John Hickenlooper

HIDING FROM HICK’S DECISION: Democrats Slow To Respond To Gov’s Cowardly Clemency Of Dunlap

Published on May 23, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Denver DA Mitch Morrissey has been absent from commenting on the Dunlap decision, despite testifying against the death penalty repeal at the Capitol this year

When Governor Hickenlooper announced his cowardly decision to grant a reprieve to cold-blooded mass murderer Nathan Dunlap yesterday the reaction across the state was swift and brutal. One group in particular, however, was slow to offer comment or reaction – elected Democrats.

Afraid to anger the de facto head of their party in Colorado, Democrats have offered little to no comment on the story dominating headlines and dinner table conversations.

There has been a striking silence on the part of a number of notable Democrats, such as Senate President John Morse, who helped kill a death penalty repeal effort in 2009, or Denver DA Mitch Morrissey who testified against repeal at the legislature this year.

As far as we can tell, Rep. Rhonda Fields is the only notable to offer comment, saying she was “saddened” by Hick’s clemency cop-out. Even then the comment came a day late in a written statement.

As The Denver Post‘s Chuck Plunkett reports:

“I respect the governor’s decision-making authority to grant a reprieve,” Fields writes in her statement. “However, as a victim of a horrible crime and on behalf of other victims and their families, I am saddened by the governor’s decision yesterday.”

The Aurora Democrat, of course, has a personal interest in the death penalty debate. Her son and his fiancee were killed by the other two members of Colorado’s death row. She remains supportive of the ultimate penalty.

Good on Plunkett for getting Fields on the record, but we have to ask: where are the rest of the Democrats on this earth shattering bit of news?

Peak Feed: Hickenlooper’s Dunlap Decision Proven Unpopular

Published on May 23, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

We tried to warn Colorado’s Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper that doing anything but allowing convicted Chuck E. Cheese killer Nathan Dunlap’s execution to proceed would not be well-received by Coloradans. Yesterday, Hick granted a “temporary reprieve” for the killer. Today, the Denver Post was kind enough to chronicle just how unpopular this move has been with its readers. With just 12% of the population agreeing with his decision, it must be a dark day for Hick. See image below for results.

BETRAYED: Victims’ Families Lash Out At “Coward” Hickenlooper

Published on May 23, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Governor Hickenlooper’s cowardly decision yesterday to save mass murderer Nathan Dunlap’s life via executive order has been met with a furious reaction across Colorado. Most furious were the victims’ families, who have been waiting 20 years for justice.

Pic via 9News

The Denver Post reports on the anger among the victims’ families towards Hickenlooper:

Reactions from the families of those slain during the Chuck E. Cheese’s killings were as intense as they were different after Gov. John Hickenlooper announced he would halt the execution of Nathan Dunlap.

“The knife that’s been in my back … was just twisted by the governor,” said Bob Crowell on Wednesday after a conference call with Hickenlooper.

Crowell’s daughter, Sylvia, was among the four killed by Dunlap in December 1993 after the ex-employee hid in a bathroom until the children’s restaurant closed, then shot the five people working.

Hickenlooper contacted the families before his official announcement of an open-ended reprieve for Dunlap, 39, just three months before his scheduled execution in August.

“I don’t think its right that he sat in jail longer than my son was on Earth,” Sandi Rogers, mother of 17-year-old victim Ben Grant, said in an interview last week. “I’ve always felt if you are truly evil, then you need to not be on this planet.”

CBS4 happened to be interviewing Bob Crowell when Hickenlooper had a conference call with the victims’ families, where family members trashed Hickenlooper as a “coward”:

DENVER (CBS4) – Gov. John Hickenlooper indefinitely delayed the execution of convicted killer Nathan Dunlap on Wednesday and CBS4’s Jennifer Brice was with the parents of one victim when the governor had a private conference call with the families.

Brice was sitting in Bob Crowell’s kitchen with him as he was on phone with the governor. His daughter was killed by Dunlap at a Chuck E. Cheese 20 years ago.

During this conference call Brice could hear the other victims’ families yelling at the governor, saying things like, “Dunlap is an animal,” and “How could you do this?” And, “This is a coward’s way out.”

Watch the full CBS4 segment after the jump:

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DUNLAP “WEIGHED HEAVILY”? Four Hours Post Reprieve Hick Parties with Denver Broncos

Published on May 23, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Yesterday, Coloradans were outraged when Democratic Governor Hickenlooper cast aside the wishes of Nathan Dunlap’s victims’ families and granted him a “temporary reprieve” from his death sentence for slaughtering four innocent people at an Aurora Chuck E. Cheese 20 years ago. Given the visceral reaction to the announcement, we have to admit even we were surprised when a reader tipped us off that Governor Hickenlooper had attended one of Denver’s most prestigious dinners last night, and partied with Denver Broncos players past and present.

