The Spot newsletter: Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling and its impacts, Hickenlooper’s veto-palooza, Denver’s scooter-palooza and an election 2018 how-to
Welcome back to The Spot, where The Denver Post’s politics team captures what’s happening this week — from the Colorado legislature to Denver city hall, with a stop through the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C.
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I’m warning you ahead of time that this week’s newsletter is *wee bit* longer than normal — and for good reason.
Largest among the mountains of headlines was the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission case. We have nine stories below on the decision for you to check out.
Gov. John Hickenlooper vetoed nine bills — a record during his tenure — from the recently ended 2018 legislative session. He also signed some pretty important pieces of legislation into law.
We’ve got the lowdown on what you need to know ahead of the June 26 primary elections (especially if you’re an unaffiliated voter), the latest in Denver’s scooter-mania and an interesting look at why not everyone is super stoked on the idea of spaceships launching out of Adams County.
Fresh news: The Denver Post is teaming up with Denver7 to host gubernatorial debates at the University of Denver later this month.
ROLL CALL
MASTERPIECE CAKESHOP RULING
COLORADO: THE STATEHOUSE & BEYOND
Aside: This is significant. Hickenlooper vetoed nine bills from the 2018 legislative session. In 2014, he issued the next most vetoes, at five. Over his career, the governor has turned down 23 bills. Needless to say, the vetoes have made a bunch of people unhappy — including members of his own party.
Extremely disappointed that Gov. Hickenlooper vetoed my bill to authorize people with autism spectrum disorders to use medical marijuana (HB 18-1263) today. Many people are devastated. @TommyMitchAZ @JesseAPaul @DenverWestword pic.twitter.com/d5rn6DUyZY
— Edie Hooton (@EdieHooton) June 6, 2018
Election coverage
Just in case you wanted to peek at our stories to get a better idea of who the candidates are and what issues they are talking about as you receive your ballot…
Funny surprise this morning to see my guide for unaffiliated voters tacked on my apartment building’s message board. #copolitics #newsyoucanuse pic.twitter.com/ASKiJCoi0h
— Jesse Aaron Paul (@JesseAPaul) June 6, 2018
DENVER & THE SUBURBS
D.C. POLITICS FROM A COLORADO PERSPECTIVE
THE WIRE
- Two of the Democrats vying to replace U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, are firing off television ads ahead of the June 26 primary. — The Pueblo Chieftain
- El Paso County won’t join onto an opioid lawsuit targeting pharmaceutical giants. — The Colorado Springs Independent
- Town manager drama in Avon. — The Vail Daily
- Check out Colorado Public Radio’s interviews with all the gubernatorial candidates. (A very cool, interesting resource.) — Colorado Public Radio
- House Majority Whip Steve Scalise is back on the baseball diamond! — ABC News
- The California judge who sentenced Brock Turner in an infamous sexual assault case was recalled this week by voters. — The San Francisco Chronicle
- Two gubernatorial candidates, one Democrat and one Republican, say they’d oppose any Denver bid to host the Winter Olympics. — Denver Business Journal
- “Donald Trump has become fixated on his ability to issue pardons.” — The Washington Post
- “There should be no controversy about the existence of marijuana addiction. We see it every day. The controversy should be why it appears to be affecting more people.” — Stateline
- What climate change means for the Colorado River. — KUNC
- This week’s primary elections across the U.S. provided a boost to Democrats’ hopes of retaking the U.S. House. — The New York Times
- A billboard urging people not to vote for state Sen. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, is creating a little stir on the Western Slope. — KKCO
Questions, comments, feedback about this newsletter? Cool stories? Send them our way.
And thanks for reading!
P.S. Please consider backing The Denver Post (you can subscribe here) or journalism wherever you might be. And thanks for your support, whatever it might be.
P.P.S. Here is your GIF rewards (I’m too proud not to share) for making it to the end of this newsletter.
How I’m feeling as I boil in the Colorado Capitol’s air conditioning-less press room #coleg cc: @BenteBirkeland pic.twitter.com/5cjwNwQvrE
— Jesse Aaron Paul (@JesseAPaul) June 5, 2018
Update pic.twitter.com/nXSyUDisHo
— Jesse Aaron Paul (@JesseAPaul) June 5, 2018
Staff writers John Frank, Jon Murray, Mark K. Matthews and John Aguilar contributed to this newsletter.
Opioid use may affect treatment for alcohol dependence Colorado’s legalized marijuana would be federally lawful under bill introduced by Cory Gardner, Elizabeth Warren
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