Latest news with #AxiosDenver
Axios
16 hours ago
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Former federal prosecutor Hetal Doshi to run for Colorado AG
Hetal Doshi, a former top antitrust litigator for the U.S. Department of Justice, is entering the 2026 race for Colorado attorney general, Axios Denver has learned. Why it matters: Doshi, who formally launches her campaign Thursday, joins an increasingly crowded Democratic primary for the open AG seat. Current Attorney General Phil Weiser is not seeking re-election as he runs for governor. The big picture: A first-generation Indian American and Denver resident, Doshi previously served from 2014 to 2022 as the assistant U.S. attorney for Colorado before becoming deputy assistant attorney general at the DOJ. In that role from 2022 to 2025, she led landmark antitrust cases against Google, Apple, Ticketmaster and RealPage — cases aimed at breaking up corporate power and protecting consumers. Starting in 2014, she also served on then-President Obama's financial fraud task force, investigating white-collar crimes dating back to the Great Recession. What she's saying:"As the daughter of immigrants, fighting for our rights is personal to me. That's why I've spent my career taking on the powerful to protect the American Dream for working families across Colorado," Doshi said in a statement first provided to Axios Denver. State of play: Doshi is running on a three-pronged platform: Defend Colorado from what she calls President Trump's "all-out attack" on the rule of law, public funding and Democratic institutions. Take on the powerful, from price-gouging corporations and monopolies to political corruption and fraud. Protect rights and safety, with a focus on civil liberties, extremist threats and environmental preservation. Between the lines: Her candidacy is supported by former House Speaker Terrance Carroll, who commended her "proven record of standing up for working families," as well as former Solicitor General of Colorado Eric Olson, who called Hetal "one of the sharpest legal minds and most capable leaders."
Axios
2 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Effort to transform Colorado politics by 2030 takes shape
The question sounds innocuous: "When you think about having more courageous and representative politics in Colorado, what does that mean to you?" Yes, but: It's the precursor to much more. The organizers who asked the question just finished a statewide listening tour called Courageous Colorado, the start to an overhaul of the state's elections and campaigns to make them less partisan. The goal is to implement policy changes at the local or state level by 2030. The big picture: The effort is the outgrowth of Proposition 131, a failed 2024 campaign to institute all-candidate primaries and ranked choice voting. Unite for America, a national democracy reform group that pushed Prop. 131, paid in part for the tour, Axios Denver has learned. The League of Women Voters, CiviCO and Veterans for All Voters, all civic engagement groups, are co-hosts. Between the lines: A similar statewide listening tour ahead of the 2016 election led to a ballot initiative to roll back the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, known as TABOR. What they are saying: "We have to also transform the way campaigns are run," Landon Mascareñaz, the lead organizer of the tour told us, lamenting their "divisive nature." State of play: Courageous Colorado organized 20 town halls across the state through late May to spur the conversation and generate a 2030 agenda. At each stop, attendees — ranging from a handful to more than a dozen — discussed and ranked their support for 23 pre-generated ideas to boost "courage and representation." The list included overhauls of campaign finance, civic education, a citizens' assembly, minor party ballot access, term limits and new methods of voting. The top ideas from the tour, Mascareñaz says, were campaign finance reform, better civic education, open political primaries, ranked choice voting and term limits for local leaders. Inside the room: The stop in Boulder drew 10 people. Mascareñaz started the hourlong conversation by outlining how representation is short-cut in Colorado because of noncompetitive seats in the state Legislature and Congress — a parallel talking point from the Prop. 131 campaign. Attendees expressed cynicism about the ability to change the status quo, but Mascareñaz urged them to stay engaged. "We didn't get into this challenge overnight. We're not going to solve it in one listening session," he said. What's next: This week, organizers are hosting a retreat in Leadville for advocacy groups to evaluate the data from the listening tour and consider a path forward.
