cmtee for colo shared heritage hbw

<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">https://webbrain.com/brainpage/brain/E212D5AA-EEF5-535C-9D0D-27920B094E45#-9098</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">pyle spn
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div>=</div><div>shawn martini frack prop 97 colo rising?
</div><div>
</div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">HBW Resources
Senior Communications Director  Senior Communications Director
HBW Resources LLC HBW Resources LLC
2012 - 2016 · 4 yrs</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
Denver, CO Denver, CO
Shawn

successfully provided guidance to HBW and its clients on

communications, marketing, outreach and policy to help achieve their

goals in both the public and private arena. He worked to establish

organizational reputation and thought leadership to advocate for policy

and projects using a broad range of traditional and new media

strategies.  Shawn successfully provided guidance to HBW and its clients

on communications, marketing, outreach and policy to help achieve their

goals in both the public and private arena. He worked to establish

organizational reputation and thought leadership to advocate for policy

and projects using a broad range of traditional and new media

strategies.…see more</div></div><div></div><div>
</div><div><a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/signer-beware/">https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/signer-beware/</a>
</div><div>
</div><div><h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 49px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.05; letter-spacing: -0.02em; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Signer beware</h1><p class="td-post-sub-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 13px 0px; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; padding: 5px 0px 8px; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(241, 241, 241); border-top: 1px dashed rgb(241, 241, 241); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Pro-oil-and-gas-industry Initiative #138 has a familiar pedigree<div class="meta-info" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; opacity: 1; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div class="td-post-author-name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-right: 3px;"><div class="td-author-by" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">By</div> <a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/author/joeldyer/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-decoration: none !important; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit;">Joel Dyer</a><div class="td-author-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"> -</div></div> <time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2016-06-16T16:26:26+00:00" style="box-sizing: border-box;">June 16, 2016</time></div></div><div>
</div><div><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">When

it comes to the ballot initiatives being put forward this election

cycle — at least the ones pertaining to oil and gas extraction — you

often hear them referred to with terms like “community rights” or “local

government authority.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">But

unlike in the past, those terms are being applied to a variety of

initiatives, including one that would actually prevent communities from

creating local ordinances to protect themselves from oil and gas

extraction in close proximity to their homes, schools and hospitals.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As

a result, signing a petition in 2016 has become a rather confusing

exercise wherein “signer beware” seems an appropriate warning. Not

surprisingly to many observers of the ongoing and heated battle over

fracking in Colorado, this confusion due to the blurring of such terms

doesn’t appear to be an accident.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Over

the past five years, the terms “community rights” and “local authority ”

have become closely tied to the various citizen-driven initiatives

written to allow local communities or even counties the right to ban or

delay fracking or otherwise regulate oil and gas extraction within their

jurisdictions. This explains why these terms so often find their way

into the official or popular titles of such citizen efforts. This year’s

initiatives with that same intent are no exception.<p class="p4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">•  •  •<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Initiative

#40 is most often referred to as “The Colorado Community Rights

Amendment” or the “Local Governance Amendment.” It has been put forward

as a project of Coloradans for Community Rights.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Proponents

of Initiative #40 claim the amendment addresses the conflicts that

exist between the fundamental rights of communities, people and the

environment, and the excessive legal authority that politicians have wrongly granted to corporations.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">They

further claim #40 would not only allow local communities to ban or

otherwise regulate oil and gas extraction, but also allow local

governments to control all industrial activity as well as other things,

such as allowing communities to set their own minimum wage limits.   <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Another

initiative designed to empower local authority to regulate oil and gas

extraction is also currently gathering signatures. Initiative #75,

titled “Local Government Authority to Regulate Oil and Gas Development,”

was put forward by Coloradans Resisting Extreme Energy Development (CREED).<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Proponents

of #75 say it would give local governments the ability to protect

citizens from the harmful industrial processes of oil and gas extraction

by allowing a community to ban them within city limits or otherwise

apply local regulations stricter than current state regulations.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">CREED is also gathering signatures for Initiative #78 titled “Mandatory Setbacks From Oil and Gas Development,” which,

if it makes the ballot and then passes, would force the oil and gas

industry to leave a 2,500-foot buffer or “setback” between oil and gas

drilling/production operations and homes, schools and hospitals. CREED

says the size of the buffer zone was determined based on health

studies. <p class="p4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">•  •  •<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">In

the past, anyone supporting the effort to put an initiative on the

ballot giving citizens and local governments more control over the oil

and gas industry simply had to listen for the code words “community

rights” or “local control” coming out of the signature gatherer’s mouth

and then sign the petition. But times have changed and so have the oil

and gas industry’s strategies.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">There is another ballot measure making the rounds this year, Initiative #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The popular title for #138 is “Local Regulation of Oil and Gas Development.” I know, sounds familiar right?<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As

you can see, #138’s informal title is shockingly similar to Initiative

#75’s title of “Local Government Authority to Regulate Oil and Gas

Development.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It

certainly seems bizarre and more than a little inappropriate for the

Secretary of State’s office, which oversees such matters, to have

allowed two initiatives collecting signatures at the exact same time to

be operating under virtually identical names.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">This name debacle is a recipe for a range of signature-gathering disasters from mere confusion to outright deception.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">So

just how similar are the two initiatives in what they are seeking to

accomplish? While the names may be virtually identical, they are, in

fact, opposites. <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Initiative #138 says the following:<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">“Shall

there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution stating that local

governments may enact and enforce local laws and regulations concerning

oil and gas development or operations so long as the laws and

regulations are no more restrictive than, and do not conflict with,

state laws or regulations?”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">At

