by Mark Smiley | Dec 22, 2016 | Editorials
The 18 month long legal ordeal brought by M.A.K. Investments, LLC controlled by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and his in-laws Saeed Kholghy and Nasrin Kholghy against the City of Glendale is finally over as chronicled on the front page of this newspaper. As in the case of many protracted wars it ended not with a bang, but with a whimper as M.A.K.’s lawyers have gotten the state court to dismiss with prejudice the last of its outrageous claims without even a single minor concession by the triumphant attorneys for the City of Glendale.
When President Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of Labor Ray Donovan was acquitted of all charges brought against him and six other defendants by a Bronx jury in 1987, he famously asked outside the courthouse, “Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?” The City of Glendale must wonder the same thing.
Glendale has spent close to a fifth of a century building an extraordinary city so that it could be known for more than simply the home of Shotgun Willie’s. The city acquired various parcels of land at no small cost for a series of extraordinary parks; it turned Cherry Creek Drive South from an eyesore into an amazing parkway with a wonderful circuitous pathway beside the creek; it built a first class boutique recreation center and made it available to its citizens at extremely low rates; it built a conference center that is one of the top venues in all of metropolitan Denver; it created Infinity Park a world class rugby venue such that internationally the city is known as Rugbytown USA; it made the city business-friendly and it attracted major investments such as CitySet greatly broadening the city’s tax base, etc., etc., etc.
The culmination of its efforts was to create a real downtown eating and entertainment district along East Virginia Avenue originally known as the Riverwalk and later the Glendale 180 Project. M.A.K acquired its 3.8 acres of land along E. Virginia to take advantage of the investment the city was going to make in the area but then decided it could make more money by building a massive apartment complex on its land to take advantage of the apartment boom in metropolitan Denver. M.A.K. did not care that the city height restrictions, the City Master Plan and zoning laws did not permit the same or that its massive apartment building would effectively destroy the Glendale 180 Project. M.A.K. and its principals only cared about what would make the most money for them and them alone.
In its greed and avarice M.A.K. decided it must threaten to, and then try to, destroy the reputation of the city and its elected officials and employees. It went after, to name just a few, Mayor Mike Dunafon, former Councilman Jeff Allen, Deputy City Manager Chuck Line and City Clerk Sherry Frame as outlined in the front page story.
Neither M.A.K. nor Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and his in-laws apparently appreciated the toughness of a community that as an unincorporated town and then a home rule city has had to fight to prevail overwhelming powerful forces for its mere existence since 1859. Mayor Mike Dunafon adopted as his creed regarding the matter a variation of the statement in John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, to the effect: “Let everyone know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of Glendale.” It is a sentiment that every leader of Glendale over the last 150 plus years could appreciate and support.
According to City Attorney Jeff Springer, Glendale will consider seeking from the courts reimbursement for its massive attorneys’ fees and costs involved in the M.A.K. litigation. Glendale might want to also consider bringing abuse of process claims against M.A.K., Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, Saeed Kholghy and Nasrin Kholghy to recover the loss associated with the harm done to the Glendale 180 project. In its war against the City of Glendale and its people, M.A.K. has laid many land mines and poisoned its share of wells, not all of which have been uncovered. Discovery in such a lawsuit would help expose those many hazards that are lying in wait for the unwary in the city. Glendale has been and must ever be vigilant if it and its people are to prosper.
— Editorial Board
by Mark Smiley | Dec 22, 2016 | Main Articles
Scorched-Earth Legal Campaign Suddenly Collapses
Glendale Emerges Triumphant In Federal And State Courts
by Charles C. Bonniwell
The extraordinary scorched-earth legal and public relations campaign by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, his family members and the corporation named for his initials M.A.K. Investments LLC (M.A.K.) against the City of Glendale, its employees and elected officials has come to a sudden and shocking end.
