Ritter decries Pinnacol's pricey junket

San Francisco supervisors recommend city administrator to be mayor
San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted to recommend the appointment of City Administrator Edwin Lee as interim mayor, to fill out the term of Gavin Newsom, who was elected California's lieutenant Governor. The 10-1 vote in support of the longtime Civil Servant was advisory because the position doesn't become vacant until Newsom resigns. A final decision is likely to fall to a board with four newly elected members who will be seated this weekend. If approved, Lee, 58, would be the city's fi...

Barbara OBriens like Bill Belichick? Who knew?
Children’s advocates honored outgoing Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien tonight in a ceremony that combined tears, laughter and, oddly, pro football. Seriously. Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien O’Brien, who leaves office Tuesday, will join The Piton Foundation and work on Education Reform. Those who spoke on her behalf noted her “cradle to college” efforts on behalf of Colorado’s children. Tonight’s event at String’s restaurant was also a Fundraiser for Colorad...

Joe Arridy, Disabled Man Executed In 1939, Granted Posthumous Pardon By Colorado Governor
Denver — A mentally Disabled man executed more than 70 years ago has been pardoned in Colorado. Outgoing Gov. Bill Ritter on Friday awarded a posthumous pardon to 23-year-old Joe Arridy, who was executed in 1939 by lethal gas after being convicted of killing a Pueblo girl with a hatchet. Ritter said an overwhelming amount of evidence suggests Arridy didn't commit the crime. He had an I.Q. of 46 – too low to be considered for the death penalty today. Arridy appears to have given a c...

Bill Ritter: Lost in translation
Gov. Bill Ritter Every Governor has his own style of speaking. Republican Bill Owens often opened his remarks by saying, “folks” or “friends.” Democrat Roy Romer talked about Colorado being the “best place to raise a child.” And Democrat Bill Ritter, who leaves office on Tuesday, has so many Trademark phrases Capitol reporters dubbed them “Ritterations.” They include: “A solution that is uniquely Colorado.” “New energy economy.” ̶

What do a one-term gov. and first-gen iPhone have in common?
Looking back at the paper’s inaugural coverage from 2007, I’m reminded that Gov. Bill Ritter’s swearing-in occurred on the same day Apple announced the release of the iPhone. In the ensuing four years, Ritter (among many other things) fought the Denver Post over release of his cell phone records, Gov.-elect John Hickenlooper mastered Brick Breaker on his BlackBerry, and the term “app” surged past “Colorado Promise” in our daily lexicon. From the 2007 f...

Washington Primary: Moving Up, Back or Packin' It Up?
The answer, it seems, is "Both A and C", but it depends on which primary you're talking about. That Washington Governor Christine Gregiore called for the elimination of the Evergreen state's presidential primary is old news -- she did that back in December -- but the idea appears to be gaining momentum with Secretary of State Sam Reed now endorsing the idea as well. As was the speculated to be the case in California, with the proposed shift of the primary there, this effort in Washington is a ...

Jerry Brown's budget cuts start in his own office
On his fifth day in office, Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he is returning $7 million to the state treasury through a slew of cuts, including shaving the Governor's office Budget by 25 percent. California is facing a Deficit of up to $28 billion over the next 17 months, and Brown will unveil his Budget proposal Monday - a plan that is expected to include deep cuts in spending as well as a restructuring of how many government services are delivered. On Friday, the new governor announced a nu...

Brown gets hearing on sale of buildings postponed
An appeals court has postponed a hearing on the proposed $2.4 billion sale and leaseback of the California Supreme Court headquarters and other state buildings so Gov. Jerry Brown will have time to decide whether to scuttle the deal. The state Court of Appeal in San Jose, which had planned to hear the case Jan. 26, granted a request by state lawyers Thursday for a 30-day delay so Brown could review the matter. The 11 office properties include the San Francisco headquarters of the state's high ...