first blush, it’s hard to understand the point of passing this

initiative. The Colorado Supreme Court pretty much just made this the

law of the land when it struck down both the fracking ban in Longmont

and Fort Collins’ moratorium. It is simply redundant to that ruling.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">And

obviously, despite its deceptive title, for all practical purposes, the

goal of #138 is to eliminate all rights of all local governments to

regulate oil and gas extraction in any way that is contrary to the

state’s oversight, which the industry largely controls due to its

outsized influence over our governor and state house. In short, pass

#138 and nothing changes.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">So what’s the point?<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Good question.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">According

to the Secretary of State’s office, the designated representatives of

Initiative #138 are Shawn Martini and Scott Prestidge. The lineage of these two “designated representatives” tells you all you need to know about Initiative #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Prestidge

is the energy industry director of the Denver Area Chamber of Commerce

where he works for political operative Kelly Brough. You may remember

Brough from Boulder Weekly’s

“Behind the curtain” investigation. She is the former Gov. Hickenlooper

staffer who is a member of Colorado Concern, the state’s most

influential organization when it comes to pushing for unfettered oil and

gas extraction.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">She

is, or was last year, also on the Advisory Committee for CRED, the

pro-oil-and-gas group funded by Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">CRED

pays for many of the pro-fracking commercials that inundate the

airwaves these days. CRED also paid for the pro-fracking “energy and

environment” section that previously ran in the Denver Post leading up to the 2012 elections in an effort to turn back the anti-fracking citizens initiatives that year.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Brough also sat on the board of Vital for Colorado, a

pro-oil-and-gas front group working to defeat citizen opposition to

unfettered oil and gas extraction in their communities, including

previous and current citizen initiatives such as #75, #78 and #40.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As you may recall from previous Boulder Weekly investigations,

Vital for Colorado has strong ties to Josh Penry and his EIS Solutions

consulting firm as well as to Penry’s wife Kristin Strohm who runs the

controversial Common Sense Policy Roundtable (CSPR), which works with

both Vital and the Koch Brothers. Strohm runs CSPR through her position at Starboard

Group, one of the nation’s leading fundraising organizations for

conservative causes and Republican political campaigns. DeSmogBlog and Greenpeace have referred to Penry and Strohm as the nation’s “power couple of fracking.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">For

a more complete explanation of how the oil and gas industry runs the

state of Colorado and why establishment Democrats and Republicans alike

are working behind the scenes to defeat citizen initiatives like #78,

#75 and #40, please read Boulder Weekly’s two previous investigations, “<a href="http://www.boulderweekly.com/news/who-killed-the-vote-on-fracking/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-decoration: none !important;">Who killed the vote on fracking?</a>” from Sept. 17, 2015 and “<a href="http://www.boulderweekly.com/news/behind-the-curtain/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-decoration: none !important;">Behind the curtain</a>” from Oct. 2, 2014.     <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">This is the circle in which Prestidge operates.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">He

currently sits on the board of Vital for Colorado along with several

members of Colorado Concern, including its Executive Director Mike Kopp.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Chad

Vorthman, executive vice president of the Colorado Farm Bureau, is also

on the board of Vital for Colorado and the advisory Committee for CRED,

which brings us to Shawn Martini.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">A

few years back, Martini was director of communications at the Colorado

Farm Bureau. But he took a four-year hiatus to be the senior

communications director for an outfit called HBW Resources, LLC out of

Houston. At HBW, one of Martini’s tasks was to pen a fracking blog that

kept track of anti-fracking activism around the country for the benefit

of HBW’s oil industry clients. The blog rated states red, yellow or

green based on how much anti-fracking activity was occurring and how

much opposition there was to drilling tight shale formations via

fracking. Colorado was rated “red.”<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Martini

recently returned to Colorado and his old friend Chad Vorthman at the

Farm Bureau. Martini’s new title is vice president of advocacy and, of

course, designated representative of Initiative #138.<p class="p4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">•  •  •<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The

pedigree of Initiative #138 raises the question of whether or not it’s

just a coincidence that this oil-and-gas–industry friendly initiative

sells itself with a nearly identical name to the one already being used

by Initiative #75, a citizen effort that is attempting to accomplish the

exact opposite outcome as #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">And

does it seem a well thought out strategy for petition gatherers for

#138 to be, according to numerous citizen accounts, concentrating their

efforts in places like Boulder County and Denver? Places where support

for the oil and gas industry’s desire to restrict community rights so

fracking can be done in neighborhoods is at its absolute lowest?<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Wouldn’t

it make more sense to gather signatures in places like Weld and

Garfield counties or Pueblo and Colorado Springs where some people might

be more receptive to signing away their communities’ rights for the

benefit of oil and gas industry profits in exchange for the industry’s

promise of permanent jobs, a promise we now know was only temporary?   <p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">These

oil industry operatives’ choice of where to solicit signatures really

did seem odd until we started hearing from people who claim that after

signing a petition they thought would amend the constitution to allow

local fracking bans, they now fear they may have mistakenly signed

Initiative #138.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It’s the kind of mistake that should rarely if ever happen with proper oversight from the Secretary of State’s office.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">At

the end of the day, it’s the responsibility of each of us to read and

make sure we know what we are signing. If you believe you signed the

wrong petition, then by all means take the time to sign the right one.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The

