Her liberal voice grew stronger the longer she served.
Ginsburg was a mother of two, an opera lover and an intellectual who watched arguments behind oversized glasses for many years, though she ditched them for more fashionable frames in her later years. At argument sessions in the ornate courtroom, she was known for digging deep into case records and for being a stickler for following the rules.
She argued six key cases before the court in the 1970s when she was an architect of the women’s rights movement. She won five.
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg does not need a seat on the Supreme Court to earn her place in the American history books,” Clinton said at the time of her appointment. “She has already done that.”
On the court, where she was known as a facile writer, her most significant majority opinions were the 1996 ruling that ordered the Virginia Military Institute to accept women or give up its state funding, and the 2015 decision that upheld independent commissions some states use to draw congressional districts.
Besides civil rights, Ginsburg took an interest in capital punishment, voting repeatedly to limit its use. During her tenure, the court declared it unconstitutional for states to execute the intellectually disabled and killers younger than 18.
In addition, she questioned the quality of lawyers for poor accused murderers. In the most divisive of cases, including the Bush v. Gore decision in 2000, she was often at odds with the court’s more conservative members — initially Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas.
The division remained the same after John Roberts replaced Rehnquist as chief justice, Samuel Alito took O’Connor’s seat, and, under Trump, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh joined the court, in seats that had been held by Scalia and Kennedy, respectively.
Ginsburg would say later that the 5-4 decision that settled the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush was a “breathtaking episode” at the court.
She was perhaps personally closest on the court to Scalia, her ideological opposite. Ginsburg once explained that she took Scalia’s sometimes biting dissents as a challenge to be met. “How am I going to answer this in a way that’s a real putdown?” she said. Scalia died in 2016.
Ginsburg authored powerful dissents of her own in cases involving abortion, voting rights and pay discrimination against women. She said some were aimed at swaying the opinions of her fellow judges while others were “an appeal to the intelligence of another day” in the hopes that they would provide guidance to future courts.
“Hope springs eternal,” she said in 2007, “and when I am writing a dissent, I’m always hoping for that fifth or sixth vote — even though I’m disappointed more often than not.”
She wrote memorably in 2013 that the court’s decision to cut out a key part of the federal law that had ensured the voting rights of Black people, Hispanics and other minorities was “like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”
Change on the court hit Ginsburg especially hard. She dissented forcefully from the court’s decision in 2007 to uphold a nationwide ban on an abortion procedure that opponents call partial-birth abortion. The court, with O’Connor still on it, had struck down a similar state ban seven years earlier. The “alarming” ruling, Ginsburg said, “cannot be understood as anything other than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this court — and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to women’s lives.”
In 1999, Ginsburg had surgery for colon cancer and received radiation and chemotherapy. She had surgery again in 2009 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and in December 2018 for cancerous growths on her left lung. Following the last surgery, she missed court sessions for the first time in more than 25 years on the bench.
Ginsburg also was treated with radiation for a tumor on her pancreas in August 2019. She maintained an active schedule even during the three weeks of radiation. When she revealed a recurrence of her cancer in July 2020, Ginsburg said she remained “fully able” to continue as a justice.
Joan Ruth Bader was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1933, the second daughter in a middle-class family. Her older sister, who gave her the lifelong nickname “Kiki,” died at age 6, so Ginsburg grew up in Brooklyn’s Flatbush section as an only child. Her dream, she has said, was to be an opera singer.
Ginsburg graduated at the top of her Columbia University law school class in 1959 but could not find a law firm willing to hire her. She had “three strikes against her” — for being Jewish, female and a mother, as she put it in 2007.
She had married her husband, Martin, in 1954, the year she graduated from Cornell University. She attended Harvard University’s law school but transferred to Columbia when her husband took a law job there. Martin Ginsburg went on to become a prominent tax attorney and law professor. Martin Ginsburg died in 2010. She is survived by two children, Jane and James, and several grandchildren.
Ginsburg once said that she had not entered the law as an equal-rights champion. “I thought I could do a lawyer’s job better than any other,” she wrote. “I have no talent in the arts, but I do write fairly well and analyze problems clearly.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-18--Denver police cut budget for financial reasons; public safety remains bulk of city spending despite

Denver police cut budget for financial reasons; public safety remains bulk of city spending despite protests