Academy of the Fine Arts discloses sales of artworks
In a highly unusual effort to shed light on the reality of its own art dealing, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts has reported the sale of five works, the prospective sale of five others, and the purchases made from sales proceeds. "We wanted to be as open as possible," said David R. Brigham, president and chief executive of the academy. "It's a positive story, and we want to tell it," he added, discussing the sales - deaccessioning, in museum parlance - and the are...

AIG recap deal near; share sale seen in May
By Ben Berkowitz NEW YORK | Fri Jan 7, 2011 9:16pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - The recapitalization of bailed-out insurer AIG is likely to close next week, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, as the company's shares touched fresh highs on news the deal was getting closer. American International Group Inc received the largest Bailout of the Credit Crisis, at one point owing the U.S. government just over $182 billion. The government now stands to make a massive profit on the deal wit...

AIG recap deal near; share sale seen in May
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The recapitalization of bailed-out insurer AIG is likely to close next week, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, as the company's shares touched fresh highs on news the deal was getting closer. American International Group Inc received the largest Bailout of the Credit Crisis, at one point owing the U.S. government just over $182 billion. The government now stands to make a massive profit on the deal with a series of stock sales starting as soon as March. The ...

Gavin Newsom Legacy: The wus who united so many - San Francisco politics a national laughing-stock
The self-proclaimed City That Knows How is beginning to look like it might not — at least when it comes to governing itself. Words like “unprecedented” and “shenanigans” are being tossed around, along with “byzantine,” “maneuvering” and “finagling.” Mayor Gavin Newsom, California’s duly elected Lieutenant Governor, will not leave town. It doesn’t matter that the bulk of State Government chose Jan. 3 to move along. News...

Confusion, lack of direction in BC NDP
As you, dear reader, may be aware, BC is in the midst of not one, but two leadership races. The reigning BC Liberal Party, following the Resignation of premier Gordon Campbell, is seeing a race between insiders - such as George Abbott, Mike de Jong, M.I.A.Stillwell, and Kevin Falcon - and outsiders - like Christy Clark and Ed Mayne. It's a battle of old guard versus new guard. Exciting stuff. But the official opposition, the BC New Democratic Party, is also in the midst of a leadership race. Onl...

Quinn tax hike in trouble
State Rep. Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley) said Friday “I don’t think there are enough votes” for the tax-hike agreement Gov. Quinn struck with leading Democrats in the Legislature. SRINGFIELD — As the Illinois House returns to the Capitol Sunday, the Income Tax-hike agreement Gov. Quinn struck with the Legislature’s ruling Democrats faces serious questions with time running out. Top allies to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said Friday the “framewo...

Quinn tax hike in trouble
State Rep. Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley) said Friday “I don’t think there are enough votes” for the tax-hike agreement Gov. Quinn struck with leading Democrats in the Legislature. SRINGFIELD — As the Illinois House returns to the Capitol Sunday, the Income Tax-hike agreement Gov. Quinn struck with the Legislature’s ruling Democrats faces serious questions with time running out. Top allies to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said Friday the “framewo...

Chicago Sun-Times
SRINGFIELD — As the Illinois House returns to the Capitol Sunday, the Income Tax-hike agreement Gov. Quinn struck with the Legislature’s ruling Democrats faces serious questions with time running out. Top allies to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said Friday the “framework” that Quinn, Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) agreed upon for raising the individual income tax from 3 percent to 5¼ percent needs work. “I don’t see th...

Quinn tax hike in trouble
SRINGFIELD — As the Illinois House returns to the Capitol Sunday, the Income Tax-hike agreement Gov. Quinn struck with the Legislature’s ruling Democrats faces serious questions with time running out. Top allies to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said Friday the “framework” that Quinn, Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) agreed upon for raising the individual income tax from 3 percent to 5¼ percent needs work. “I don’t see th...

