A group of 20 state attorneys general — including Colorado’s — injected their support this week into an effort to pass legislation allowing banks to serve legal marijuana businesses without fear of federal retaliation. On Jan. 16, 19 Republican and Democratic state attorneys general signed a letter to congressional leaders outlining their support of the SAFE Banking Act. The legislation was introduced by Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter in the House last year to provide a “safe harbor” for banks who ... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 17, 2018 – Following the January 4 announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice to withdraw the Cole guidance, today Representatives Denny Heck (WA-10) and Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) sent a letter to U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requesting they preserve the 2014 guidance for marijuana-related businesses to operate under the Bank Secrecy Act. Under state law, eight states and the District of Columbia permit adult recreational use of marijuan... Read more

(AP) -- The Durango Herald, Jan. 17, on Sen. Gardner possibly being the man to keep Sessions and Trump to their word: Our hats go off to Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) for standing up for Coloradans earlier this month and against what he viewed as the federal government trampling on the will of the voters in Colorado and elsewhere who had legalized recreational marijuana. Gardner took a strong stand on the Senate floor, on social media and in interviews, against Attorney General Jeff Sessions' Jan. ... Read more

A bill introduced by Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter that would allow banks to serve marijuana-related businesses without fear of penalties from the federal government got a boost Tuesday from a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general. A letter sent to leaders in Congress Tuesday by 18 state attorneys general requests that Congress pass legislation such as the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act to “provide a safe harbor” for banks that provide financial products or services to st... Read more

Washington, D.C. – Today, a bipartisan group of state attorneys general sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to protect public safety and pass the SAFE Banking Act. Nineteen state attorneys general signed the letter – including Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman – asking for Congressional action in light of the recent rescission of the “Cole Memo” guidance. The letter states, “Despite the contradictions between federal and state law, the marijuana industry continues to grow ... Read more

A letter to 10 major Congressional leaders from 19 attorneys general asks Congress to push through legislation that would allow states with medical or recreational marijuana laws to bank as other business do. The group suggests that Congress give special attention to measures such as the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act (SAFE). Congressman Ed Perlmutter, D-Colorado, introduced the SAFE legislation (S. 1152 and H.R. 2215) last April. The letter comes only 12 days after U.S. Attorney Genera... Read more

DENVER – Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman and 18 other attorneys general from across the country sent a letter to congressional leadership Tuesday asking that Congress pass measures to safeguard marijuana businesses in how they deal with the banking industry. “[T]he states and federal government share a strong interest in protecting public safety and bringing grey market activities into the regulated banking sector,” the letter to leadership read. The attorneys general – many, but not a... Read more

DENVER – Colorado’s U.S. senators pushed ahead with their bipartisan immigration deal Tuesday as its uncertainty continued, furor over the president’s vulgar remarks carried into its second week, and as one of their fellow dealmakers said the situation had itself become an “s-show.” “Our bipartisan #DACA deal is not ‘dead,’” Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., tweeted Tuesday after President Trump and several of his GOP Senate counterparts claimed as much. “Democrats and Republicans negotiated in good... Read more

WASHINGTON — Some members of Colorado’s congressional delegation are expressing misgivings about Donald Trump’s leadership as public concern continues this week about his mental fitness. The concern was renewed Thursday during a White House meeting with lawmakers on immigration policy when Trump slammed immigrants from Latin America and Africa. “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here,” the president asked. The recent criticisms started last week with the publication... Read more

Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation reacted with outrage and condemnation following news reports that President Donald Trump referred to African nations as “shithole countries” during a Thursday meeting with lawmakers about a potential immigration deal. Trump on Friday pushed back against the reports about his remarks. “(The president) must apologize for his abhorrent comments,” U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said on Twitter. “We are a nation of immigrants; it’s what makes us stro... Read more