stories floating around about $1,000 fines for signing more than one

“local regulation of oil and gas” petition are just more deception aimed

at Colorado citizens. If you feel like a petitioner has

intentionally deceived you, take their name and report them to the

Secretary of State’s office. There is always a very slim chance that

someone in that office might even write it down.<p class="p3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.72; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 1.4em; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">But for now, I’m afraid signer beware is your best strategy.  
</div><div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/the-intimidation-of-democracy/">https://www.boulderweekly.com/news/the-intimidation-of-democracy/</a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[no pix sign don't give addy; don't sign; lotta POC kids in athletic clothes?]]</div><div><div class="td-post-header td-pb-padding-side" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; padding: 35px 19px 0px 20px;"><header style="box-sizing: border-box;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 12px; line-height: 1.05; letter-spacing: -0.02em; overflow-wrap: break-word;">The intimidation of democracy</h1><p class="td-post-sub-title" open="Open" sans="Sans" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" padding="padding" border-bottom="border-bottom" dashed="dashed" border-top="border-top" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 13px 0px;">People gathering signatures for setback initiative claim harassment<div class="meta-info" open="Open" sans="Sans" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" px="px" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" opacity="opacity" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="td-post-author-name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-right: 3px;"><div class="td-author-by" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">By</div> <a href="https://www.boulderweekly.com/author/ricomoore/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background: transparent; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; text-decoration-line: none !important;">Rico Moore</a><div class="td-author-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"> -</div></div> <time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2018-07-26T14:58:36+00:00" style="box-sizing: border-box;">July 26, 2018</time></div></header></div><div class="td-post-content td-pb-padding-side" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 20px 19px 0px 20px; line-height: 24px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(230, 230, 230);"><p class="p1" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">People gathering signatures for Ballot Initiative 97, which would increase the minimum distance between oil and gas development and homes, schools and other vulnerable areas to 2,500 feet, are claiming protesters are being organized to stifle their efforts and deter citizens from signing.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Colorado Rising, a group promoting Initiative 97, has alleged that signature-gatherers are facing targeted protests verging on harassment in Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins and Greeley. They’ve documented on audio and video recordings protesters interrupting conversations, and have engaged police in several situations to determine whether protesters are committing criminal acts of harassment.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Colorado Rising informed the Colorado Secretary of State about volunteer signature-gatherers feeling intimidated, but since the office has no investigative authority, according to Ben Schler, internal operations and legal manager, it refused to look further because it felt the claims would be criminal matters, thus referring Colorado Rising to District Attorney’s offices.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing one such case to determine whether or not charges should be filed. Public Information Officer Catherine Olguin declined to provide further information because the investigation is still active, but said a meeting on the matter was held on July 23.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">It’s not definitive who is funding and organizing the protesters, but Boulder Weekly talked with signature-gatherers, protesters, and oil and gas representatives, and reviewed several documents that begin to uncover how and why the signature-gathering effort for Initiative 97 is being disrupted. [pix]<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">micah Parkin, executive director of 350 Colorado, claims there have been more than 100 incidents of people being harassed and intimidated while gathering signatures.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">“We’ve had young women frightened and crying after being followed by these men for hours and all the way back to the office,” Parkin says.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Parkin says petitioners have been advised to cite state law that prohibits people from interfering with elections or “willfully suppress(ing) any initiative or referendum,” when confronted with protesters.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">The protests appear to unfold the same way, according to those who’ve come in contact with protesters: First, signature-gatherers set up somewhere and begin to collect signatures. Eventually, protesters in groups of two or three approach the location where signature-gatherers are working, often with poster board rolled up. The protesters unroll their protest signs and stand near the signature-gatherers, attempting to discourage potential signers by saying things like, “Don’t sign,” “Bad for business,” or, “Protect Colorado jobs.” Other protest signs have read, “Would you give this guy your information?” and “Protect Colorado Families.”<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">The protests appear to be effective in deterring both potential signers and those collecting signatures.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Parkin relayed the story of Gina Hardin, a 62-year-old Denver woman, who, Parkin says, in the act of gathering signatures for Initiative 97 at a Denver farmers’ market, was followed and harassed for hours by two men. In an affidavit, Hardin says that shortly after she arrived at the market, two men in their early 20s approached her, each carrying a poster board, one saying “Keep CO Economy Strong,” and the other saying, “Bad for Business…” According to the affidavit, Hardin says the two were initially polite, “saying they were being paid by the Denver Economic Development [mumble].” But, she said, their physical position became intimidating and subsequently impeded her ability to gather signatures.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">The two then allegedly followed Hardin as she crossed streets trying to get away from them. She called 9-1-1 and asked for an officer to come. “The men were humored by this,” Hardin stated in the affidavit. An officer then came and said it was unclear whether the men were violating any law with the exception that they had admitted to him that they were following her. The officer then left, and the two men redoubled their harassment and became more aggressive, according to Hardin’s affidavit.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">“They stood between me and whoever I was trying to talk with, speaking loudly over me and putting their posters in front of me and between the person I was attempting to speak with and me,” Hardin said in the affidavit. She said she then fled to her home, calling police again on her way. An officer was waiting for her at her house.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Another similar incident hints at what might be motivating protesters.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Two protesters in front of Boulder Public Library told a Boulder Police Department Officer that they were employed by an organization that supports fracking, according to an incident report filed by Boulder Police Officer K. Williams. The two protesters informed Williams that they were engaged in counter-protest to express their First Amendment rights, according to the report. Williams further reported that the individuals indicated they were tasked with going to various locations in the city, where contact with the public was likely.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Regarding the incident, signature-gatherer Ken Bonetti stated in an affidavit that soon after he began taking signatures for Initiative 97, “Two young males arrived with two large hand-lettered signs, one sign saying something to the effect [of] people should not trust me and another about the need to protect Colorado jobs.” Bonetti said that they stood between one and two feet of him, sometimes directly in front of him, and told a passerby not to trust him or sign the petition.