The NRA won in CO. Fight back!

[Indyfan53]

Well, apparently not enough people cared to pay attention to the right-wing schemes in Colorado.

State Senators John Morse and Angela Giron were defeated after only the conservative minority showed up and voted them out.

Shame to the democrats who stayed home, thinking it was an easy win and nothing mattered after 2012.

Shame on the NRA for brainwashing Colorado people into supporting the repeal of gun control and allow more shootings to occur. They collected signatures of the deceased for their recall petitions, but no action was taken to investigate.

Colorado has been plagued by too many massacres at the hands of gun nuts and the criminally insane. People need to wake up and realize that republicans need to be called out and ousted for their corruption. You must stop being weak and apathetic.

If you know a republican, sever relations with them. They are the enemy. If a republican calls you a commie, call them a fascist.

If you learn that a company bankrolls republicans or a conservative lobbying effort, boycott them. I am sure there are still liberals out there who still by products from Koch Industries.

If you see a tea party rally, document it with a camera. Report any supicious behavior. If they harass you for doing so, call the police. The tea party needs to be recognized as a terrorist group, just like the Ku Klux Klan or the Aryan Brotherhood. I also recommend carrying pepper spray or a taser if they get physical with you.

We must take this defeat as a sobering slap to the face. We need to wake up, stay vigilant, and get the vote out, now matter what.

Whether it is a midterm election or a recall election, treat it as if your rights depended on it, because they do.

Stay alert, stay active.

[NYC_SKP]

1. NRA etc. raised only $540,000. Opponents of the recall spent $3,000,000. Hmmm.

Maybe, just maybe, the voters didn't support the way the legislators legislated.

Outside money shows national interest in Colorado recall elections

By Kurtis Lee and Zahira Torres
The Denver Post
Posted: 09/09/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

Colorado state Sens. Angela Giron and John Morse face recall elections on Tuesday. ((Associated Press and Denver Post file photos))

Colorado's first-ever recall elections of state lawmakers have amassed about $3.5 million from donors both near and far, with those vying to defend the incumbents up for election Tuesday significantly outraising the opposition.

A Denver Post review of finance reports from the 10 active issue committees involved in the recalls of Senate President John Morse of Colorado Springs and Sen. Angela Giron of Pueblo found some donors contributing as little as $1 to as much as six figures.

The committees accepted unrestricted amounts of cash from thousands of individuals and dozens of nonprofit 501(c)(4)s, which do not have to disclose donors, according to the Colorado secretary of state.

Proponents of the recall have raised about $540,000, while opponents have collected nearly $3 million. Much of the cash has come from out of state — a sign of the national significance these recalls have.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_24046748/outside-money-shows-national-interest-colorado-recall-elections

[SunSeeker]

4. Does that include money spent by pacs? nt

[former9thward]

10. Yes.

Most of the money on both sides was outside money.

[SunSeeker]

18. How much did conservative pacs spend vs. progressive pacs?

And I'd love a link. That is the problem here. Conservative 501c4's and 501c5's have way more money and operate anonymously. I am guessing that the very fact that you say it was outside money suggests you are looking at nonpac donors who must report who they are.

[Robb]

12. No. The Koch outfit, Americans for Prosperity, easily spent a million or two.

The saturation of door hangers and canvassers was incredible. But AFP doesn't have to report, since they're a non-profit.

[hack89]

15. And of course you can prove this? nt

[Robb]

22. Now you're springing to the defense of Americans for Prosperity?

No bar too low, apparently.

[hack89]

24. No - am calling you on pulling unsubstantiated facts out of your butt

as you are wont to do.

Its ok to admit you are wrong and you have no actual proof. Try it for once.

[Robb]

25. AFP has examples of their literature on their own web site.

I suppose the gun fairies paid to print and distribute it.

[hack89]

26. So show how they spend a million or two

exactly how many were printed and at what cost? How many people did they need to distribute them?

Two small districts with not many voters - I can see that costing a $100,000 or so. Not millions.

Stop hand waving and provide some hard numbers if you don't mind.

[Robb]

27. Sigh.

This is the whole point with 501(C)4's, isn't it? You can't. No one saw the hit, and blood on the ice isn't enough to call a penalty.

That you support this is completely unsurprising.

[hack89]

28. I do not support it. I am just questioning your made up "facts"

you are fundamentally dishonest when it comes to the gun debate and I will call you on it every time.

[Robb]

29. You're an NRA member. And you lied about it. And *I'm* dishonest?

Well, I guess we're in backwards world today. Frankly that answers a whole lot of nagging questions for me, thank you.

[hack89]

30. Yes you are.

but it is ok. Opponents like you make things that much easier in the real world.