Denver ’ s public safety agencies will freeze open positions , hire fewer police recruits and close some jail housing units as the city grapples with a financial crisis that is forcing leaders to slash budgets .
Overall spending for the Department of Public Safety — which includes police , sheriff deputies , 911 operations and the fire department — will drop 9 % in 2021 compared to last year to $ 533 million from $ 588 million , according to the proposed 2021 budget .
But public safety operations will remain the city ’ s largest expenditure from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is close , despite calls from weeks of protest this summer to reallocate taxpayer dollars from public safety to other city services .
Mayor Michael Hancock on Tuesday explicitly said the cuts to public safety were due to financial needs , not protests , and no city council member during Friday budget hearings suggested major changes to the amount of tax dollars allocated by the mayor ’ s office to public safety .
“ I firmly believe that when we ’ re talking about changes to our police department … we must have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Councilwoman Kendra Black said .
Public safety spending represents about 42 % of the city ’ s $ 1.3 billion 2021 budget and costs more than the next five largest budgets combined .
The department with the next largest amount of tax dollars in the proposed budget is for transportation and infrastructure , which is allocated $ 128 million .
Several council members questioned whether specific public safety programs should be moved to other city agencies , like those focused on youth safety .
The department did move the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health professionals to some 911 calls instead of police — from the police department ’ s oversight and placed it under 911 operations .
The city also allocated $ 1 million to expand the program , which was previously funded by grant money .
“ We don ’ t keep something in the department just because it ’ s always been there , ” Public Safety Executive Director Murphy Robinson said after stating he ’ s open to discussing moving programs .
Council members said they were caught in the middle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abolish or defund the police and those who want more police services .
“ It ’ s a real tension in our community and it puts us in a really difficult situation , ” Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer said .
The proposed 2021 budget for the Denver Police Department calls for $ 230 million from the city ’ s general fund , down from $ 254 million in 2020 , The majority of the decrease — $ 17.5 million — comes from an accounting shift in how the city pays for law enforcement at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be saved by holding open civilian positions , early retirements and decreasing the number of new officers hired . ]
Pazen said the department will continue to focus new hiring efforts on women and people of color to better represent the city ’ s population .
“ Often what we hear is we want better policing , not no policing , not less policing , ” Pazen said .
Changes to the city ’ s criminal justice system that resulted in fewer people being jailed made some cuts to the Denver Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department — tasked with operating the city ’ s two jails and some courthouse security — will drop to a proposed $ 148 million in 2021 from the $ 151 million allocated for 2020 .
The department in 2020 also lost a significant amount of revenue from vehicle impounds and civil service fees , Sheriff Elias Diggins said Friday .
To bridge the gap , the department will close a floor in the women ’ s building at the Denver County Jail , temporarily freeze 45 vacant deputy positions and some civilian positions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing to close jail housing units through 2021 if the jail population remains low .
The jails ’ combined population plummeted in the first months of COVID-19 as the city made efforts to lower numbers inside the facilities to mitigate the risk of an outbreak .
In early 2020 , the jails housed about 1,800 people on any given day .
That number plummeted to less than 1,000 during the summer before beginning to creep up toward 1,300 in August and September .
“ If we can continue to keep those population numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into 2021 , ” Diggins said of savings created by the low number of people housed at the jails .
The City Council will continue to hold hearings on the 2021 budget , propose changes and then will vote on a final version in November .

Denver’s public safety agencies will freeze open positions, hire fewer police recruits and close some jail housing units as the city grapples with a financial crisis that is forcing leaders to slash budgets.
Overall spending for the Department of Public Safety — which includes police, sheriff deputies, 911 operations and the fire department — will drop 9% in 2021 compared to last year to $533 million from $588 million, according to the proposed 2021 budget.
But public safety operations will remain the city’s largest expenditure from its general fund and no other single department is close, despite calls from weeks of protest this summer to reallocate taxpayer dollars from public safety to other city services. Mayor Michael Hancock on Tuesday explicitly said the cuts to public safety were due to financial needs, not protests, and no city council member during Friday budget hearings suggested major changes to the amount of tax dollars allocated by the mayor’s office to public safety.
“I firmly believe that when we’re talking about changes to our police department … we must have a plan before we make sweeping changes,” Councilwoman Kendra Black said.
Public safety spending represents about 42% of the city’s $1.3 billion 2021 budget and costs more than the next five largest budgets combined. The department with the next largest amount of tax dollars in the proposed budget is for transportation and infrastructure, which is allocated $128 million.
Several council members questioned whether specific public safety programs should be moved to other city agencies, like those focused on youth safety. The department did move the city’s fledgling STAR program — which sends mental health professionals to some 911 calls instead of police — from the police department’s oversight and placed it under 911 operations. The city also allocated $1 million to expand the program, which was previously funded by grant money.
“We don’t keep something in the department just because it’s always been there,” Public Safety Executive Director Murphy Robinson said after stating he’s open to discussing moving programs.
Council members said they were caught in the middle of residents in the city who want to abolish or defund the police and those who want more police services.
“It’s a real tension in our community and it puts us in a really difficult situation,” Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer said.
The proposed 2021 budget for the Denver Police Department calls for $230 million from the city’s general fund, down from $254 million in 2020. The majority of the decrease — $17.5 million — comes from an accounting shift in how the city pays for law enforcement at the airport. Another $7 million will be saved by holding open civilian positions, early retirements and decreasing the number of new officers hired.
Pazen said the department will continue to focus new hiring efforts on women and people of color to better represent the city’s population.
“Often what we hear is we want better policing, not no policing, not less policing,” Pazen said.
Changes to the city’s criminal justice system that resulted in fewer people being jailed made some cuts to the Denver Sheriff Department’s budget possible.
The department — tasked with operating the city’s two jails and some courthouse security — will drop to a proposed $148 million in 2021 from the $151 million allocated for 2020. The department in 2020 also lost a significant amount of revenue from vehicle impounds and civil service fees, Sheriff Elias Diggins said Friday.
To bridge the gap, the department will close a floor in the women’s building at the Denver County Jail, temporarily freeze 45 vacant deputy positions and some civilian positions, reducing staffing in some units and continuing to close jail housing units through 2021 if the jail population remains low.
The jails’ combined population plummeted in the first months of COVID-19 as the city made efforts to lower numbers inside the facilities to mitigate the risk of an outbreak. In early 2020, the jails housed about 1,800 people on any given day. That number plummeted to less than 1,000 during the summer before beginning to creep up toward 1,300 in August and September.
“If we can continue to keep those population numbers low we expect this trend to continue into 2021,” Diggins said of savings created by the low number of people housed at the jails.
The City Council will continue to hold hearings on the 2021 budget, propose changes and then will vote on a final version in November.