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">In the affidavit, Bonetti said that the two men told passersby that if they signed the petition Bonetti was circulating, their information would be made public. “I felt this was a blatant attempt to intimidate voters during a legally sanctioned electoral activity,” he said, according to the affidavit. Bonetti then relocated to the area outside the Boulder Public Library, and 30 minutes later, the same two men arrived and resumed disrupting his petitioning efforts, according to the affidavit. Bonetti, “fed up and quite annoyed by the men,” then reportedly called the police and requested an officer be sent to the scene.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">According to Williams’ report, the officer advised Bonetti and the two protesters that given the context of the disagreement, no criminal charges would be pursued at the time. “I explained due to First Amendment considerations the incident would be documented, researched and forwarded to the appropriate legal resources for additional review if and as necessary,” Williams wrote. [pix]<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">according to internal documents reviewed by Boulder Weekly, the political committee Protect Colorado appears to have requested that individuals, known as “ambassadors,” report the specific location of individuals gathering signatures for Ballot Initiatives 94 (concerning a severance tax increase) and 97, as recently as June 20. There could be as many as 1,800 ambassadors, according to a 2015 presentation given by former Anadarko lobbyist Chris Castilian.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Protect Colorado was co-created by Anadarko and Noble Energy to defeat oil and gas ballot measures in Colorado. Protect Colorado has received nearly $11 million in contributions since the beginning of 2018, with the majority coming from Anadarko, Extraction Oil and Gas, Noble Energy and PDC Energy.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">The internal documents reviewed by BW, which are in the form of e-mails, request that ambassadors report signature-gathering activity to Protect Colorado by directing people to send information to an e-mail address or via a text line, using the code word “CANVASS.” (We tested the text line, and got an immediate response: “Where did you see a canvasser in your area?”)<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">In response to our request to confirm the documents and answer what Protect Colorado does with locations of signature gathering, the group offered this statement via Karen Crummy:<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">“We are exercising our First Amendment rights, which includes asking people to think about and read what they are signing. We have also asked the public and oil and gas employees to let us know when they see individuals gathering signatures on the 2,500-foot setback measure. This is standard practice in modern campaigns.  We get asked about the activities in the field and want to understand what is going on. Monitoring opposition is important. The proponents of these bad measures monitor us as well.”<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Advocacy groups funded by and sympathetic to oil and gas interests, such as the Colorado Economic Leadership Fund, have also been running ads on TV urging people not to sign the petitions.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Indeed, the stakes are high for those with financial interests in the oil and gas industry.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Initiative 94 proposes an increase in severance taxes paid by the oil and gas industry for minerals extracted from Colorado, stating, “In Colorado, the oil and gas industry pays an effective severance tax of only 1.5 percent; but, in the neighboring states of Wyoming and New Mexico, the oil and gas industry pays an effective severance tax of 6.5 percent,” according to the initiative. It continues, “It is the intent of the people of this state to require the oil and gas industry to pay its fair share in severance taxes and stop exploiting Colorado’s natural resources and people.”<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">According to the Colorado Legislative Council Staff’s fiscal impact statement, if passed, Initiative 94 will increase oil and gas severance tax revenue by $148.3 million in FY 2018-19 and $307 million in FY 2019-20, with ongoing increases in future years. The increased revenue would be used to establish all-day kindergarten in Colorado public elementary and secondary schools; and medical care and treatment for people suffering negative health impacts caused by oil and gas production in communities impacted by oil and gas production.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">According to the same state research, Initiative 97 constrains well location and “thus potentially reduces future oil and gas development in the state, particularly in heavily populated counties,” adding production in the Julesberg Basin in northern Colorado will be the most affected. Thus, according to the statement, if passed the measure will reduce development and therefore the income of the oil and gas industry and services associated with it, along with any severance-tax-funded programs at the state level. But the statement concludes that since the economic conditions and geographic limitations affecting oil and gas production in Colorado are uncertain, the specific reductions in state revenue cannot be estimated.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Further, according to the statement, increasing the setback distance may preserve property values for homeowners most affected by oil and gas operations and, to the extent less development improves health outcomes for affected residents, may increase productivity and reduce medical costs.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;"> [pix]<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">the effort to promote oil and gas activity at the ballot box isn’t only about protesting initiatives 94 and 97. Industry supporters have also begun circulating their own petitions.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">On June 20, the Committee for Colorado’s Shared Heritage was registered by Shawn Martini, formerly of HBW Resources, an energy and natural resources consulting firm. This political committee’s purpose is to pass initiative 108, which apparently seeks to economically insulate the oil and gas industry via takings claims, from any impacts from Initiative 97, and potentially Initiative 94.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Proponents of 108 include Michelle Smith of Quiat Companies, whom BW readers might remember as the “Front Range organic farmer” who appeared in a 2014 pro-fracking ad produced by Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development (CRED), pointing out the importance of mineral royalties from oil and gas to her “organic-based” farm. As of 2014, Smith and her husband also personally owned minerals — not beneath her farm, but in Garfield County. Chad Vorthmann, executive vice president of the Colorado Farm Bureau and proponent of 108, also serves on the advisory committee of CRED.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">The oil and gas industry is also backing initiatives to insulate itself from potential impacts relative to local government regulations, including initiatives 178, 179, 180 and 181. [pix]<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">the lingering question isn’t who, but what: What impact will protests have on signature-gathering efforts as the deadline of August 6 approaches?<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">BW asked a citizen, who engaged one of the protesters and then signed the petition, about his experience. Robert Walton of Fort Collins said of the protesters, “Their sign said, ‘Don’t sign,’ and so I asked them, ‘Why not?’ And he said, ‘It’s bad for business.’” Walton says the protester was reading off the back of his sign, adding that he didn’t seem to know what he was talking about.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Walton says he asked the protester, “What businesses?” to which the protester replied, “Business.” Walton says he was never able to get another answer.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Walton asked the protester if he was being paid, and he said he was not, but Walton didn’t find him convincing regardless. “I was hoping to hear the other side of the argument, and I heard nothing of value from them at all,” Walton says, adding the protester seemed to have no knowledge of the topic at all.<p class="p3" open="Open" sans="Sans" helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" line-height="line-height" color="color" rgb="rgb" overflow-wrap="overflow-wrap" break-word="break-word" margin-bottom="margin-bottom" em="em" webkit-font-smoothing="webkit-font-smoothing" antialiased="antialiased" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">If the oil and gas industry or its proponents are indeed going to such lengths in order to prevent Initiatives 94 and 97 from making the ballot in November, then they probably believe there is a strong chance that Coloradans will approve them. But in the meantime, signature-gatherers like Bonetti and Hardin will have to wade through the ruckus to get their petitions signed.</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">li 9 22</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
Shawn Martini  3rd degree connection3rd
Vice President of Advocacy, Communicator, Doer.

