Josh Phillips on the Russia and Ukraine Conflict

Candidate Interview: Erik Aadland on Why He is Running for Congress

Erik Aadland dropped out of the crowded Senate race last December in a desire to take the path that would put him allow him to effect change on the national level. Aadland’s departure from the race to unseat Senator Michael Bennet now has him looking to fill the seat in Colorado 7th Congressional District. Career politician Ed Perlmutter announced he will not be running for a ninth term. Adland is for term limits in Congress. Aadland is a distinguished combat veteran, international businessman, a conservative in the traditional sense that belies his age. His primary Democrat opponent at this time seems to be Colorado State Senator Britanny Pettersen. Aadland discusses why he is running for office with Kim in segment two of today’s show. Learn more about Aadland here. Go here to support his campaign.

Bill of the Day HB22-1273, Protections For Elections Officials

Bill summary:

The bill makes it unlawful for a person to threaten, coerce, or intimidate, or attempt to threaten, coerce, or intimidate, an election official with the intent to interfere with the performance of the official’s duties or with the intent to retaliate against the official for the performance of the official’s duties. The prohibition does not apply to an enforcement action taken by the secretary of state to enforce state election laws.

The bill also prohibits a person from making the personal information of an election official or an election official’s immediate family publicly available on the internet if the person knows or reasonably should know that doing so will pose an imminent and serious threat to the election official or the election official’s immediate family. There is a presumption that dissemination of the personal information of an election official or the election official’s immediate family poses an imminent and serious threat if a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency has issued a safety warning or advisory that applies to the election official. For the purposes of this restriction, “election official” is defined to include a county clerk and recorder, a municipal clerk, an election judge, a member of a canvassing board, a member of a board of county commissioners, a member or secretary of a board of directors authorized to conduct public elections, a representative of a governing body, or any other person contracted for or engaged in the performance of election duties.

An election worker may file a request with a state or local official to remove personal information from records that the official makes available on the internet. The request must include an affirmation under penalty of perjury that the election worker has reason to believe that the dissemination of the election worker’s personal information on the internet poses an imminent and serious threat to the safety of the election worker. After receiving a request from an election worker, the state or local official is also required to deny access to the personal information in response to a request for records under the “Colorado Open Records Act”; except that certain individuals may access records maintained by a county recorder, county assessor, or county treasurer if such access is related to a real estate matter. For purposes of this protection, “election worker” is defined to include a county clerk and recorder, county election staff, a municipal clerk, municipal election staff, the secretary of state, and the secretary of state’s election staff but does not include an election judge or a temporary employee.

HB22-1273, Protections For Elections Officials is sponsored by four Democrats: Senators Brittany Pettersen and Stephen Fenberg and Representatives Monica Duran and Emily Sirota. The bill as written seeks to protect election officials. However, the bill’s timing seems designed to empower and support the agenda of Secretary of State Jena Griswold. Griswold is also lobbying for $120,000 in funds to provide a full-time security detail.