Axios
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
GOP lawmakers defending Trump bill shouted down by protesters
Over shouting and chants, U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans stood in front of the state Capitol on Thursday and defended his support for President Trump's spending bill, touting efforts to extend tax breaks and purge waste from safety-net programs like Medicaid. Why it matters: The first-term GOP congressman is looking to shift the conversation about Trump's "one big, beautiful bill" ahead of the 2026 election, where he will need to defend one of his party's most vulnerable districts in the northern Denver suburbs. Driving the news: With U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Windsor) and other local Republicans at his side, Evans spent 50 minutes trying to recast the bill as "a win for Coloradans" and pushed back against TV ads and protests targeting him for his vote. Evans repeatedly emphasized the need for work requirements for able-bodied adults to receive Medicaid health insurance and SNAP nutritional benefits and the removal of people living in the country illegally. Other parts of the bill he celebrated included the extension of Trump's tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year, a greater child tax credit, a $4,000 deduction for Social Security recipients and $46 billion for border security. What they're saying: "We are being open and honest about what is in the bill," he told Axios Denver at the event. "You don't have to agree or like what I say. Nevertheless, we are here to lay out the facts." Reality check: The Polis administration and Democratic legislative leaders anticipate an estimated 140,000 to 230,000 residents will lose Medicaid insurance as a result of the bill and that it will drive up uncompensated care at hospitals and increase health care premiums. Other provisions, such as eligibility checks every six months, will cost the state millions, lawmakers say. Also, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal Medicaid benefits but may receive them from the state. The other side: In the crowd, Harlen Ainscough, 77, held hand-painted protest signs and joined dozens of demonstrators who booed, chanted and shouted at Evans as he spoke. "We wanted just to let him know we are here ... and holding him accountable for voting for the 'big beautiful bill,'" the Thornton resident said.
Axios
22-05-2025
- Axios
"Pack your patience:" Record Memorial Day madness hits Colorado
This summer's travel season is about to take off, with Colorado once again on pace to smash Memorial Day records, AAA Colorado spokesperson Skyler McKinley tells Axios Denver. Why it matters: Coloradans aren't staying home even as economic pessimism persists. By the numbers: Denver International Airport officials say more than 443,000 travelers are expected to pass through security over the long weekend — matching last year's historic surge. Friday and Monday will be particularly packed, with upwards of 80,000 passengers daily. The big picture: More than 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles between Thursday and Monday — topping a 20-year record, AAA data shows. The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing for its busiest summer in 15 years. Nearly 54,000 flights are expected to take off nationwide on Thursday alone. An estimated 87% of travelers nationwide — or about 39 million people — are choosing to hit the road this year. Between the lines: More travelers opting to drive could be a sign of lingering distrust in air travel following a recent string of alarming tech and safety lapses at airports nationwide, including DIA. Still, FAA acting administrator Chris Rocheleau insists air travel is "the safest form of transportation in world history." The intrigue: Road trippers in Colorado will catch a break at the pump this year, McKinley tells Axios Denver. Average Colorado gas prices are hovering around $3.58 per gallon, down from $3.71 this time last year. Pro tips: "The further you can get away from the highways when you're filling up your vehicle, the more you will save," McKinley advises. The worst days to drive will be Thursday and Monday, especially on the I-70 corridor, he says. To avoid gridlock, travel early in the day — or better yet, leave Saturday or Sunday.
Axios
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Denver files lawsuit against Trump administration over rescinded FEMA funding
Denver joined Chicago and Pima County, Arizona, in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its move to revoke FEMA funding, the city announced Friday. Why it matters: It's the latest way Denver is challenging President Trump's policies, which are targeting cities like Denver that aren't complying with the administration's immigration plans. Denver bars its policing department from working with federal immigration authorities in most cases. Context: The city claims the administration's move is unconstitutional and overrides Congressional constitutional authority. The administration rescinded $24 million in federal grants for the city's migrant response, which city officials confirmed in April, Catch up quick: Congress has appropriated money for reimbursing cities and states for costs to support migrants since Trump's first administration. Their arrival in Denver — roughly 43,000 since 2022 — left the city scrambling to gather resources for people, and the city relied on federal money to provide them with services, including sheltering. The federal program, called the Shelter and Services Program, pays back cities for the services "necessitated by the federal government's immigration policies," per a statement from the city. The city claims the administration canceled the grants after Trump took office in January and did not inform grantees like Denver that the money wouldn't be made available. What they're saying: "I am incredibly proud of how our city responded to this crisis and will continue to fight for the funding we were awarded but have not received," Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement. The Trump administration did not immediately respond to Axios Denver's request for comment. Between the lines: The lawsuit names U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting Administrator of the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency David Richardson.