Colorado Farm Bureau Federation
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Shawn Martini is "the kind of can-do, positive-thinking, knows-the-facts point man ag (or any industry) needs in its corner."
-- Colorado Politics, July 22, 2019

I’m a senior communications professional who works to shape public and stakeholder attitudes to create positive change in my industry and my state. I use my varied experience to combine effective communication and outreach strategies with traditional public affairs and issue advocacy. I believe in treating your audience with respect and I encourage my team to never say the words "that's not my job." For me, real, personal stakeholder relationships are key to getting things done and creating movement. I'm an organizational change agent, I value a bias for action and never letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.Shawn Martini is "the kind of can-do, positive-thinking, knows-the-facts point man ag (or any industry) needs in its corner." -- Colorado Politics, July 22, 2019 I’m a senior communications professional who works to shape public and stakeholder attitudes to create positive change in my industry and my state. I use my varied experience to combine effective communication and outreach strategies with traditional public affairs and issue advocacy. I believe in treating your audience with respect and I encourage my team to never say the words "that's not my job." For me, real, personal stakeholder relationships are key to getting things done and creating movement. I'm an organizational change agent, I value a bias for action and never letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.…see more
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Colorado Farm Bureau Federation logo
Vice President, AdvocacyVice President, Advocacy
Colorado Farm Bureau FederationColorado Farm Bureau Federation
May 2016 - Present · 6 yrs 5 mosMay 2016 - Present · 6 yrs 5 mos
Greater Denver AreaGreater Denver Area
Shawn directs the efforts of issue advocacy, and communications for the Colorado Farm Bureau, the state's largest agriculture and rural organization. He works to achieve CFB's goals in agriculture, wildlife, fiscal, energy, water, public lands, rural development, tax, and other areas of public policy through effective communications and outreach.

He focuses on non-traditional areas of outreach for CFB, such as telecommunications, generation and transmission, information technology and other sectors in an effort to build collaborative, mutually beneficial relationships that can help enhance rural Colorado and the agriculture industry.

Shawn leads a strong cross-functional team focused on high-quality and effective output. Alignment of day-to-day communications activities, media relations, content creation, and issue advocacy with the organization’s broader goals, initiatives, and strategic plan is an obsessive focus.