Kheirkhahi and his family members own Authentic Persian & Oriental Rugs at 550 South Colorado Boulevard as well as associated 3.8 acres of developable land between E. Virginia and Cherry Creek where they want to build a massive apartment high-rise. The high-rise would be in contravention of Glendale’s Master Plan and zoning laws as well as the apparent overwhelming sentiment of residents of Glendale and adjoining Denver neighborhoods.
On November 21, Federal District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson dismissed all the federal claims brought by M.A.K. against the City of Glendale and related entities. Colorado District Court Judge Charles Pratt had previously dismissed four sets of claims brought in state court by M.A.K. in different proceedings, but one claim remained relating to an alleged violation of the Colorado Open Meetings Act scheduled for trial this January.
On the eve of a highly expensive deposition scheduled in Houston, Texas, M.A.K.’s attorneys contacted Glendale’s City Attorney Jeff Springer stating that M.A.K. might be willing to dismiss this final claim provided Glendale waived any right to attorneys’ fees and costs relating to all the litigation. Glendale refused. M.A.K.’s attorneys were forced to file a Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice for their lawsuit noting Glendale reserved the right to seek attorney fees and costs against them.
It is believed that M.A.K. has spent somewhere between a half million and a million dollars in attorneys’ fees and costs and associated public relations expenses in its campaign against Glendale over the last 18 months without a single claim ever even going to trial. How a relatively small rug shop on Colorado Boulevard could possibly afford such a massive amount of expense in such a short space of time remains a mystery to many. What M.A.K., Kheirkhahi and his in-laws intend to do next is not known. Their actions over the last 18 months, however, have brought them the enmity of not only many of the citizens of Glendale but also residents of Denver and the entire Cherry Creek Valley.
The March On City Hall
It all began on May 12, 2015, when Kheirkhahi, his brother-in-law Saeed Kholghy, and his sister-in-law Nasrin Kholghy launched a wholly unexpected and unanticipated “shock and awe” march through the streets of Glendale ending at City Hall for a regularly scheduled Tuesday night City Council meeting.
Heading up the march along with the threesome was nationally feared paramilitary militia group “The Oathkeepers” who were an integral part of the Bundy Ranch standoff and the Ferguson, Missouri, fiasco. Joining them were hundreds of other extended family members and M.A.K. supporters. Minority and other citizens of Glendale who were simply anticipating attending a regular City Council meeting were forced to run a gauntlet of glaring and chanting Oathkeepers and other militant supporters to be able to get into City Hall itself.
Kheirkhahi had also engaged public relations firm Stratton Carpenter and Associates who convinced all the major Denver stations with camera crews to cover the meeting. The meeting for Kheirkhahi was orchestrated by Phillip Applebaum of the Virginia based Institute for Justice. Oathkeepers and other speakers declared that if the City Councilmembers did not immediately give in to the demands of Kheirkhahi and his family, they would have them all recalled from office.
The City Councilmembers and city staff initially reeled under the attack. All were at a loss over what was happening. The City had for almost two decades wanted to build an eating and entertainment district initially called “The Riverwalk” and later retitled the “Glendale 180 Project” as envisioned for in the city’s Master Plan. Kheirkhahi and the family had acquired the land in 2006 after reading an article in The Denver Post outlining the dreams and aspirations of the city to build the Riverwalk.
According to city officials, at all times prior to the “shock and awe” march, Kheirkhahi and family had supported the Riverwalk/Glendale 180 concept and they were integral in its planning. Glendale had asked M.A.K. what it thought its land was worth for the purpose of obtaining bonding for the project. At the May 12 meeting representatives claimed that the request was tantamount to a threat of condemnation which once again baffled city officials. The city repeatedly tried to assure M.A.K the city had no intention of condemning the M.A.K. land, but that appeared not to matter.
