Hotline on call says the Colorado primary battle between Sen. Michael Bennet and challenger Andrew Romanoff is going down to the wire. Turnout of mail-in ballots is really high -- the only election with higher turnout was 2008 when Obama ran for President.

But the question remains whether Romanoff caught fire soon enough to take advantage of CO's new mail-in only primary system. Ballots reached voters on July 20th, and a record number have already been returned to the CO Sec. of State. Bennet and Romanoff are neck-and-neck in the latest polls, and it's a real toss-up as to who will emerge the victory come Wednesday.

TalkLeft has endorsed Sen. Michael Bennet due to Romanoff's poor record on crime issues. I also think Bennet has a greater chance of beating the Republicans state-wide in November. But either would be far superior to the Republican choices. If you didn't mail in your ballot, please drop it off at a service center today. For Denver locations, go here.

In Colorado, it has been really hard for dispensary owners to get and keep a bank account. They don't want the business, fearing the tension between between state and federal law with federal law declaring all marijuana is illegal.

Wells Fargo was about the only one to buck the trend. According to the Denver Post, that's now changing. While it stopped accepting new accounts a while ago, this week it sent out letters to existing customers with dispensary businesses saying they needed to find another bank as it would be closing their accounts as well.

"It's based really on the complex and inconsistent legal environment across the country related to medical-marijuana dispensaries," said Wells Fargo spokeswoman Cristie Drumm.

Unless something is done, this will force the dispensaries to operate cash-only businesses, which is what states like Colorado, which have spent months drafting regulations for the businesses, are trying to avoid.[More...]

The Senate has confirmed the confirmation of John Walsh for U.S. Attorney in Colorado.

As I wrote here, it will be interesting to see what changes he makes in leadership positions within the office.

I've been following the Aspen Sheriff's race and rooting for Deputy Sheriff Joe Di Salvo, who has promised to continue the policies of long-time and much beloved Sheriff Bob Braudis, who is retiring. Last week I wrote about the candidates' debate on undercover activity in the county (DiSalvo, like Braudis, opposes it, saying it fosters mistrust in the community.)

Last night, the three candidates faced the local media for what is called "Squirm Night." It's just what it sounds like: the candidates are asked questions that might make them squirm.

What came out: Two of the three had been arrested, and all three had used illegal drugs, although one couldn't remember the last time and a second only admitted to smoking pot in Amsterdam six years ago. I think DiSalvo gave the most honest answer. He gave no excuses (like "it was legal where I did it" or "I can't remember") and said simply, "1984." [More...]

Charlie Sheen and the Prosecutor's Office have been working all month at arriving at a new plea agreement in his domestic violence case from Christmas.

Given the press release sent to the media by the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office (see below), it seems Monday is the day all will be resolved.

Charlie, wisely for someone with his background, had been trying to stay off probation. He offered to do 30 days in the Pitkin County Jail in Aspen on work release as a sentnce to the misdemeanor he would be pleading guilty to. That fell apart.

Reportedly, Charlie is now willing to do probation, as he wants more parenting time with his kids and to get back to work at his TV show.[More...]

Bump and Update: Tom Tancredo has announced he's running for Governor. NPR asks, "Can You Say Governor Hickenlooper?"

Original Post (Sun Jul 25, 2010 at 08:19:34pm)

Former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo has given an ultimatum to Scott McInniss and Dan Maes: Either exit the Governor's race by noon Monday, or he'll run as a third party candidate for the American Constitution Party. He says his goal it to prevent Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, from winning. [More...]

Back in 2004, we reported on Thomas Mink, a student at the University of Northern Colorado who had his residence searched and computer seized following the publication of an online satirical editorial related to a professor. Charges were never filed. The search warrant was found to be invalid.

The case has gone back and forth through the courts regarding whether the prosecutors were immune from civil liability in lawsuit for violating his civil rights. Yesterday, he won another round.