In addition to his focus on policy, he also directs the organization's efforts on trade and diplomatic relations, cultivating relationships with diplomatic and trade officials in Colorado, Washinton and around the world.Shawn directs the efforts of issue advocacy, and communications for the Colorado Farm Bureau, the state's largest agriculture and rural organization. He works to achieve CFB's goals in agriculture, wildlife, fiscal, energy, water, public lands, rural development, tax, and other areas of public policy through effective communications and outreach. He focuses on non-traditional areas of outreach for CFB, such as telecommunications, generation and transmission, information technology and other sectors in an effort to build collaborative, mutually beneficial relationships that can help enhance rural Colorado and the agriculture industry. Shawn leads a strong cross-functional team focused on high-quality and effective output. Alignment of day-to-day communications activities, media relations, content creation, and issue advocacy with the organization’s broader goals, initiatives, and strategic plan is an obsessive focus. In addition to his focus on policy, he also directs the organization's efforts on trade and diplomatic relations, cultivating relationships with diplomatic and trade officials in Colorado, Washinton and around the world.…see more</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">HBW Resources
Senior Communications DirectorSenior Communications Director
HBW Resources LLCHBW Resources LLC
2012 - 2016 · 4 yrs2012 - 2016 · 4 yrs</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
Denver, CODenver, CO
Shawn successfully provided guidance to HBW and its clients on communications, marketing, outreach and policy to help achieve their goals in both the public and private arena. He worked to establish organizational reputation and thought leadership to advocate for policy and projects using a broad range of traditional and new media strategies.  Shawn successfully provided guidance to HBW and its clients on communications, marketing, outreach and policy to help achieve their goals in both the public and private arena. He worked to establish organizational reputation and thought leadership to advocate for policy and projects using a broad range of traditional and new media strategies.…see more</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Colorado Farm Bureau Federation logo
Director of CommunicationsDirector of Communications
Colorado Farm Bureau FederationColorado Farm Bureau Federation
2008 - 2012 · 4 yrs2008 - 2012 · 4 yrs
EducationEducation
Metropolitan State University of DenverMetropolitan State University of Denver
BA, Organizational CommunicationsBA, Organizational Communications
Northeastern Junior CollegeNortheastern Junior College
Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS), Agricultural CommunicationsAssociate of Arts and Sciences (AAS), Agricultural Communications
VolunteeringVolunteering
Cohort MemberCohort Member
Colorado Governors FellowshipColorado Governors Fellowship
Sep 2021 - Present · 1 yr 1 moSep 2021 - Present · 1 yr 1 mo</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Colorado Governors Fellowship Program is a bipartisan educational program endorsed by Governors Polis, Hickenlooper, Owens, and Ritter. The program aims to: increase engagement among private, nonprofit, and public sectors, promote opportunities to make a difference within public service, and develop Colorado's future public service talent.The Colorado Governors Fellowship Program is a bipartisan educational program endorsed by Governors Polis, Hickenlooper, Owens, and Ritter. The program aims to: increase engagement among private, nonprofit, and public sectors, promote opportunities to make a difference within public service, and develop Colorado's future public service talent.…see more
Colorado FFA Foundation logo
Vice ChairVice Chair
Colorado FFA FoundationColorado FFA Foundation
Jul 2020 - Jul 2021 · 1 yr 1 moJul 2020 - Jul 2021 · 1 yr 1 mo
EducationEducation
The Colorado FFA Foundation seeks resources – human, financial and in-kind – to support agricultural education in Colorado. The organization provides grants and other support to High School vocational and leadership education programs delivered through local chapters of the National FFA Association. It supports entrepreneurship, leadership development, agricultural and vocational education and career development programs for rural and urban students across Colorado.

In the past five years, the Foundation has raised and invested more than $1.1 Million in Colorado Team Ag Education.The Colorado FFA Foundation seeks resources – human, financial and in-kind – to support agricultural education in Colorado. The organization provides grants and other support to High School vocational and leadership education programs delivered through local chapters of the National FFA Association. It supports entrepreneurship, leadership development, agricultural and vocational education and career development programs for rural and urban students across Colorado. In the past five years, the Foundation has raised and invested more than $1.1 Million in Colorado Team Ag Education.…see more</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">American Enterprise Institute
Leadership Network Member, Fall 2020 Cohort Leadership Network Member, Fall 2020 Cohort
American Enterprise Institute American Enterprise Institute
Sep 2020 - Present · 2 yrs 1 moSep 2020 - Present · 2 yrs 1 mo
The American Enterprise Institute is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world.

The Leadership Network is an exclusive policy education and professional development program for state-based leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The LN connects thought leaders at the state and local level with AEI's scholars and research, with the goal of advancing effective public policy that increases opportunity for all Americans.The American Enterprise Institute is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. The Leadership Network is an exclusive policy education and professional development program for state-based leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The LN connects thought leaders at the state and local level with AEI's scholars and research, with the goal of advancing effective public policy that increases opportunity for all Americans.…see more
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SkillsSkills
Strategic CommunicationsStrategic Communications

Endorsed by Marcus Gurske who is highly skilled at thisEndorsed by Marcus Gurske who is highly skilled at this
10 endorsements10 endorsements
Public RelationsPublic Relations