Thinking that M.A.K. simply wanted Glendale to buy the land at above market rate, the city gave M.A.K. a formal offer for $11 million and indicated a willingness to negotiate. M.A.K. summarily dismissed the offer and rebuffed any negotiations. It then began an avalanche of lawsuits in state and federal court with some of the highest priced lawyers, both locally and nationally, with reputations of never settling and virtually always taking cases to trial.
The Light Goes On
What M.A.K. and Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and family really wanted, according to the city, was finally revealed at the start of 2016 when they brought iconic Denver developer Dana Crawford and an all-star cast of consultants to Glendale City Hall for a meeting with staff that was openly recorded by the city. They showed pictures of massive, up to 60 story, high-end apartment buildings in Tehran, Iran, and Austin, Texas. (See “Wealth Rug Merchants Plans Exposed,” March 2016 Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle).
Crawford was recorded stating that the proposed building “could be just sensational and observable from almost the entire metropolitan area.” She appeared to believe the numerous lawsuits and negative publicity directed at the city made it uniquely amenable to M.A.K.’s grand plan stating that in Glendale, unlike Denver, you would “be able to do things that are not going to get people hysterical about blocking their views.” Another consultant, Bill James, deminimized the likely massive parking and traffic concerns on Colorado Boulevard stating that people have “been sort of seduced by the car — we’re moving away from that.”
Crawford went on to assure city officials not to worry that “there is, you know, there’s some sugar in it, a special sugar in it for the community . . . taking care of some that need a little care.” Consultant David Tryba pointed out with massive density the M.A.K land could be worth as much as $750 a square foot which translated to $124 million for the M.A.K property. Considering that M.A.K. had bought the land for $6.5 million in 2006 the potential payday to M.A.K. was enormous. Glendale officials now believed they finally understood the purpose of the “shock and awe” march on City Hall, the unrelenting negative publicity campaign and the avalanche of extraordinarily costly litigation all orchestrated by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and his family.
They believe the purported fear of possible condemnation was little more than a ruse to garner initial public sympathy. They surmise that Kheirkhahi knew that Glendale would not give in to the demands for super high density in contravention of city planning for at least the last two decades absent extraordinary pressure. That pressure would be accomplished through lawsuits from high-priced attorneys and a sophisticated, and at times stealthy, P.R. campaign which would threaten to destroy the reputation of the city and individual members of the City Council as well as members of city staff.
The tape of the meeting with Dana Crawford was obtained by the Chronicle from Glendale pursuant to a Colorado Open Records request and posted on the website of the Chronicle. The tape turned many prior supporters of M.A.K. against them including the Editorial Board of The Denver Post, as well as, the local television stations. What M.A.K., Kheirkhahi and his Kholghy in-laws were really up to became apparent to almost everyone.
Local citizens and neighborhood groups began to attend Glendale City Council meetings demanding that Glendale hold firm and not give in to the demands of M.A.K. (see “Glendale Residents and Denver Neighborhoods Pour Into Council Meeting To Oppose ‘Death Star,’” May, 2016 Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle). M.A.K.’s inchoate building plan started to become known locally as the “Tehranian Death Star.”
More Pressure
Nothing, however, seemed to phase M.A.K. whose only response was to turn up the heat even more. Jeanne Price, a Denver blogger, suddenly appeared at Glendale City Council meetings to excoriate city staff and City Council members claiming they were engaging in unlawful conduct. She requested thousands of pages of city documents pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act which she hoped could be used to bring claims or charges against individuals. (See “Persian Rug Merchants Have Denverite Jeanne Price Digging Hard For Dirt” February 2016 Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle).
What M.A.K. had not counted on was how resolute Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon could be. Dunafon finally had enough of Price and exposed that much of what Price was claiming at public meetings was patently and demonstrably false. (“Jeanne Price Exposed — Tapes Caught Her Allegedly Dissembling in Front of City Council” November 2016 Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle).