thedenverpost--2020-09-18--Colorado Rapids will be allowed to host fans at upcoming matches at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

The Colorado Rapids ’ request to allow fans to attend home matches at Dick ’ s Sporting Goods Park was approved by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Friday .
Officially the Rapids can let in 1,165 fans ( 6 % capacity ) as soon as next week , with upcoming matches scheduled for Wednesday and Sunday , Sept. 27 , though it ’ s unclear when fans will initially be allowed to attend .
Fans have not been allowed in the stadium since the club ’ s final home match before MLS play was halted March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , the club has been working closely with local health authorities and government officials to develop a plan to safely host fans at our stadium again , ” Rapids executive Padraig Smith said .
“ The health and safety of our supporters is our key priority in this process and we look forward to hosting fans at Dick ’ s Sporting Goods Park at the appropriate time during the next phase of MLS play.
” Groups no larger than 175 people will be allowed to use designated entrances and exits .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and access specific concessions stands and restrooms .
The Rapids are also being asked to separate and break up any congregating or crowding .

The Colorado Rapids’ request to allow fans to attend home matches at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was approved by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Friday.
Officially the Rapids can let in 1,165 fans (6% capacity) as soon as next week, with upcoming matches scheduled for Wednesday and Sunday, Sept. 27, though it’s unclear when fans will initially be allowed to attend. Fans have not been allowed in the stadium since the club’s final home match before MLS play was halted March 7.
“For the past several months, the club has been working closely with local health authorities and government officials to develop a plan to safely host fans at our stadium again,” Rapids executive Padraig Smith said. “The health and safety of our supporters is our key priority in this process and we look forward to hosting fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park at the appropriate time during the next phase of MLS play.”
Groups no larger than 175 people will be allowed to use designated entrances and exits. They must be seated together in defined sections and access specific concessions stands and restrooms. The Rapids are also being asked to separate and break up any congregating or crowding.


thedenverpost--2020-09-18--CU Boulder’s football director ticketed for health violation after more than 100 players hike Mount

CU Boulder’s football director ticketed for health violation after more than 100 players hike Mount Sanitas

