Marc Holtzman writes in an electronic letter that I received: The Republican Party is about issues, ideas, agendas, and -- just as importantly -- ballot access. What about the rule of law?, asks Rocky Mountain News editor Vincent Carroll: "You're allowed to vote anywhere in the state for a statewide candidate," observes Mark Grueskin, the attorney trying to get GOP candidate Marc Holtzman on the August primary ballot. "Why can't you get signatures from anywhere in the state." Um, maybe because that seems to be against the law? Holtzman chirps endlessly about the rule of law being flouted by illegal immigrants. Now he has a chance to do his bit to shore up respect for the legal system: Tell his attorney to drop his attempt to … [Read more...]

John Andrews certainly has a point - I have tried to make the same ultimate argument (see here and here and most recently here). "Your statements on immigration are not credible as long as [Mark Grueskin] is your attorney," the conservative Colorado statesman wrote. Marc Holtzman would be wise to listen. … [Read more...]

What a telling week this may turn out to be in the race for Colorado's governor and state legislature. In the wake of an overreaching decision from the state Supreme Court: 1. Marc Holtzman's campaign slips further into irrelevancy by clinging to judicial activism in order to stay alive. His lawyers - one of whom argued before the Supreme Court to have Defend Colorado Now's initiative removed from the ballot - are calling on a judge to loosely interpret the law to allow him on the ballot in the first place. 2. Bill Ritter's campaign may want to reconsider its very loud and leadership-lacking "no comment" on this very important and momentous issue. 3. Bob Beauprez, the Republican choice for governor, has been out in front on … [Read more...]

It is contorted decisions like the one the Colorado Supreme Court made yesterday regarding the anti-illegal immigration initiative that undermine citizens' respect for the judiciary. As has been proven again and again, naked partisanship no longer ends at the courtroom door. And inevitably, when the exalted robes stretch common sense and logic to play partisan politics, it settles nothing. Instead, it ratchets up the pressure of frustrated citizens and elected representatives. Thus today we read in the Denver Post that Republican House Minority Leader Mike May is calling for a special legislative session to address the issue. As the article points out, it is indeed a longshot that such a session would win the needed two-thirds … [Read more...]

While the Marc Holtzman for governor campaign touts a Denver Post article that says a judge has placed their candidate's name on the ballot, they probably won't bring too much attention to the rest of the story: one-half of Holtzman's legal team confesses the narrow chances of finding enough signatures to qualify his candidacy. Here's the long and the short of it: ...[B]ecause the ballot-certification deadline was Friday, a judge ordered that Holtzman be placed on the ballot in case his appeal is successful. If it's not, the judge said, his votes simply won't be counted. Despite all its bluster, does it sound like the Holtzman campaign is really confident about its chances? Or do you sense more of an air of desperation?: [John] … [Read more...]