Endorsed by Marcus Gurske and 2 others who are highly skilled at thisEndorsed by Marcus Gurske and 2 others who are highly skilled at this
24 endorsements24 endorsements
Media RelationsMedia Relations
Endorsed by Kristin Marcell and 1 other who is highly skilled at thisEndorsed by Kristin Marcell and 1 other who is highly skilled at this
21 endorsements21 endorsements
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Marcus Gurske profile picture
Marcus GurskeMarcus Gurske
· 3rdThird degree connection
Senior Public Affairs Consultant & Communicator at Marcus Gurske Public AffairsSenior Public Affairs Consultant & Communicator at Marcus Gurske Public Affairs
May 10, 2016, Marcus was senior to Shawn but didn't manage Shawn directlyMay 10, 2016, Marcus was senior to Shawn but didn't manage Shawn directly
I had the pleasure of working with Shawn for the last 4 years while he was at HBW Resources and the Consumer Energy Alliance. He is an excellent communicator and is evolving into a great leader. He has strong written and oral skills along side the ability to understand and implement new communications platforms to execute successful campaigns. Shawn has the unique ability to see the big picture and to develo...
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div style="font-size: small;">=</div><div style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.cpr.org/news/story/protect-colorado-has-a-84m-piggy-bank-ready-to-do-battle-this-november" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">http://www.cpr.org/news/story/protect-colorado-has-a-84m-piggy-bank-ready-to-do-battle-this-november</a></div><div style="font-size: small;">june 2018</div><div style="font-size: small;">
</div><div style="font-size: small;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">They have more campaign money than any political group in Colorado right now. <a href="https://www.protectcolorado.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; transition: color 125ms ease-in-out 0s;">Protect Colorado</a>, created by the state’s largest oil and gas companies, has raised $8.4 million in contributions to fight for, they say, the very future of drilling in the state.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">The political issue group raised the staggering sum quickly, drawing on three of the state’s largest drillers: Anadarko Petroleum, Extraction Oil & Gas, and Noble Energy. Each gave about $2 million, according to disclosures to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office through May 16, 2018.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">The industry is mobilizing to fight a potential ballot <a href="https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2017-2018/97Final.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; transition: color 125ms ease-in-out 0s;">measure</a> that, if passed, would increase the buffer between oil and gas wells and homes, schools and parks to 2,500 feet.<figure class="wp-block-image" style="margin: 3.125rem 0px 2.25rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: table; max-width: 100%;"><img src="https://wp-cpr.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2019/06/contributions-from-oil-and-gas-companies-to-protect-colorado-total-contributions_chartbuilder-2.png" alt="Chart: Oil and Gas Contributions" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; display: block; height: auto; border-radius: inherit;" /><figcaption style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0.938rem 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(18, 18, 28); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.28571; vertical-align: baseline; display: table-caption; caption-side: bottom;" /></figure><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">The current setback in Colorado is 500 feet from occupied buildings.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Given the proximity of homes to oil reserves in Colorado, the industry sees it as a de-facto ban, something “aimed at eliminating oil and gas development,” says Protect Colorado spokeswoman Karen Crummy. “There’s a real concern that that’s exactly what it will do.”<h3 style="margin: 0.625rem 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.2; vertical-align: baseline;">Protect Colorado Supports A Controversial Compensation Measure</h3><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Protect Colorado has, so far, spent most of its money to promote its own potential ballot measure. The group spent $1.2 million on signature gathering for a state constitutional measure that <a href="https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2017-2018/108Final.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; transition: color 125ms ease-in-out 0s;">would compensate companies and individuals</a> if new regulations devalue property.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">“You have to get signatures from every county, and that definitely increases the price, but we think it’s an important enough issue to spend the money on it,” Crummy says.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">The group can attribute those increased out of pocket expenses to their successful support of Amendment 71, which substantially increased the cost of constitutional measures by requiring wide geographic diversity in signature gathering.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Still, most oil and gas political money is sitting in the bank. Protect Colorado has $6.6 million on hand, and much of that will be probably focused on buying advertising for the measure it supports and against the one it doesn’t.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">“They will have sufficient money to be on TV probably from mid-July until the end of the campaign,” said Rick Ridder, a longtime political consultant in Denver. He says that doesn’t even count nonprofit groups that don’t have to report contributions and expenditures that will likely be actively advocating in favor of drilling generally.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Ridder said he’s informally advising a group — one he wouldn’t name yet — that plans to oppose the oil and gas-supported constitutional measure if it makes the ballot.<h3 style="margin: 0.625rem 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.2; vertical-align: baseline;">Officials Are Worried About Costly Litigations</h3><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Governments are certainly nervous. The measure would require compensation to any company or individual if any government regulation, state or local, diminishes the value of their property. It wouldn't just apply to oil and gas.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Sam Mamet, the executive director of the Colorado Municipal League, says it’s “a very dangerous proposal.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">“To the folks behind this, I frankly say, ‘shame on them,’ because they’re pulling the wool over the eyes of a lot of people who should be aware of some of the serious negative consequences of this thing.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">If passed, it would touch off an costly cycle of litigation reminiscent of the legal chaos in the wake of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, Mamet says. As a constitutional measure it can’t be changed by the legislature, and, since it’s written vaguely, it would prompt legal action to define what exactly it means.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Crummy disputed that the measure, which is also supported by the Colorado Farm Bureau, was vague or would cause chaos, noting that it passed the title board, and “it seems to be a responsible measure that more people in Colorado would support because no one would want their property seized.”<h3 style="margin: 0.625rem 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.2; vertical-align: baseline;">Oppositional Groups Don't Have The Same Kind Of Cash</h3><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">The oil and gas industry’s massive war chest makes oppositional fundraising look miniscule. The political committee <a href="https://corising.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; transition: color 125ms ease-in-out 0s;">Colorado Rising for Health and Safety</a> backs the ballot measure that would push oil and gas drilling far from occupied buildings. It has raised only $174,299.90.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Tricia Olson runs the group, and has contributed $35,075 of her own money. “We never thought that we would be competing directly against their money,” Olson says. <a href="https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; transition: color 125ms ease-in-out 0s;">Food and Water Watch</a>, an organization long opposed to drilling and hydraulic fracturing, is their largest donor, with $40,000 in contributions so far.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">“What we have is the messaging really,” Olson says. “And the notion that you need to keep setbacks from oil and gas so that there aren’t explosions, fires, water contamination, or damage to people’s health.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Oil and gas groups have disputed <a href="http://www.cpr.org/news/story/study-coloradans-who-live-close-to-oil-gas-wells-face-higher-cancer-risk" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; transition: color 125ms ease-in-out 0s;">studies</a> that claim there are significant health or environmental risks.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Olson says that her signature gathers are being harassed by paid people, which she assumes are backed by the oil and gas industry. She contends they try to stop people from approaching signature gathers. Olson did admit she wasn't exactly sure who was behind that.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">Protect Colorado’s Karen Crummy says it’s not them.<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">“No, I mean that’s the first I’ve heard of that, and obviously that isn’t something we would support in anyway.”<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.55556; vertical-align: baseline;">One thing is clear, the state’s long simmering <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/31/us/colorado-fracking-debates.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; transition: color 125ms ease-in-out 0s;">fight over oil and gas and fracking</a> might finally come to a boil by November.</div><div style="font-size: small;">
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</div><div>no lnx</div><div>Coloradans have less than two months to submit enough signatures to the Secretary of State's Office to make the November ballot, and allegations of election interference are already being pursued.</div><div>
</div><div>But the Russians aren't the antagonists in this story. It's pro-oil and gas groups that are being accused of organizing "paid actors" to intimidate and bully petition circulators and potential voters over a controversial ballot initiative that could effectively hamstring new oil and gas development in the state.</div><div>
</div><div>Environmental advocacy group Colorado Rising for Health and Safety began circulating Initiative 97 in April; the initiative would require 2,500-foot-minimum setbacks between new oil and gas developments and a slew of occupied structures and "vulnerable areas." Pro-industry groups have staunchly opposed the initiative with the usual talking points that the setback would kill jobs and hurt the economy. The Colorado Alliance of Mineral and Royalty Owners (CAMRO) even threatened that if the initiative were approved by voters in November, the state would be on the hook to compensate mineral owners in the Wattenberg Field — one of the top ten producing oil and gas fields in the country, located in Weld and Adams counties — to the tune of $26 billion for untapped minerals from which owners would no longer collect royalties. </div><div>
</div><div>Fracking opponents have continued to support Initiative 97 despite industry claims and threats, and now petition circulators say they have been met with opposition in the streets. Colorado Rising volunteers are alleging that they have been harassed, intimidated and bullied by paid actors posing as counter-protesters. The group alleges that their petition circulators have frequently been stalked for several blocks and that these agitators hold banners, block voters from confronting circulators, and yell at approaching voters not to trust the circulator with their personal information, which they would have to divulge to sign the petition. Colorado Rising says it has recorded many counter-protesters at multiple locations in the past few weeks who were stalking volunteers and were said to have taken photos of voters who signed the petition.</div><div>lnx</div><div>environmental advocacy group <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/colorado-supreme-court-approves-colorado-rising-ballot-initiative-on-oil-and-gas-setbacks-for-circulation-10184589" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;">Colorado Rising for Health and Safety began circulating Initiative 97 in April; the initiative would require 2,500-foot-minimum setbacks</a> between new oil and gas developments and a slew of occupied structures and "vulnerable areas." <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/colorado-association-of-mineral-rights-owners-challenges-setback-ballot-initiative-in-supreme-court-10072883" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;">Pro-industry groups have staunchly opposed the initiative with the usual talking points</a> that the setback would kill jobs and hurt the economy. The Colorado Alliance of Mineral and Royalty Owners (CAMRO) even threatened that if the initiative were approved by voters in November, the state would be on the hook to compensate mineral owners in the Wattenberg Field —<a href="https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/crudeoilreserves/top100/pdf/top100.pdf" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;"> one of the top ten producing oil and gas fields in the country</a>, located in Weld and Adams counties — <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/12/royalty-owners-claim-wider-well-setbacks-would-cost-them-26-billion/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;">to the tune of $26 billion</a> for untapped minerals from which owners would no longer collect royalties. </div><div>
</div><div>RELATED STORIES</div><div>Senator Guilty of Ethics Violation in Corporate-Paid Town Hall on Oil and Gas "Facts"</div><div>Student Protester Sued by Oil Company Asks Judge to Drop Suit</div><div>
</div><div>extraction Oil and Gas sued Cullen Lobe for locking himself to a bulldozer at a new fracking site in Weld County last month. Now the 23-year-old Colorado State University journalism student is <a href="https://www.greeleytribune.com/news/crime/student-who-locked-himself-to-equipment-at-oil-and-gas-site-near-bella-romero-academy-asks-judge-to-dismiss-lawsuit-on-first-amendment-grounds/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;">asking a judge to dismiss the civil lawsuit on First Amendment grounds</a>.

