Wiretap: Klingenschmitt punishes himself

Curse of God

House Republicans stripped Gordon “Dr. Chaps” Klingenschmitt of one of his two committee assignments as a way of punishing him for being, well, Dr. Chaps. And while he objected to the move – saying he was being punished “for quoting unpopular Bible verses” — Dr. Chaps also punished himself, saying he was suspending his TV ministry for six weeks after his “curse of God” comments. Via The Denver Post.

Innovative Indiana

Colorado’s legislature recently defeated two so-called religious freedom bills. Here’s Amy Runyon-Harms of ProgressNow Colorado on Indiana’s new religious freedom law:

“Growth in the 21st century is all about innovation. Whether it’s Salesforce, Google or Airbnb, the more innovative and accepting the state, the faster the growth in the economy. Finding innovative ways to discriminate is not innovative; it’s shameful. Our economy and fellow citizens deserve better than these religious discrimination laws.”

Time Out

Political infighting between old and new presidents has been tearing apart the Colorado Springs NAACP. The chapter has cancelled upcoming events through the end of May and has asked for help from the national organization. Via The Gazette.

Eyes on the Road

Sgt. Isaac Nail is a 20-year veteran of the Larimer County Sheriff’s department. On Sunday he drove through a couple backyards, shooting wooden fence-work and gravel into the air. Then he sped away, leaving wreckage in his wake along with gasping witnesses who had vacated their backyards just moments before Nail came barreling through their property.  The Fort Collins Coloradoan: “Nail said his pager went off while he was driving, prompting him to take his eyes off the road… When officers asked why he drove away from the scene, he responded, ‘That’s a good question.’”

Go Deal

Americans may not be confident that Iran would keep its end of the bargain in a nuclear deal, but they overwhelmingly support the idea of making a deal, according to a new Washington Post poll. The key poll numbers: Americans support a deal by a 59-31 margin; Americans aren’t confident the deal would work by a 59-37 margin.

 Stunning News

Andy Borowitz: Indiana governor seems stunned by how many people have gay friends. Via The New Yorker.

 Dirt Diggers

Why is only one House committee investigating Hillary Clinton’s emails? Could it be that they’re serious about actually finding out something this time? Via The National Journal.

Recovery Plan

Hillary Clinton’s emails may be deleted, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are not recoverable. Via Politico.

 Holder Pattern

The GOP quandary: The longer they delay the nomination of Loretta Lynch – whom most Republicans like — the longer they’re stuck with Eric Holder. Via The New York Times.

 

Photo: Waiting for the World via Flickr

Artist: Del Parsons

The Colorado Independent is a statewide online news source operating in a time when spin is plentiful, but factual, fair and unflinching news in the public interest is all too rare. Our award-winning team of veteran investigative and explanatory reporters and news columnists aims to amplify the voices of Coloradans whose stories are unheard, shine light on the relationships between people, power and policy, and hold public officials to account. We strive to report the news with context, social conscience, and soul, and to give Coloradans the insight they need to promote conversation, understanding and progress in this square, swing state we call home.