Boulder has ticketed the director of the University of Colorado Boulder ’ s football team for a team hike on Mount Sanitas on Thursday that saw more than 100 players on the trails in violation of public health orders .
CU Boulder ’ s director of football operations Bryan McGinnis was issued a summons Friday for violation of a public health order , according to Boulder officials .
McGinnis was also ticketed for failure to obtain a large group permit , as Boulder Open Space and Mountain Park officials said the football team failed to apply for the permits necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on open space land .
“ The city continues to prioritize education of public health orders rather than issuing citations , ” Boulder officials wrote in a statement .
“ However , law enforcement officers will issue citations for especially egregious behaviors like what occurred during this recent hike.
” According to rangers who investigated the incident after hikers brought the incident to their attention on Thursday , a total of 108 people were in the group and “ that many participants were not wearing masks or observing social distancing when passing community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Daily Camera from witnesses shows a long line of players hiking up the trail , most of them not wearing masks .
Face coverings are required on city trails and trailheads and other public spaces in Boulder County when people can not maintain 6 feet of distance pursuant to a Boulder County Public Health Order .
Groups of more than 10 are also discouraged on trails .
“ City open space is a valuable resource in supporting community members ’ physical and emotional health , ” Boulder officials said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community members follow all public health guidance and responsible recreation reminders.
” “ Our athletic department has been diligent in ensuring COVID-19 health and safety protocols are in place and followed by our staff and student-athletes , ” George said in the statement .
“ All student-athletes are tested for COVID-19 frequently to ensure they are healthy while training .
As noted in the county ’ s self-quarantine directive for students , intercollegiate athletic training is an allowable activity .
Our football team took a team hike on Thursday for training purposes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested negative for COVID-19 .
“ All of this said , we acknowledge the lapse in judgment and apologize for our football team partaking in a group activity like this on public open space amid the current COVID-19 climate .
We share in the community ’ s concern and anxiety about the recent spike in COVID-19 cases , and we do not tolerate actions that are contrary to public health orders .
We will address this with our football program , and continue to educate our coaches , staff and student-athletes about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including wearing masks and physical distancing at all times while in public.
” Boulder officials said CU Boulder has been cooperating with the investigation and “ expressed regret about the incident and have assured the city they are taking steps to avoid further similar occurrences.
” The release also said Boulder officials were under the understanding that CU Boulder may take disciplinary action under its student code of conduct and health and safety regulations .
“ CU remains a full partner in the efforts of the city and the county to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in the statement .
CU Boulder has reported more than 600 cases of the coronavirus , with more than 100 reported on Wednesday and Thursday .
Boulder County has reported 3,309 cases with 79 deaths .

Boulder has ticketed the director of the University of Colorado Boulder’s football team for a team hike on Mount Sanitas on Thursday that saw more than 100 players on the trails in violation of public health orders.
CU Boulder’s director of football operations Bryan McGinnis was issued a summons Friday for violation of a public health order, according to Boulder officials.
McGinnis was also ticketed for failure to obtain a large group permit, as Boulder Open Space and Mountain Park officials said the football team failed to apply for the permits necessary for a group of more than 24 on open space land.
“The city continues to prioritize education of public health orders rather than issuing citations,” Boulder officials wrote in a statement. “However, law enforcement officers will issue citations for especially egregious behaviors like what occurred during this recent hike.”
According to rangers who investigated the incident after hikers brought the incident to their attention on Thursday, a total of 108 people were in the group and “that many participants were not wearing masks or observing social distancing when passing community members on the trail.”
Video obtained by the Daily Camera from witnesses shows a long line of players hiking up the trail, most of them not wearing masks.
Face coverings are required on city trails and trailheads and other public spaces in Boulder County when people cannot maintain 6 feet of distance pursuant to a Boulder County Public Health Order.
Groups of more than 10 are also discouraged on trails.
“City open space is a valuable resource in supporting community members’ physical and emotional health,” Boulder officials said in a statement. “The city requests all community members follow all public health guidance and responsible recreation reminders.”
CU Boulder Athletic Director Rick George issued a statement Friday about the issue.
“Our athletic department has been diligent in ensuring COVID-19 health and safety protocols are in place and followed by our staff and student-athletes,” George said in the statement. “All student-athletes are tested for COVID-19 frequently to ensure they are healthy while training. As noted in the county’s self-quarantine directive for students, intercollegiate athletic training is an allowable activity. Our football team took a team hike on Thursday for training purposes. All players who took part had recently tested negative for COVID-19.
“All of this said, we acknowledge the lapse in judgment and apologize for our football team partaking in a group activity like this on public open space amid the current COVID-19 climate. We share in the community’s concern and anxiety about the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, and we do not tolerate actions that are contrary to public health orders. We will address this with our football program, and continue to educate our coaches, staff and student-athletes about the importance of complying with public health orders, including wearing masks and physical distancing at all times while in public.”
Boulder officials said CU Boulder has been cooperating with the investigation and “expressed regret about the incident and have assured the city they are taking steps to avoid further similar occurrences.” The release also said Boulder officials were under the understanding that CU Boulder may take disciplinary action under its student code of conduct and health and safety regulations.
“CU remains a full partner in the efforts of the city and the county to keep our community safe,” Boulder officials said in the statement.
CU Boulder has reported more than 600 cases of the coronavirus, with more than 100 reported on Wednesday and Thursday. Boulder County has reported 3,309 cases with 79 deaths.


thedenverpost--2020-09-18--Longtime Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters announces pair of late-season Red Rocks shows