[SunSeeker]

19. That's what I figured. Another Citizens United enabled election purchase. nt

[bocephus0706]

9. Honestly people

Turnout was horrible. But democrats are known for that. People laugh at you for your lack of support after you elect democratic representatives into office. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has nothing to do with a state recall. What are you talking about here? This was a state issue. Morse was slated to retire from his position anyway. I believe this is his last year.
If you all don't stop bickering and complaining about your democratic representatives and actually stand with the people that get elected, 2014 will be repeat of 2010. And the president's agenda is history..
And to make it worse you will end up with a Teaparty representative in the Whitehouse in 2016....
I swear all I ever hear on this blog is complaining....you complain about the president, the whitehouse, senate etc...then you do stupid stuff like not show up to vote " to show these democrats"...what the hell do you accomplish? Nothing, absolutely nothing.
I am a democrat, progressive, but middle of the road at the same time. you people here are nuts

[SunSeeker]

17. Unfortunately, Dems only really come out during Presidential elections.

I'm pissed at the Dems who stayed home, but Republicans have made sure voting is expensive and time consuming for working people and the poor. Mail-in paper ballots should be the norm, backed up by ubiquitous voting booths; there should be one everywhere they sell lottery tickets and every public building. Voter registration should be automatic upon receiving a drivers license or state ID.

[1KansasDem]

2. Turnout was very high.

Anti-recall forces outspent recall forces 5 to 1.
Explain these loses to me.
Seems like it's a lot more than the NRA.

[msongs]

3. turnout was low, half of 2012 or even less.....

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/11/1238004/-The-NRA-won-in-Colorado-This-time?showAll=yes

[brucefan]

5. So where did you pull your "high turnout "

Figures from?Never mind,I think I know.

[1KansasDem]

21. I based my "high turnout" comment on a news report from Denver's

KOA last night.
Their claim was that 50% turnout, compared to a presidential year, for a special election was "high turnout".

[otohara]

23. KOA Lied To It's Audience

As they do most of the time except on Sunday when they broadcast Broncos

[otohara]

11. 426,388 CO Springs Population - 17,845 Votes

107,577 Pueblo - 34,556 votes

Math says low turnout.

[Robb]

13. Spectacularly low. The Republican Secretary of State helped block mail-in ballots

...which Colorado has grown accustomed to over the past several years. I'm on the permanent mail-in ballot list myself.

[hack89]

16. No - it was actually the Dem dominated legislature that screwed the pooch here

The Constitution states that a candidate has up to 15 days to submit signatures so that their name appears on the ballot. Giving candidates 15 days did not leave enough time to print and distribute mail-in ballots.

The voting law conflicted with the state Constitution - the judge said the Constitution takes precedence.

http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-news/ci_23852132/denver-judge-sides-libertarians-recall-lawsuit

This is the law in question - passed this year by a Democratic legislature and signed by a Democratic Governor

Lawmakers passed HB1303 during the 2013 legislative session in an effort to improve voter participation. It required mail ballots be sent to every voter and that instead of precincts, voter service centers would be open where people could register to vote or change their address through election day. Previously, voters had a 29-day window to register before elections, among the longest blackout periods in the nation.

The new law is getting its first trial run during the recall elections in Pueblo and El Paso counties. Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, are facing recall elections where voters will decide whether to keep them in office or oust them over gun laws they supported last session.

http://gazette.com/county-clerk-discounts-voter-fraud-allegations-in-colorado-recall/article/1505965

The Dem govenor set the date for the election which did not leave enough time to print and mail ballots.

Gov. John Hickenlooper set the recall election date on July 18 for Morse and Giron. Both state senators face recalls for their support of tougher gun laws passed by the Democratic-controlled state legislature this year.

And the repukes joined the Dems in opposing the lawsuit.

In a rare show of bipartisanship, Republicans and Democrats appeared unified in court, saying the 10-day window should have been upheld. With a recall election that voters have to attend in person, lower turnout is likely, which is not beneficial to the Democratic incumbents. And with a third-party candidate now likely to appear on the ballot, Republicans fear a split vote.

http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-news/ci_23852132/denver-judge-sides-libertarians-recall-lawsuit

[RBInMaine]

6. They HAD their chance to "fight back" and BLEW IT ! As in 2010, they SCREWED THEMSELVES.

Dems could have easily defeated those recalls. What the hell ???? They sat on their asses. Simple as that. No excuses. Now let the NRA lick their chops and FUCK the people. And they DESERVE IT ! They sat on their asses and didn't vote. TOUGH LUCK ! If you don't like NRA TeaPuke radicals running the government, the VOTE, and don't make excuses.