But the documents dug up by Price were apparently being used also by other outlets to defame City Council members. On February 6, 2016, Colorado Ethics Watch filed an Ethics Complaint against Mayor Mike Dunafon and later M.A.K.’s lead attorney Russell Kemp of the law firm Ireland, Stapleton, Pryor & Pascoe P.C. filed an Ethics Complaint against then-Councilman Jeff Allen. Both claimed that the individuals should not have voted on certain different matters. Both complaints were eventually found to be frivolous and without any basis but both complaints had their intended effect of unfairly harming the reputations of the councilmen involved.
The Ethics Complaint against Mayor Dunafon was put out on the Associated Press wire and picked up nationally in papers across the United States. Dunafon noted after the Ethics Complaint against him was dismissed as frivolous that although the accusation went out nationally his exoneration was picked up by no one.
Enter The FBI
Even more ominously persons associated with M.A.K. also allegedly went to the Denver office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to claim that any opposition in Glendale or Denver neighborhoods to its plans for a massive high-rise was a form of “Islamophobia.” The United States Department of Justice under Attorney General Loretta Lynch was then engaged in an extensive campaign to intervene in local municipal zoning decisions on behalf of landowners wanting to build mosques. Moreover, it is believed that M.A.K. sought investigations against local Glendale officials and elected office holders asserting corruption based in large part on the discredited allegations of Jeanne Price among other claims.
The Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle began to receive panicked calls from individuals who were quoted in the paper in opposition to M.A.K.’s apartment project. They were being harassed by a thug-like private investigator from Tennessee, by the name of Charles Johnson. He had attempted on a Saturday night to gain entrance to the apartment complex where Glendale City Clerk Sherry Frame lived. Various individuals filed harassment complaints with the Denver and Lakewood police against Johnson. Johnson would later claim he was under contract with a female writer/journalist whose name he would not reveal. Persons associated with M.A.K. including Jeanne Price vehemently denied that they had hired Johnson.
Johnson was arrested by the Glendale P.D. when he later returned from Tennessee to harass and intimidate readers of the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle. He was charged with acting as a private investigator in Colorado without a license. Johnson had on him three current driver’s licenses from three different states and it was discovered that he was not even registered as a private investigator in Tennessee.
To the astonishment of all, the Denver FBI then demanded that Arapahoe District Attorney George Brauchler dismiss all charges and quash all warrants against Johnson “for reasons that can’t be disclosed.” (See “Phony P.I. — FBI Mole Or Worse? All Charges Dismissed Per FBI” June 2016 Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle).
D.A. Brauchler refused to do so unless the FBI demanded the same in writing which he made public thereby disclosing that Johnson’s real employer was the FBI Fox 31 News Denver also discovered during an interview with Chronicle columnist and 710 KNUS radio host Peter Boyles that the Chronicle’s offices were under surveillance by a cameraman in a car. Moreover, citizens who filed complaints against Johnson were hauled before the FBI where it was revealed that the FBI was monitoring Boyles’ daily radio show. The matter reminded many of the Scott Lee Kimball case where a local FBI operative tortured and murdered at least five women from Glendale and elsewhere all while under the control and protection of the Denver branch of the FBI.
The Special Agent in Charge of the Denver Office, Thomas P. Ravenelle, was subsequently removed from his position and the constant camera surveillance of the Chronicle’s offices ceased. Moreover, it is doubtful that the new Attorney General replacing Loretta Lynch will continue the DOJ’s foray into local zoning matters under the guise of combatting Islamophobia. But many feel that the threat of the local FBI against anyone in Denver and Glendale residents who opposed Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and M.A.K. may potentially continue for a long time.
Responses
If anyone anticipated that M.A.K. or Kheirkhahi or his in-laws would offer an olive branch to anyone they attempted to destroy and/or defame they would be disappointed. Nor is there any acknowledgment of the economic harm the avalanche of dismissed lawsuits caused to the City of Glendale and its businesses and the proposed Glendale 180 Project.