The trial court had dismissed his case as to the prosecutor, and he appealed. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday issued an opinion, available here, reinstating his Section 1983 lawsuit against the former District Attorney who approved the search. [More...]

Via the Denver Post, The Hasan Foundation has issued a press release stating since Scott McInnis didn't perform the work he agreed to do and since he has admitted his work wasn't fully original, it is requesting he return the $300,000 it paid him.

McInnis says he has agreed to repay them.

"I apologized to the Hasans for this mistake, and I expressed my determination to make it right with my dear friends," the statement read. "I will be in contact with the Hasan family to make full payment arrangements."

McInnis insists he's staying in the Colorado Governor's race.

Since he's canceled a few campaign appearances, sounds like he's hoping this will blow over if he just lays low for a while. Meanwhile, he's losing support among Republicans, who seem to prefer Tom Tancredo

Update: For a good wrap-up of the day's events, see McJoan at Daily Kos.

Breaking: Our local ABC News station got an on camera interview with Rolly Fischer, the water engineer Scott McInniss blamed for his plagiarism while working as a $300,000 paid fellow for the Hasan Foundation. The interview will be on air in 20 minutes, but they have this article up now:

The man Scott McInnis blamed for the plagiarized material in an article on water rights told CALL7 Investigator John Ferrugia, the candidate for Governor lied and he wants to set the record straight.

In an exclusive interview, Rolly Fischer told Ferrugia, he did not know his research was going to be used for articles for which McInnis was paid $300,000 by a private foundation.

Ferrugia asked, "Rolly, is Scott McInnis lying to us? "Yes," said Fischer.

[More...]

Colorado Repubublican gubernatorial hopeful Scott McInnis, a former Congressman, yesterday blamed a plagiarism faux-pas on an engineer/researcher.

What about today's new and second allegation? The Washington Post says he plagiarized a column that appeared in its paper in 1994 in a column he wrote for the Rocky Mountain News and orally in a speech on the House Floor.

Allen and Plunk's piece was published Nov. 9, 1994. McInnis' was published Dec. 21, 1994, and he made the speech on Jan. 25, 1995. In one passage, Allen and Plunk wrote, "There is a growing popular belief in South Korea that the North has outmaneuvered Washington and marginalized the South's role."

McInnis column said, "There is growing South Korean sentiment that North Korea has outmaneuvered Washington and marginalized the South's input into this issue." In his speech, McInnis said, "There is growing popular South Korean sentiment that North Korea has outmaneuvered Washington and marginalized the South's input into this issue."

McInnis: Run along now, it was just staffers. [More...]

Looks like it might be curtains for Scott McInnis who's been caught plagiarizing while serving as a $300,000 fellow in 2005 to 2006 for the Hasan Foundation. McInnis' explanation: he blames his research assistant.

McInnis said he paid Rolly Fischer, a Glenwood Springs engineer, to help him with the articles and Fischer was responsible for the content that was plagiarized.

The Hasan foundation responds, refuting his "rough draft" explanation and expressing surprise at the research assistant disclosure, since McInnis' wasn't supposed to be using one [More...]:

In 1996, Dale Helmig was convicted of killing his mother Norma and dumping her body in the Osage River. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. In 2005, Dale's habeas petition was granted (opinion here), only to be later reversed by the 8th Circuit which reinstated his murder conviction.

Hearings are underway this week in Missouri to determine whether Dale finally will get a new trial. Yesterday, the trooper testified his testimony at the original trial was inaccurate. Other claims to be heard this week: Whether the prosecutor Kenny Hulshof, who later became a U.S. Congressman, withheld evidence from Helmig's attorneys and presented false testimony. The hearing continues today.

Whether Dale is factually innocent and the victim of a wrongful conviction, caused by a combination of a biased and sloppy police investigation, a politically over-zealous prosecutor and an ineffective defense attorney, has been the subject of numerous documentaries and television shows. Since I spent weeks filming the first documentary, I have a strong interest in the case and strong opinions. [More...]