Sandra Fish

Crowded fields -- especially in the race for governor -- narrowed considerably after Colorado's Democratic and Republican state assemblies on Saturday, April 14.

Colorado’s precinct caucuses on March 6 may not pack quite the punch as in past years.

With many candidates in contested races choosing to petition onto the primary ballot, caucus goers will see fewer choices in the county, legislative, congressional and assembly processes.

That shift has leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties questioning the role of what are basically neighborhood get togethers in the nominations process.

Lobbying government is often considered the purview of big business.

But governments — cities, counties, school districts, even state entities — spent more than $4 million on lobbying in fiscal year 2017. Those governments — including the city of Denver and RTD — accounted for 13 percent of the $30 million spent on lobbying in Colorado last year.

Update, Dec. 27, 2017: The Secretary of State now notes that Kennedy is barred from registering as a lobbyist. This story has been updated to reflect this development.

A Colorado lobbyist is facing steep fines for failing to register — and is now barred from registering at all. The Secretary of State’s Office notified Collon Kennedy on Thursday that he owes nearly $74,000 in late fees.

The matter came to the attention of the office after state Sen. Irene Aguilar filed a complaint against Kennedy. The Denver Democrat observed Kennedy lobbying for Walmart on a liquor sales bill she opposed. When she looked him up in the Secretary of State’s lobbyist database, she couldn’t find him listed.

“I know that he’s been there lobbying a long time, and I had not realized that he wasn’t registered,” Aguilar said.

Five women lobbyists who voiced support for Sen. Jack Tate after sexual harassment allegations against him also did business before the committee he chairs earlier this year.

Last month, KUNC reported on formal complaints against Tate, R-Centennial, Sen. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, and Lebsock, D-Thornton.

Three are chairmen of legislative committees. But only Lebsock has been removed from his committee chairmanship.

Colorado lobbyists representing the Denver Broncos, Peabody Energy, Dow Chemical, United Airlines and a host of other companies didn’t report income from their clients in 2017. 

Because several of the lobbyists work for law firms, the lobbyists are paid by the firm, not from specific clients. According to the Secretary of State's office, that means they don't necessarily have to report income from specific clients.