As with all prior legal losses, M.A.K. claimed victory through family spokesperson Nasrin Kholghy with an email to the Chronicle which stated in part:
“In a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Colorado blight law and its notification process, a second judge recently ruled that M.A.K. could file a suit if the City of Glendale ever tried to condemn. These two court decisions greatly boosted M.A.K.’s confidence that the cloud of condemnation has finally been removed.
“We still believe that Colorado law should be changed so that private property owners are adequately informed of the impact of a blight findings on their property. When private lands can be seized after a finding of blight and there is no individual remedy, due process and adequate notification requirements should be guaranteed.”
However, Glendale City Attorney Jeff Springer of the law firm Springer and Steinberg stated to the Chronicle: “The City of Glendale respects the right of citizens to unfettered access to the courts to air grievances and to pursue legitimate appeals. On the other hand when lawsuits are filed with ulterior motives or as a means to obtain leverage and when the claims are frivolous and groundless that is not consistent with obtaining justice and due process. The city is exploring its options in seeking reimbursement for its substantial costs and attorneys’ fees in defeating the claims filed by M.A.K.”
Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon in turn noted: “This is not just a win for the businesses and citizens of Glendale, but a win for all communities in the state . . . What is unfortunate is the tremendous cost and waste to a community in defeating a scorched-earth campaign by a greedy and unscrupulous few in a town that otherwise has an enormous number of really caring and giving individuals who want to do positive things that benefit everyone.”
by Mark Smiley | Nov 21, 2016 | Travel
For Heady Holiday Shopping This Local Bookstore Is A Rare Find Bursting With Fresh Ideas
Sure, shopping can be a drag during the holidays. That’s why Glendale’s 40-year-old independently owned bookstore, The Bookies, is a rare work of non-fiction. “It’s a cultural benchmark, a byword even for cozy, exhilarating shopping during the holidays or any season,” customers say in explaining the store’s long-time popularity to the Chronicle.
“Unquestionably a breakthrough, a place where you run into friends and neighbors. Moreover, the kids love the place,” customers note in detailin
g the store’s reputation. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, each of them unique, with a character and feel all their own. “You just fall in love with the place,” they declare.
As the holiday crowds peak this month and the stress of finding the right gift for loved ones surges, shoppers have a craving for a calm, relaxing place devoid of big pushy crowds. They would rather be run over by a reindeer than face crowded stores with befuddled customers who can’t find help and aren’t sure where to look.
Gifts, Staff Shine
Throughout the year but especially during this sea
son shoppers want to be greeted and feel a sense of community. At The Bookies families actually seem to enjoy spending hours perusing the aisles. Kids can wander and play and the staff is receptive to the kids, adults and pretty much anyone who walks in the door. In addition, the shelves of the store more often than not hold the perfect gift for those on the customer’s holiday gift list no matter their interests or hobbies.
Seeking a tranquil, helpful approach to holiday shopping customers particularly appreciate The Bookies’ hands-on approach. It is a neighborhood gem with employees enthusiastic about the store’s inventory, as well as sharing their favorites and making recommendations based on needs, mood or taste. “Rare that you find a store where the staff is so into what they do and they are happy to be doing it. That’s w
hat makes this place so fantastic,” explains one yelper. Plus there are floor to ceiling titles, educational toys and creative gifts for the kids, fun craft materials plus books and gifts for adults, too.
When it comes to recommending gifts, the staff seems to always shine and dazzle. They love to sell their favorites as well as reaching outside the box to pick the perfect something for everyone, thriving on the challenge. The store has hundreds of entertaining, educational and seasonal choices for all ages. Customers can compliment book purchases with a toy, bookmark, or game. Further they can add a personal touch by selecting from a wide variety of unique, creatively designed, funny and decorative items. Best of all, gift-wrapping is complimentary not just during the holidays but every day. So don’t get stressed out, let the pros deal with the cutting, folding and taping.