Longtime Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters will play a pair of concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sept. 22 , just a day after Colorado singer-songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff ends his Sept. 15-21 run there .
The 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. sets , announced Friday by promoter AEG Presents Rocky Mountains , will be all-ages admission and follow the public health orders set for previous , public concerts at Red Rocks this year .
That means will be limited to 175 socially distanced , masked people , almost ensuring a quick sell-out .
Tickets for the concerts are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 19 , via axs.com .
Tickets are $ 165 each , plus fees .
The shows arrive as Red Rocks is experiencing a late-summer renaissance of live music .
Colorado Symphony was the first to resume live , public concerts at the city-owned venue with an acoustic classical series in August , followed by Boulder ’ s Gasoline Lollipops squeezing in two sets on Sept. 14 .
Following Rateliff ’ s run this week , Denver Film also plans to continue using Red Rocks ’ parking lot for its Film on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible Denver Film Festival screenings .
But these concerts are a far cry from the 150-plus shows Red Rocks was scheduled to host this year .
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter , In The Know , to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox .

Longtime Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters will play a pair of concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sept. 22, just a day after Colorado singer-songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff ends his Sept. 15-21 run there.
The 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. sets, announced Friday by promoter AEG Presents Rocky Mountains, will be all-ages admission and follow the public health orders set for previous, public concerts at Red Rocks this year.
That means will be limited to 175 socially distanced, masked people, almost ensuring a quick sell-out.
Tickets for the concerts are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, via axs.com. Tickets are $165 each, plus fees.
The shows arrive as Red Rocks is experiencing a late-summer renaissance of live music. Colorado Symphony was the first to resume live, public concerts at the city-owned venue with an acoustic classical series in August, followed by Boulder’s Gasoline Lollipops squeezing in two sets on Sept. 14.
Following Rateliff’s run this week, Denver Film also plans to continue using Red Rocks’ parking lot for its Film on the Rocks drive-in screenings, as well as possible Denver Film Festival screenings. But these concerts are a far cry from the 150-plus shows Red Rocks was scheduled to host this year.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-09-19--Step away from TikTok: Here’s how to declutter your digital world

