Denver Post reports John Suthers will vote no on 3 of 4 state supreme court justices

This morning’s Denver Post reports that Colorado’s Attorney General John Suthers regrets telling the Arapahoe Republican Men’s Club that he will vote against three of the four state supreme court judges who are up for retention elections next November. The paper quotes my Jan. 13 report on the the meeting. My recollection is that Suthers was very firm in his announcement, and I don’t think he has any reason to regret it. I reported:

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers this morning said he will vote no on three of four state supreme court justices who are up for retention in November’s elections and yes on Justice Nancy Rice.

Suthers will vote against retaining Chief Judge Mary Mullarkey and judges Alex Martinez and Michael Bender, he told the Arapahoe County Republican Men’s Club breakfast at the Cool River Cafe in Greenwood Village. Most Republicans are supporting the effort to deny retention of all four justices who are up for retention.

I’m a professional journalist and took very comprehensive notes during Suthers’ presentation and question and answer session, but I don’t claim that I heard everything or have a transcript of the meeting. My notes show that Suthers was answering a question: “How can we (Republicans) win statewide?” My notes don’t show a question about the court. Suthers made a few comments about needing to win the votes of unaffiliated voters and then noted that the court volunteered that if the General Assembly eliminated a tax credit or exemption from taxes for certain taxpayers, this would not be a tax increase and wouldn’t have to be approved by voters as required by the TABOR constitutional amendment. Indicating he disagreed with this decision, Suthers then announced how he would vote on the four justices. He didn’t give any other reasons for his voting plans, according to my notes.

Matthew Arnold comments on the Post’s article at Clear the Bench Colorado.

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