Colorado governor pardons man executed for murder in 1939
Denver (Reuters) - Colorado's outgoing Governor issued a posthumous pardon on Friday to a mentally Disabled man executed in 1939 for the Murder of a 15-year-old girl, a crime the condemned man's supporters have long said he never committed. In pardoning Joe Arridy, Governor Bill Ritter called the case a "tragic conviction (based) on a false and coerced confession." "In addition, it would be Unconstitutional today to impose the death penalty on anyone as intellectually Disabled as Arridy," Ritte...

Colorado governor pardons man executed for murder in 1939
By Keith Coffman Denver | Fri Jan 7, 2011 5:47pm EST Denver (Reuters) - Colorado's outgoing Governor issued a posthumous pardon on Friday to a mentally Disabled man executed in 1939 for the Murder of a 15-year-old girl, a crime the condemned man's supporters have long said he never committed. In pardoning Joe Arridy, Governor Bill Ritter called the case a "tragic conviction (based) on a false and coerced confession." "In addition, it would be Unconstitutional today to impose the death penalty...

R.I. small-business owners to lawmakers: Affordable health insurance, job training are top priorities
Patreece Young, from Woonsocket, in a biomanufacturing class at the University of Rhode Island in 2009. Appropriate job training is a major need, business owners said. WARWICK — The state’s small-business owners told the Governor and other state leaders Friday that their top priorities are affordable Health Insurance and training programs that provide them with skilled workers. They also said the state needs to streamline its regulations so that businesses are not buried in paperwork...

New ethics commissioner vows to restore confidence in MNAs
Last updated Thursday, Jan. 06, 2011 9:40PM EST Quebec now has a government Watchdog to oversee the integrity and honesty of the province’s elected members. Jacques Saint-Laurent was sworn in on Thursday as Quebec’s first Ethics Commissioner almost eight years after Premier Jean Charest promised to create the position. The appointment follows allegations of unethical practices by former cabinet ministers and repeated attacks against Mr. Charest’s own conduct. The government ini...

Poetic justice: NPR hack that fired Juan Williams forced to resign
Juan Williams was fired for violating Sharia Law that NPR is enforcing by fiat: The hack that fired him is one Ellen Weiss, 1st Lieutenant of Vivian Schiller, who asserted that Juan Williamsis psychologically retarded for violating Sharia Law (but mostly for being a contributor to Fox News if truth be told): Only months later, Weiss herself has been forced to resign, and Shiller lost her Bonus. From Fox News visa memeorandum: NPR Boss Who Fired Juan Williams Resigns Elle...

NPR Exec resigns over Juan Williams firing
VP Ellen Weiss of National Public Radio has resigned in the wake of an independent review of the procedures used to fire Juan Williams. The review raises questions whether proper procedures were used, and found the firing was not the result of pressure from Donors or Special Interests. Not good enough. The NPR Board of Directors is keeping Vivian Schiller as CEO, even though the Board expressed “concern” over her public comments that Williams needs a Psychiatrist. Her punishment? Sh...

Friday's intriguing people
The 52-year-old will be announced Friday as the director of the National Economic Council, a key policy post in the Obama Administration. Sperling is currently senior counselor to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and was an adviser to President Bill Clinton and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. In 2010, as reported by CNN, Sperling was in talks for the No. 2 job at the Office of Management and Budget. The former Illinois Governor, who is serving a 6½-year sentence for rack...

Mayor Bloomberg's NYC Civil Service Overhaul Plan: Hot Or Not? (Not, Says AFL-CIO Boss)
Mayor Bloomberg's NYC Civil Service Overhaul Plan: Hot Or Not? (Not, Says AFL-CIO Boss) The Bloomberg Administration is out with a wide-ranging plan on how to revamp the city's civil service system, and (hold on to your seat), the president of the AFL-CIO doesn't like it. "We have the best Workforce in the world, but the civil service is so antiquated that it prevents them from performing up to their abilities, costs Taxpayers millions of dollars in unnecessary expenditures, a...