The Democrat-controlled state legislature is bubbling over with terrible ideas this session including a bill giving themselves stronger subpoenas power to launch investigations and compel citizens to testify before them.
It’s not enough they make the laws that rule our lives, they also want to be judge and jury.
The legislature’s investigative powers are rarely used, but House Bill 1248 could change all that, reports the Colorado Sun.
“There’s so many things that happen (where) there’s zero accountability because it hasn’t met the threshold of a criminal act,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, one of the prime sponsors of the bill. “But there’s still wrongdoing.”
Memo to lawmakers: If wrongdoing isn’t criminal, try passing a bill instead to make it criminal.
Lawmakers already have limited subpoena powers, which for good reason aren’t easy for politicians to employ willy nilly.
Garcia said her bill, also sponsored by Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver, would clarify the process for Colorado. It would also allow the speedy creation of the investigative committees, which can include members beyond lawmakers.
Garcia spins it as streamlining.
But in simple terms, it’s the making of a kangaroo court.
The details are terrifying.
Lawmakers would have year-round power to create pop-up investigative panels comprised of themselves and their special interest buddies to scrutinize pressing matters of importance to themselves.
Subpoenas power would be granted by a majority less than one-third of the lawmakers on the panel voting in favor.
It’s unclear and unnerving what the legal ramifications would be for those who defy a subpoenas or lie under oath.
After completing their work and exhausting all avenues of publicity and political points, the lawmakers and their special interest buddies would forward their report to the Colorado attorney general for review, and then what?
Prosecution based on political findings?
It’s a terrible idea, but with Democrats in control of the state House and Senate and their authoritarian governor Jared Polis wielding an inkless veto pen, we fear it is destined to become an Orwellian reality.