Despite public support, Colorado Supreme Court justices privately objected to judicial reform bill

Members of the Colorado Supreme Court for months privately raised objections and lobbied lawmakers to delay a bill that would revamp the state’s process for disciplining judges — all while publicly proclaiming their support for reform, The Denver Post found.

Chief Justice Brian Boatright and Justice Monica Márquez personally met with state Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, in early March to express concerns about the bill and suggest the reform effort be delayed until after the conclusion of several investigations into an alleged blackmail scandal within the Colorado Judicial Department, Gonzales said.

Boatright on Wednesday also sent an email to all of the state’s judges in which he said he supports some parts of the reform bill — SB22-201, which was introduced Monday — but that he believes it also has “serious flaws.”

Sen. Pete Lee, D-El Paso County, who is a sponsor of the judicial discipline bill, said he received pushback from the Judicial Department throughout the drafting process.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/despite-public-support-colorado-supreme-court-justices-privately-objected-to-judicial-reform-bill/ar-AAWcyLa