Working remotely may have eliminated your commute and allowed you to spend the day in your pajamas , but it also means you ’ re most likely bombarded with digital communication every second of the day — from personal and professional emails crowding your inboxes to push notifications reminding you of every news development to the nonstop viral allure of Twitter and Instagram .
If you are suffering from tech fatigue , or simply trying to become more productive online , here are steps you can take to organize your digital landscape .
Cal Newport , a computer science professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intersection of technology and culture , said many people succumb to what he calls the list/reactive method : They instantly react to communication — texts , emails , Slack messages — while occasionally trying to make progress on their work .
One moment they ’ re responding to an email from their child ’ s teacher , the next they ’ re jumping on a conference call — blurring the line between the professional and personal .
“ It blends together the lives completely , ” Newport said .
“ You ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind.
” To avoid that cycle , set a fixed digital schedule that clearly dictates when you are working , when you are attending to your family and when you are unwinding .
Deal with communications concerning the different parts of your life only during those times .
Put aside blocks of time to check personal text messages .
And only go over the day ’ s headlines in the morning so you don ’ t casually check the news during work hours .
“ In our current moment , to not look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a betrayal of your civic responsibility , ” Newport said .
“ But on the other hand , to look at news all the time is a betrayal of your sanity.
” Talk to your colleagues — or , if you ’ re a teacher , your students — about when you are available to answer them .
“ Set expectations for everyone involved , ” said Lynette O ’ Keefe , the director of research and innovation at the Online Learning Consortium , a nonprofit that offers digital teaching guidance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume of messages you receive and make clear to people that your schedule may not align with theirs .
Educators , for instance , should let their students know whether they respond to emails after hours or not .
“ We ’ re expected to be available a lot more , which is perhaps ironic , ” said Ioana Literat , a communication professor at Teachers College , Columbia University .
“ We have so many more responsibilities and our lives are so chaotic now.
” One of the simplest ways to clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mailing lists .
Both Gmail and Apple ’ s Mail app notify users if an email is from a mailing list with the option to unsubscribe with a single click .
Use it .
You can also sort — and limit — emails by filtering them by the sender , recipient or subject line .
Say you receive a weekly progress report that is good to have in your back pocket but doesn ’ t need to be read as soon as it arrives .
You can create a filter that will automatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to your archives or give it a certain label .
For your personal inbox , consider creating labels for bills or appointment reminders , so they don ’ t get lost in the mix .
Then , consider whether you would be more productive if you consolidated your personal and professional emails in one inbox .
If you worry about missing important notes from either and constantly toggle between the two , import them under a single address .
You can do this on Gmail using the mail fetcher option , or on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive emails from different accounts .
Both systems also have features that can automatically forward all your emails from one account to another .
If you collaborate with a large team and feel that long email threads often get in the way of the task at hand , brainstorm an efficient work flow .
Maybe that means dropping ideas into a shared Google doc or holding weekly meetings to go over specific goals .
Having a structured process “ substantially reduces the number of simultaneous , asynchronous back-and-forth conversations happening , ” Newport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back and forth to schedule meetings , use a shared calendar — like YouCanBookMe , Calendly or x.ia — where colleagues can see your availability and book slots accordingly .
If you frequently set up meetings with people outside your organization , those tools can be integrated with Google and Outlook calendars , so you don ’ t have to switch between different platforms .
Another timesaver : Rather than type up the same response to common questions or requests , save a template so you can quickly fire it off when needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tells recipients , “ I see you , I hear you , I ’ m interested in responding to you — but here ’ s when it will happen.
” Finally , you will never become an inbox zero person if you treat your email like a to-do list .
It ’ s common to leave messages unread and use them as reminders to get to certain tasks .
The thinking goes : “ If I need to do it , it ’ s in my inbox .
And if I want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ll just send an email about it to someone else , ” Newport said .
“ That is a task management system .
It ’ s just a terrible one.
” Instead , he suggests creating a separate “ space of obligations.
” Use online tools like Trello , Flow-e or Asana to create task boards that organize your responsibilities according to urgency and progress .
If those aren ’ t for you , Gmail has a task feature embedded in the calendar app that lets you create digital to-do lists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called To Do .
( Its classic task tool is being phased out . )
Or , simply use a pen and paper to outline your day ’ s priorities .
There are small lifestyle changes you can make to tune out when needed .
O ’ Keefe recommends taking time to examine each of your digital tools and ask , “ How does this fit in my life ?
” If you don ’ t absolutely have to be on call 24/7 , snooze professional email and chat notifications once you sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a smartwatch that syncs to your inbox and phone , take it off after you ’ re done working .
Smartphones are so versatile — we use them to work , connect and even buy cars — but remember that you ’ re in control of how you use them .
Literat decided to stop reading and watching shows on her phone , so she bought a Kindle and started turning on the television more .
If you ’ re guilty of endlessly scrolling on Instagram , Twitter or TikTok , make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t add much value to your life .
Apply the same thinking to your apps — if you don ’ t use them at least once a month , get rid of them .
With the iPhone ’ s screen time feature , you can see how much time you spend on your phone every week and create a schedule to limit your app and call usage .
The bottom line is that you have agency over how often you check your emails and feeds .
It ’ s probably best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or students .
But with social media , Bailey said it boils down to , “ Who will get mad if we ’ re not looking when they want us to be looking ?
”

