I recently asked you what I should prioritize as your Attorney General and your next Governor. Over 600 of you responded, including a Japanese American who was incarcerated in an internment camp during World War II and a survivor of the Holocaust. I read every one of your comments.   

Overwhelmingly, I heard two priorities: 

• Fight against threats to our democratic republic and defend the rule of law from a lawless federal government; and
• Make Colorado more affordable, with a better future and opportunities for all.

Fight for us – for our rights and freedoms –

Like you, I am outraged – at the attacks on our Constitution and our freedoms. Prior generations have sacrificed and fought to preserve our democratic republic, and now we must do so. 

That’s why, as your Attorney General, I’m taking the fight to our courts, defending our Constitution and protecting Colorado from illegal and harmful actions by our federal government. 

As one of you aptly said, “Without the rule of law and governmental institutions that administer and implement our laws, nothing else matters.” Another summed it up more succinctly “STOP THE INSANITY AND CHAOS IN WASHINGTON.”

Lead us – to a bright future for Colorado –  

Affordability topped the list for many. One said, “Colorado is a great place to be, but it’s scarily expensive.” Another shared, “I chose high house prices as my top area of concern because they are the biggest concern of almost everyone I know.”

You also raised concerns about climate change, youth mental health, the opioid epidemic, and gun violence. Many of you acknowledged the progress we’ve made and underlined the importance of continuing that work.

Current fights at hand –

Our current political climate out of Washington, with its illegal overreach of executive and federal authority, dominated your concerns. 

What you raised: How do we protect our private information and data from the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? A veteran’s family worried about DOGE’s access to their personal data and feared impacts to their VA benefits, sharing, “My husband is a dead Marine who gave his life in service for our country.” 

What we’ve done: I took DOGE to court and secured an order to protect our private information. I will stay vigilant, taking action where necessary to protect our rights and freedoms.

What you raised: How can our rights be protected including the illegal firings of federal government workers? A Department of Education employee wrote to me about the illegal attacks on her department. 

What we’ve done: I challenged these illegal acts in court – to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education and the illegal firing of government employees. 

Fighting back matters. After our lawsuit protecting government employees was filed, an employee told me she got her job back – in the U.S. Forest Service helping Colorado fight wildfires.  

What you raised: How can we protect our communities – from attacks on LGBTQ+ Coloradans to the livelihoods of our neighbors who live in rural Colorado? As one Eastern Plains resident said, “We feel we have no voice, although our taxes are always collected.” 

What we’ve done: I hear your concerns loud and clear, and I will continue to make my voice – and your voices – heard. 

What We All Can Do –

I’ll end with this—many of you asked what concrete actions we can each take that will make meaningful change. 

My first answer is that we can all work on making Colorado an island of sanity and coherence in the sea of chaos we are living in. That means we can each start in our own communities, talking to your neighbors, joining with allies, speaking your mind, not being silent, and giving voice to others. We must hold onto faith that our fight for our democratic republic–like those who sacrificed before us–will be successful.

Second, if you are up for and have the ability to join with others, let me tell you about a couple of opportunities where showing up can make a difference.

• I am joining an Indivisible rally and hundreds of Coloradans at the State Capitol tomorrow, Saturday, April 5, to listen to your concerns and discuss what we’re doing to push back on unlawful federal actions. If you can join us, you can sign up here.
• This summer in Adams County, we will engage in a Deep Canvassing initiative, connecting with voters to listen to their top concerns and to lay the groundwork to take back this critical swing seat in the Congress. If you are interested in joining us for this effort, you can sign up here.

Thank you for sharing your concerns and standing with me. You give me strength. Together, we will rise to meet these times.

Phil