Lobe's attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the suit, arguing that it's frivolous, meant to harass Lobe for his anti-fracking community organizing and "impermissibly burdens and violates First Amendment rights to petition, expression and association with regard to matters of grave public concern." Attorney Jason Flores-Williams says the lawsuit is a classic SLAPP — short for "strategic lawsuit against public participation" — case designed to burden political dissenters with legal fees in an attempt to bully them into silence.

The lawsuit "is going after the community and attempting to silence community criticism and people raising their voices," Flores-Williams says. "The issues here are bigger than Cullen; they go to the issue of the right of expression and the right of a community to raise its voice against injustice, which, when it comes down to it, is the most fundamental of American rights. There's a reason the First Amendment is the first amendment.”

Lobe is being sued because he <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/micronesian-workers-at-united-airlines-catering-department-at-denver-international-airport-try-to-unionize-10198970" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;">locked himself to a bulldozer at Extraction's fracking site about 1,000 feet from Bella Romero Academy</a> in Greeley, a school whose students are predominantly from low-income immigrant families, to protest what he has called "environmental racism." He's also part of a handful of demonstrators who've been charged with criminal misdemeanors for allegedly trespassing on private property while protesting the fracking development; those four protesters were named in the civil lawsuit as well. They include Brian Hedden, a filmmaker who specializes in environmental and social-justice documentaries; John Lamb, a lawyer with the National Lawyers Guild, who was<a href="https://thinkprogress.org/colorado-oil-company-sues-anti-fracking-activists-40e730bd6203/" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;"> acting as a legal observer during the protest</a>; Jeremy Mack, an educator who's <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/csu-student-cullen-lobe-arrested-at-anti-fracking-protest-in-greeley-awaits-court-hearing-10069732" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; cursor: pointer;">said he was there as an independent journalist to document the protest</a>; and Mary Delffs, a 24-year-old environmental activist in Fort Collins who made the banner that the group unfurled over the bulldozer reading "People Over Pipelines."</div><div>As Fracking Takes Center Stage in AG Race, Where Do the Democrats Stand?</div></div><div style="font-size: small;">===</div><div style="font-size: small;">
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