We can hardly blame Hick for wanting to attend. It is, after all, one of the most anticipated events of the year in Colorado, usually honoring a great contributor to the Colorado community, and exceptionally well attended. Among the nearly 2,000 attendees last night, were the Bronco’s four Hall of Famers and numerous other Broncos alumni. Attendees even had the opportunity to take a photograph with Vince Lombardi trophies. But, this isn’t about the people who were there, or even the event itself.

During yesterday’s press conference, Hick noted that this was a difficult decision for him. He said, “We heard a variety of sides and obviously this has weighed heavily on me for over a year now.”

Perhaps the decision weighed so heavily that he needed a reprieve himself. But, when do the families, some of whom spoke out against Hick’s decision, get a reprieve from their grief over their missing loved ones? Here is what the family of victim Benjamin Grant said to Hickenlooper prior to his announcement: “Sit back, make no decision, allow the one that 12 people made after listening to all the evidence 17 years ago stand.”

With Hickenlooper’s decision ignoring the pleas of the victims’ families, we have to wonder, how did the families spend the night last night? We’re pretty sure it wasn’t toasting Denver’s finest.

OUTRAGE: Colorado Leaders Furious Over Hickenlooper’s Coward’s Clemency Of Dunlap

Published on May 22, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Outrage is the only way to describe the reaction of many of Colorado’s leaders today over Governor Hickenlooper’s cowardly decision to issue a reprieve to mass murderer Nathan Dunlap via executive order.

From victims’ families to the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police to the District Attorney charged with convicting the Aurora shooter, many people involved in the Dunlap case were furious with Hickenlooper’s half-assed decision.

Below is a round-up of initial reaction:
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COWARD: Governor Hickenlooper Saves Cold-Blooded Killer Nathan Dunlap’s Life With Executive Order

Published on May 22, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Governor Hickenlooper is a coward. Rather than making a decision on whether to grant clemency to Chuck E. Cheese mass murderer Nathan Dunlap, Hickenlooper instead chose to issue an executive order for an “indefinite stay” of his execution.

In typical Hickenlooper fashion, he chose not to choose. But, unfortunately, for the cause of justice it means the cold-blooded killer gets to keep his life, even when he took four others.

Reports The Denver Post:

Gov. John Hickenlooper on Wednesday issued an executive order granting convicted killer Nathan Dunlap a “temporary reprieve” from an execution that had been just three months away.

In an executive order that provides an indefinite stay of execution, Hickenlooper writes that the decision has weighed heavily on him…

“I don’t know why anyone would vote for someone who would want to do away with the death penalty in this case,” [Marj] Crowell said before a planned conference call with Hickenlooper.

Marj Crowell is the mother of one of Dunlap’s victims, Sylvia Crowell. In issuing his cop-out clemency decision today, Hickenlooper is insulting both the victims and the jury who decided to sentence Dunlap to death.

This decision could also affect another key death penalty case — that of Aurora shooter James Holmes. When DA George Brauchler seeks the death penalty against the human scum who committed one of the worst massacres in American history, will the jury wonder whether their decision will be respected by a future governor?

The silver lining to this decision is that if Republicans take back the governor’s mansion in 2014, a new Republican governor could issue their own executive order, allowing justice to take place and Nathan Dunlap to die for his crimes against humanity.

UPDATE: District Attorney George Brauchler responds:

“Not making a decision is an injustice,” Brauchler said.

— Jordan Steffen (@jsteffendp) May 22, 2013

RUNNING TO THE LEFT: Hickenlooper Announces Support For Impending $1 Billion Tax Hike Campaign

Published on May 22, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Democrats applaud Hickenlooper for signing SB213, the bill attached to the impending $1 billion tax hike campaign

In a sign Governor Hickenlooper has all but abandoned any hope at retaining his moderate political brand, yesterday he announced his support for an impending $1 billion tax hike campaign.

Reports The Durango Herald‘s Joe Hanel at the bottom of a piece about Hickenlooper signing the attached SB213:

Hickenlooper pledged Tuesday to campaign for the tax increase once the sponsors pick a single initiative.

This, folks, is big news. In 2011, Hickenlooper steadfastly refused to take a public position on the Prop 103 tax hike ballot initiative, earning the derisive nickname “Chickenlooper.”