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

Working remotely may have eliminated your commute and allowed you to spend the day in your pajamas, but it also means you’re most likely bombarded with digital communication every second of the day — from personal and professional emails crowding your inboxes to push notifications reminding you of every news development to the nonstop viral allure of Twitter and Instagram.
If you are suffering from tech fatigue, or simply trying to become more productive online, here are steps you can take to organize your digital landscape.
Create separation
Cal Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University who writes about the intersection of technology and culture, said many people succumb to what he calls the list/reactive method: They instantly react to communication — texts, emails, Slack messages — while occasionally trying to make progress on their work. One moment they’re responding to an email from their child’s teacher, the next they’re jumping on a conference call — blurring the line between the professional and personal.
“It blends together the lives completely,” Newport said. “You’re never not working. You always feel behind.”
To avoid that cycle, set a fixed digital schedule that clearly dictates when you are working, when you are attending to your family and when you are unwinding. Deal with communications concerning the different parts of your life only during those times. Put aside blocks of time to check personal text messages. And only go over the day’s headlines in the morning so you don’t casually check the news during work hours.
“In our current moment, to not look at any news seems like it would be a betrayal of your civic responsibility,” Newport said. “But on the other hand, to look at news all the time is a betrayal of your sanity.”
Set expectations
Talk to your colleagues — or, if you’re a teacher, your students — about when you are available to answer them.
“Set expectations for everyone involved,” said Lynette O’Keefe, the director of research and innovation at the Online Learning Consortium, a nonprofit that offers digital teaching guidance to educators. That can help reduce the volume of messages you receive and make clear to people that your schedule may not align with theirs. Educators, for instance, should let their students know whether they respond to emails after hours or not.
“We’re expected to be available a lot more, which is perhaps ironic,” said Ioana Literat, a communication professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. “We have so many more responsibilities and our lives are so chaotic now.”
Assume control of your inbox
One of the simplest ways to clear out your inbox is to unsubscribe from mailing lists. Both Gmail and Apple’s Mail app notify users if an email is from a mailing list with the option to unsubscribe with a single click. Use it.
You can also sort — and limit — emails by filtering them by the sender, recipient or subject line. Say you receive a weekly progress report that is good to have in your back pocket but doesn’t need to be read as soon as it arrives. You can create a filter that will automatically mark it as read, send it to your archives or give it a certain label. For your personal inbox, consider creating labels for bills or appointment reminders, so they don’t get lost in the mix.
Then, consider whether you would be more productive if you consolidated your personal and professional emails in one inbox. If you worry about missing important notes from either and constantly toggle between the two, import them under a single address. You can do this on Gmail using the mail fetcher option, or on Outlook by creating aliases that send and receive emails from different accounts. Both systems also have features that can automatically forward all your emails from one account to another.
If you collaborate with a large team and feel that long email threads often get in the way of the task at hand, brainstorm an efficient work flow. Maybe that means dropping ideas into a shared Google doc or holding weekly meetings to go over specific goals. Having a structured process “substantially reduces the number of simultaneous, asynchronous back-and-forth conversations happening,” Newport said.
To avoid wasting time emailing back and forth to schedule meetings, use a shared calendar — like YouCanBookMe, Calendly or x.ia — where colleagues can see your availability and book slots accordingly. If you frequently set up meetings with people outside your organization, those tools can be integrated with Google and Outlook calendars, so you don’t have to switch between different platforms.
Another timesaver: Rather than type up the same response to common questions or requests, save a template so you can quickly fire it off when needed. That, O’Keefe said, tells recipients, “I see you, I hear you, I’m interested in responding to you — but here’s when it will happen.”
Finally, you will never become an inbox zero person if you treat your email like a to-do list. It’s common to leave messages unread and use them as reminders to get to certain tasks. The thinking goes: “If I need to do it, it’s in my inbox. And if I want to take something off my plate, I’ll just send an email about it to someone else,” Newport said. “That is a task management system. It’s just a terrible one.”
Instead, he suggests creating a separate “space of obligations.” Use online tools like Trello, Flow-e or Asana to create task boards that organize your responsibilities according to urgency and progress. If those aren’t for you, Gmail has a task feature embedded in the calendar app that lets you create digital to-do lists, while Outlook has a similar feature called To Do. (Its classic task tool is being phased out.) Or, simply use a pen and paper to outline your day’s priorities.
Remember, you’re in charge
There are small lifestyle changes you can make to tune out when needed. O’Keefe recommends taking time to examine each of your digital tools and ask, “How does this fit in my life?”
If you don’t absolutely have to be on call 24/7, snooze professional email and chat notifications once you sign off for the day. If you have a smartwatch that syncs to your inbox and phone, take it off after you’re done working.
Smartphones are so versatile — we use them to work, connect and even buy cars — but remember that you’re in control of how you use them. Literat decided to stop reading and watching shows on her phone, so she bought a Kindle and started turning on the television more.
If you’re guilty of endlessly scrolling on Instagram, Twitter or TikTok, make it a habit of unfollowing accounts that don’t add much value to your life. Apply the same thinking to your apps — if you don’t use them at least once a month, get rid of them. With the iPhone’s screen time feature, you can see how much time you spend on your phone every week and create a schedule to limit your app and call usage.
The bottom line is that you have agency over how often you check your emails and feeds. It’s probably best not to ignore messages from your boss or students. But with social media, Bailey said it boils down to, “Who will get mad if we’re not looking when they want us to be looking?”


thedenverpost--2020-09-19--Colorado oil, gas industry ramps up opposition to bigger buffers for fracking sites

