An open letter to the Denver Post about correcting a story, an effort to recall two Broomfield Councilmembers, and a quick explainer on CO's legislative process.
An open letter to the corrections department at the Denver post, the senior and managing editors and reporters Nick Coltrain and Seth Klamann about a correction to their 2/23/2023 article
Hello,
My name is Cory Gaines. This will be the fourth attempt (in total--I wrote an email to the reporters themselves, I have now twice called the phone number you list for corrections) to call your attention to a factual error in one of your articles. I chose to do this as an open letter because the previous three attempts, done non-publicly, elicited nothing from your paper or the reporters themselves. For reference, I included the original email I sent to Mssrs. Coltrain and Klamann below my signature in bolded italics.
The part that I believe needs correction relates to this quote from the article linked above the signature line: "Betz, who does not advocate for policy solutions, said it’s also important to include a diversity of viewpoints and appreciate that one person’s safety measure may make another feel less safe."
The point I make is excatly the one I did in my earlier email: Betz does indeed advocate for policy solutions and you are welcome to check the examples of same I sent in my first email.
You are free to do as you wish with your newspaper. This is America and we have freedom of the press. I would invite you to reflect, however, on what role not acknowledging or reckoning with people who bring you legitimate issues has on your credibility. I invite you to reflect on what this says when put next to the soaring rhetoric our press uses to describe how important their role is.
https://www.denverpost.com/2023/02/23/colorado-democrats-gun-reform-firearm-bills-assault-weapon/
Cory Gaines
Good morning,
My name is Cory Gaines. I'm writing about your article linked below.
I believe there is a mistake. I refer specifically to the following quote:
"Betz, who does not advocate for policy solutions, said it’s also important to include a diversity of viewpoints and appreciate that one person’s safety measure may make another feel less safe."
I would like to point out a few things.
First, consider the op ed linked below your story. Does her being an author on it and calling for Congress to take action not qualify as advocating for policy solutions?
Second, Dr. Betz has participated in preparing City Councils to debate/adopt gun control measures at the invitation of the council members interested in pushing those motions. See the third link below. Again, does that sound like someone who is not an advocate?
I could find more but will stop there.
I believe you are misrepresenting what Dr. Betz is and isn't and this goes to her credibility as a source, as a "neutral" expert on the issue. I will not speculate on your reasons as to why.
I would ask for a correction in your article.
If you would like to discuss this by phone, my number is xxx-xxx-xxxx.
Cory
https://www.denverpost.com/2023/02/23/colorado-democrats-gun-reform-firearm-bills-assault-weapon/
https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/3518883-we-want-to-prevent-suicide-in-the-military-congress-wont-let-us/
https://pagetwo.completecolorado.com/2022/05/03/emails-show-edgewater-councilwoman-coaching-anti-gun-activists-regional-effort-revealed/
****Related: in between sending and posting I did finally get a response. Below is from my email posted without comment out of fairness.
"We have reviewed your concerns and determined no correction is necessary. The viewpoint off the subject is clear and we see no indication she advocated for a given law vs a general direction. It’s unclear to us whether you have access to information that we aren’t aware of. If so, I don’t see that you have shared it.
An effort to recall two Broomfield Councilmembers
Do you live in Broomfield or know someone who does?
If so and you're frustrated at what your Council is up to, you might consider giving the recall effort a look and/or passing along.
Details are in the link below.
https://recalltoddandheidi.org/
A quick explainer on the legislative process in Colorado
I had a reader ask recently how the legislative process works.
Having taught for a long time, I know that if one person asks, likely 5 wonder in silence, so I thought a refresher on how it works might be in order.
Since the reader's question was about SB23-168, the bill allowing lawsuits against gun manufacturers (and deliverymen, and etc.), I will use it as an example. The bill's page is linked below and it's the source of the screenshot.
Here are the rough steps in a bill becoming law in Colorado. Some things are the same as at the Federal level, but there are some quirks too.
For example: in our state you have the right to comment on any bill in its committee hearings. That is NOT the case at the Federal level.
The screengrab below lists the steps that SB23-168 has gone through. To find it, scroll down the page and click on the "Bill History" tab. You read it bottom up, in the order I labeled it.
Step #1:
Every bill (every single bill, it's mandated by the state constitution and not law) must get a committee hearing. So if the prime sponsor is in the Senate, it goes to a Senate committee of the Senate President's choosing. If it's in the House it goes to a House committee of the Speaker's choosing. That's the first line in the graphic I sent.
That first committee there is a chance to enter amendments. They are voted on and the bill is voted on and it either advances or not (as do amendments).
Step #2:
If the bill advances, it may go to another committee or two. Sometimes the bills go to another committee that's specialized in legal things like Judicial committees or if it needs money to be enacted it may go to Appropriations. If it passes all its committees it will go to the "Committee of the Whole", that is to the whole chamber.
For the bill we're talking about, it only needed one committee, passed and went to the full Senate.
Step #3:
Once it's on the floor of one chamber or another, it will be read three times (again, if I recall right, per the state constitution). This might happen over several days, etc. Amendments can also be offered and voted on at this stage.
This is also where Republicans have the only chance to play a card and that is by filibustering. They can tie bills up at this stage and, since the Assembly only has 120 days to do its work, that can limit other chances for the majority to pass things. Not always a huge card to play, but one to play.
If this bill passes the chamber where it originated, it's on to the next chamber. So for our bill, that's off to the House.
Step #4:
Now at the House, it got assigned to a committee and the process repeats, just this time in the House.
If both chambers agree on the version of the bill (no amendments or changes are made in the House that the Senate never voted on) then it passes. If a change was made, it has to go back to the other chamber for a vote and/or reconciliation where the two chambers compromise on the final version.
Step #5:
If it passes that, it goes to the governor's office for his or her decision.
Colorado has some quirks at this point that are not in the Federal system. You can read up in more detail at the second link below if you'd like, but I'll out line here.
Colorado does not have a pocket veto. I.e. there's no way for the governor to ignore a bill and let it quietly die. It's actually the reverse, if he ignores it, it WILL pass. If he signs it, it will pass. He must take affirmative action to veto it to have it not pass.
He can, however, veto in such a way as to leave the Assembly no way to override if he holds on to it until after the session, but there are some important details and timing here. There are varying time periods he has to act or not and so exercising this option depends greatly on when the bill reaches him.
I hope that helps if you didn't know before, please add questions to the comments if you have them.
https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb23-168
https://www.coloradosenaterepublicans.com/understanding-the-colorado-veto-process/