[bigdarryl]

7. Where the hell was the national DNC to help get out the vote

Debbie Wassermann Schultz is one of the worst DNC Chair persons to have every sat in that position.We need Dean back but of coarse Obama wouldn't pick him because he's a progressive.

[ChiciB1]

14. I Said The Very Same Thing About HER When She

became the chairman! Totally DLC, from here in Florida. I was NEVER enchanted with her when she got elected to the House, but could not believe she became Chairman!

As time goes by, and my kids hate me saying it, but my thoughts are just "I'm glad I'm older now" BECAUSE I may not live to see this country in total ruins! I wish, wish, wish I felt differently, but as a Boomer who lived through a lot of upheaval back then, I did feel "we the people" united TOGETHER to raise our voices loud enough when we felt we could make a difference.

NOW, I don't know how, nor do I really think that TPTP even give a Flying You know What!! I've ALWAYS voted, always and tried my best to make sure my friends and family did to, but it seems so few people even know or perhaps don't care about off year elections! So in some way, people should be more informed, but at the same time given the climate we live in, the leaders of our Party should do so much more to GOTV!!
Oligarchy anyone???

[SunSeeker]

20. The DLCC gave $300,000.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_24046748/outside-money-shows-national-interest-colorado-recall-elections

That is only $60k less than what the NRA gave. Of course, all the cash rich conservative 501c4's are operating under the radar. Their money gets poured into these elections via ad buys, door hangers, phone banks, etc. And none of that is reported.

[DFW]

8. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”. n/t

[Indyfan53]

31. There was also voter intimidation.

There was a report that a van of thugs pulled up to a polling place and intimidated people for voting for Giron. On top of that, republicans filed a lawsuit to prevent mail-in ballots, and succeeded.

Now, we need to focus on New Jersey and Virginia for the year.

[hack89]

32. There was no republican lawsuit to prevent mail-in ballots

time to put that myth to rest.

The Constitution states that a candidate has up to 15 days to submit signatures so that their name appears on the ballot. Giving candidates 15 days did not leave enough time to print and distribute mail-in ballots.

The voting law conflicted with the state Constitution - the judge said the Constitution takes precedence.

In a lawsuit filed last week by the Libertarian Party of Colorado, the group alleges the secretary of state's office and county clerks did not give them ample time to gather signatures to get their candidates on the ballot to challenge Democratic Sens. John Morse of Colorado Springs and Angela Giron of Pueblo. Under the Colorado Constitution, a candidate has up to 15 days before the Sept. 10 election date to submit signatures so that their name appears on the ballot.

With Monday's ruling, Libertarians, and any other potential candidates, now have until Aug. 26 to gather enough signatures to get on the ballot — making the tight turnaround impossible for clerks to then print and mail ballots to voters. "It cannot be ignored," McGahey said of the state constitution in his oral decision from the bench.

McGahey also called House Bill 1303, a sweeping elections bill passed by Democrats this year that requires all mail-in elections, "flawed" as it conflicts with the constitution.

According to the state statute cited by Gessler's office, a 10-day window from July 18, when the governor set the recall election date, allows candidates to submit 1,000 signatures to the secretary of state's office to have their names appear on the ballot.

http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-news/ci_23852132/denver-judge-sides-libertarians-recall-lawsuit

This is the law in question - passed this year by a Democratic legislature and signed by a Democratic Governor

Lawmakers passed HB1303 during the 2013 legislative session in an effort to improve voter participation. It required mail ballots be sent to every voter and that instead of precincts, voter service centers would be open where people could register to vote or change their address through election day. Previously, voters had a 29-day window to register before elections, among the longest blackout periods in the nation.

The new law is getting its first trial run during the recall elections in Pueblo and El Paso counties. Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, are facing recall elections where voters will decide whether to keep them in office or oust them over gun laws they supported last session.

http://gazette.com/county-clerk-discounts-voter-fraud-allegations-in-colorado-recall/article/1505965

The Dem governor set the date for the election which did not leave enough time to print and mail ballots.

Gov. John Hickenlooper set the recall election date on July 18 for Morse and Giron. Both state senators face recalls for their support of tougher gun laws passed by the Democratic-controlled state legislature this year.

And the repukes joined the Dems in opposing the lawsuit.

In a rare show of bipartisanship, Republicans and Democrats appeared unified in court, saying the 10-day window should have been upheld. With a recall election that voters have to attend in person, lower turnout is likely, which is not beneficial to the Democratic incumbents. And with a third-party candidate now likely to appear on the ballot, Republicans fear a split vote.

http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-news/ci_23852132/denver-judge-sides-libertarians-recall-lawsuit