The oil and gas industry ’ s opposition to proposed 2,000-foot well setbacks is heating up , prompting more than 180 companies to send a letter Friday to Gov .
Jared Polis that said the rule ’ s impacts would undermine the industry ’ s economic recovery .
The leaders of two of the state ’ s largest industry associations held a news briefing during which they said the proposal by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is driven by politics instead of data , science and facts and , if approved , will significantly limit where companies can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said from the beginning is that what we really sorely need for this industry in Colorado is some clarity and some certainty , and we feel at this point neither of those has been achieved , ” said Lynn Granger , executive director of the American Petroleum Institute-Colorado .
Granger and Dan Haley , CEO and executive director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association , said their organizations have spent “ hundreds of hours ” talking to regulators and other interest groups to try to find solutions .
“ A courtroom is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Haley said .
“ That said , I think everything ’ s on the table in order to protect our private property rights and continue to operate in a responsible manner.
” The proposal on setbacks is just one of several being considered by the COGCC as it implements Senate Bill 181 , a 2019 law that mandates revamping regulations to prioritize public health , safety and the environment .
However , setbacks , or how far well sites must be from homes and schools , have become a flashpoint as drilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas .
The COGCC staff ’ s initial proposal called for 500-foot setbacks from nine or fewer residences , 1,500-foot setbacks from more than 10 residences and 2,000 feet from schools .
After a majority of the commission voiced support for 2,000-foot setbacks , the staff recommended the larger buffer with the possibility of shortening it to 500 feet from homes under certain conditions .
Members of the Denver Petroleum Club wrote in a letter to Polis that the 2,000-foot setback “ stands in stark contrast to scientific objectivity ” and that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a balanced approach to industry regulation will be heeded.
” The League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans had hoped the commission would make the setbacks 2,500 feet , said Sara Loflin , the organization ’ s executive director .
“ But 2,000 feet is a remarkably long way from 500 feet.
” Despite the industry ’ s assertions that science doesn ’ t support larger setbacks , Loflin said there ’ s mounting evidence that the closer people are to oil and gas well sites , the greater the chance is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and opponents of larger setbacks have both cited health studies and reports to support their cases .
Broomfield officials have said they have received hundreds of complaints of headaches , nose bleeds , eye and throat irritation and other ailments from people living near well sites .
“ I think that it ’ s important that if we ’ re going to develop anywhere near people that we ’ re doing it at a very high standard , which I believe our operators are doing today , ” said Haley .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setbacks are just one “ tool in the safety tool box ” to protect public health , safety and the environment .
He noted that the COGCC is strengthening requirements for a well ’ s structural integrity and management of underground oil and gas lines .
Granger and Haley both pointed to the fact that Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure in 2018 that would have imposed 2,500-foot setbacks from occupied buildings and waterways .
They said a COGCC analysis showed that setbacks of that size would have made 85 % of non-federal @ @ @ @ @

The oil and gas industry’s opposition to proposed 2,000-foot well setbacks is heating up, prompting more than 180 companies to send a letter Friday to Gov. Jared Polis that said the rule’s impacts would undermine the industry’s economic recovery.
The leaders of two of the state’s largest industry associations held a news briefing during which they said the proposal by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is driven by politics instead of data, science and facts and, if approved, will significantly limit where companies can drill.
“What we’ve said from the beginning is that what we really sorely need for this industry in Colorado is some clarity and some certainty, and we feel at this point neither of those has been achieved,” said Lynn Granger, executive director of the American Petroleum Institute-Colorado.
Granger and Dan Haley, CEO and executive director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said their organizations have spent “hundreds of hours” talking to regulators and other interest groups to try to find solutions.
“A courtroom is always our last resort at COGA,” Haley said. “That said, I think everything’s on the table in order to protect our private property rights and continue to operate in a responsible manner.”
The proposal on setbacks is just one of several being considered by the COGCC as it implements Senate Bill 181, a 2019 law that mandates revamping regulations to prioritize public health, safety and the environment. However, setbacks, or how far well sites must be from homes and schools, have become a flashpoint as drilling has increased and moved closer to populated areas.
The COGCC staff’s initial proposal called for 500-foot setbacks from nine or fewer residences, 1,500-foot setbacks from more than 10 residences and 2,000 feet from schools. After a majority of the commission voiced support for 2,000-foot setbacks, the staff recommended the larger buffer with the possibility of shortening it to 500 feet from homes under certain conditions.
Members of the Denver Petroleum Club wrote in a letter to Polis that the 2,000-foot setback “stands in stark contrast to scientific objectivity” and that the industry hopes his “leadership and calls for a balanced approach to industry regulation will be heeded.”
The League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans had hoped the commission would make the setbacks 2,500 feet, said Sara Loflin, the organization’s executive director. “But 2,000 feet is a remarkably long way from 500 feet.”
Despite the industry’s assertions that science doesn’t support larger setbacks, Loflin said there’s mounting evidence that the closer people are to oil and gas well sites, the greater the chance is they will suffer health problems.
Proponents and opponents of larger setbacks have both cited health studies and reports to support their cases. Broomfield officials have said they have received hundreds of complaints of headaches, nose bleeds, eye and throat irritation and other ailments from people living near well sites.
“I think that it’s important that if we’re going to develop anywhere near people that we’re doing it at a very high standard, which I believe our operators are doing today,” said Haley.
In a call with reporters Friday, Haley said setbacks are just one “tool in the safety tool box” to protect public health, safety and the environment. He noted that the COGCC is strengthening requirements for a well’s structural integrity and management of underground oil and gas lines.
Granger and Haley both pointed to the fact that Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure in 2018 that would have imposed 2,500-foot setbacks from occupied buildings and waterways. They said a COGCC analysis showed that setbacks of that size would have made 85% of non-federal land off-limits to drilling.