Currently tax hike proponents are deciding between raising taxes through increasing the flat tax rate, or creating a graduated system, with higher incomes being taxed at an even higher rate.

The fact that Hickenlooper has already agreed to back the billion dollar tax increase, without even knowing what form it wil take, is a risky move.

A recent poll that purposely over-sampled Democrats found that voters strongly oppose a tax increase, no matter what form it takes.

From our post on the poll:

Magellan polled 675 respondents from April 24-25 and found an overwhelming opposition to income tax hikes, with 55% of respondents opposed to the idea of raising the state income tax from 4.63% to 5.35% to only 36% supportive of the idea.

When asking about a graduated income tax hike, with those making less than $75,000 seeing their taxes go up 1%, while those making over $75,000 would see a 3% hike, the opposition increased slightly with 56% opposed and 35% in support.

We honestly can’t think of a single ballot initiative in Colorado history that started at 36% support to 55% opposition that succeeded in the end.

In a still fragile economy, voters simply aren’t willing to hand over more cash to the government.

With Hickenlooper’s approval rating already underwater with independents, this certainly can’t help his political standing.

DUNLAP DECISION: Sources Say Hickenlooper Chief Of Staff Threatening To Resign If Death Penalty Not Commuted

Published on May 21, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Gov. Hickenlooper and his Chief of Staff Roxanne White deep in discussion

Chuck E. Cheese killer Nathan Dunlap may have a few more months before his scheduled execution in August, but sources tell Colorado Peak Politics that a decision on whether or not to commute his sentence is likely coming much sooner than that.

Governor Hickenlooper has been publicly weighing whether to commute Dunlap’s death penalty sentence, giving the mass murderer a reprieve for killing four Coloradans in 1993, including three teenagers.

Part of Hickenlooper’s calculus has been his outspoken senior staff, most visibly his Chief of Staff Roxanne White, who tweeted at Dunlap’s hearing that “there has to be a more humane path.”

Humane is not a word we’d use to describe the punishment deserved by a cold-blooded killer who bragged abou the killings afterwards and got a prison tattoo with a smoking gun that said “By Any Means Necessary.”

But White has shed crocodile tears for Dunlap and been one of the most outspoken members of Hickenlooper’s top aides urging the Governor to cancel Dunlap’s death penalty, a sentence decided by a jury almost 20 years ago.

Now sources are telling the Peak that White has threatened to resign if Hickenlooper doesn’t commute Dunlap’s sentence. With a long and close relationship with the Governor, White’s alleged threat could carry a great deal of weight with Hick.

As we’ve asked before, is the tail wagging the dog over at the governor’s mansion? What is driving this literal life or death decision? The people of Colorado have a right to know.

CARPAL TUNNEL WATCH: Governor Hickenlooper Signs 60 Bills into Law in Past Week

Published on May 20, 2013 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

In the past week, Colorado’s Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper signed 60 bills into law. Here are some of the more prominent of the bunch:

SB13-260 - Perhaps the most controversial bill that Hickenlooper signed this week was Johnston’s school finance bill. Readers may recall this bill because it has a $1 billion tax increase attached to it. Don’t worry. The tax increase must still be approved by voters. If voters don’t approve the tax increase, then the bill fails. The good news – a recent poll showed that Coloradans already aren’t in favor of a proposed $1 billion tax increase.

HB13-1001 - We reported on the Advanced Industries Accelerator Act earlier this session. The greatest issue with this legislation is that it essentially turns the State of Colorado into a venture capital firm.

HB13-1006 – For families in crisis, there’s no problem providing a safety net like breakfast for hungry “kiddos”. That’s not what the K-12 Breakfast and After the Bell Nutrition bill is about. We reported on this massive government overreach because it qualified approximately 68% of Denver Public School attendees for free breakfast during the school day.

SB13-200 – The expansion of medicaid is simply code for Obamacare, and takes Colorado one step closer to a truly socialized medical system, as we reported in March.

SB13-201 - While one has to question whether the appropriate role of government is to name rescue pets as the official state pets. Who are we to begrudge man’s best friend it’s day in the sun? The bill also garnered a mention on the Denver Post‘s Winners list.

One of the most controversial that Hick signed into law the week before was the ~~Enabling Voter Fraud~~ Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act, which legalized same-day voter registration. To see all the bills that Hick has signed into law (thus far), visit here.

We’ll keep you posted on other bills signed into law post-session.

UPDATE: SB13-260 is not Michael Johnston’s $1 billion education bill, but the regular school finance act. H/T to Missing Pundit (our favorite liberal anonymous Twitter account) for the catch.