To get an idea of The Bookies’ selection
the Chronicle strolled through the store with the staff to find a few gift giving ideas for readers:
Kids & Family Games
Rubik’s Race: A fast paced game for two players to get their brain and fingers racing. A player shakes the scrambler and goes head to head with the opponent to shift and slide the tiles hoping to be the first to make t
he 3×3 center match the pattern. It sounds easy, but it is a real game of skill, speed and dexterity. Youngsters can challenge their friends and family to a race.
Slapzi: This game is all about speed. The first player to match all five of the right picture cards to the right clue cards is the winner. Everyone will be laughing as they think fast and react quickly to figure out the
clue. Slapzi is simple to learn and fast to play. Designed for ages eight 
years to adult with two to 10 players, the game develops dexterity, quick thinking and interaction.
Möbi: A fun and fast-paced number tile game for one to six players. The goal is to make simple math equations as quickly as possible — a great way for kids or grown-ups to apply math skills. Plus, it comes in a cute blue whale. Players draw blue number tiles, and then use them to create simple equations (like 2+3 = 5) by including white math tiles (plus signs, minus signs, multiplication signs, etc.).
Happy Salmon: Great as an icebreaker or at parties it is a simple, fast-paced card game packed to the gills with high-fivin’, fin-flappin’ fun. Actions including the classic “High 5,” the unifying “Pound It,” the frantic “Switcheroo,” and the delightful “Happy Salmon” will leave players doubled over in laughter. For ages six and older, three to six can play.
Bugs In The Kitchen: A fun-to-play family game suitable for 2-4 players age six years and up. The object is to catch the pesky little bug in the kitchen. By turning knives, forks and spoons players can direct the bug into a trap. Players throw the die to discover which utensils they can turn. By catching the bug in the trap players earn a token — the first player to collect five tokens wins the game.
Toys & Puzzles
Twister Tracks Sports Car Series: Youngsters from three to adult will have high-flying fun with this neon glow-in-the-dark twister car set with two vehicles. The flexible, detachable tracks allow kids to easily change the direction and shape of the raceway, their minds racing with all the possible combinations. They’ll flip for the 360-degree, anti-gravity stunt loop that takes the cars for a ride upside down. By turning out the lights players will see how the colorful tracks glow in the dark when illuminated by the vehicles.
Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty: This popular putty comes with new holiday colors and effects. Kit includes five tins of clear putty, three concentrated color putties, three special effect putties, and an instructional mat — everything kids need to make cool Thinking Putty colors that are all your own. Plus the putty will never dry out so they can play with this new toy forever.
I Love Colorado Puzzle: Here’s a holiday gift the entire family (age 12+) will get pleasure from trying to piece together. Anyone will enjoy pulling up a chair to work on this 1,000-piece puzzle with iconic Colorado scenes from the past.
Books For Kids
The Christmas Story: Master pop-up artist Robert Sabuda brings the age-old, awe-inspiring story of the birth of Jesus to life in this book. It is a visual feast featuring six gorgeously imagined scenes, culminating in a 3-D manger sheltering humans and beasts, guarded by an angel above. Glinting with touches of gold and pearlescent foil, it is a holiday treasure for the whole family to share.
What We Found In The Sofa & How It Saved The World: This humorous supernatural adventure is somewhat of a “tween” book. When kids discover a mysterious sofa sitting at their bus stop, their search for loose change produces a rare zucchini-colored crayon. This clever comic adventure from debut author Henry Clark is a truly original and utterly wacky story highlighting the importance of intelligence and curiosity in a complacent world.
Batneezer: Author Obert Skye doesn’t let his fans down in this hilarious sixth and final installment in the Creature From My Closet book series. While enduring visits by the ghosts of books past, present and future, Rob Burnside learns a battle is brewing and his school needs a hero.
Little Blue Truck’s Christmas: With the gentle rhythm and signature illustration style that made Little Blue Truck a household name, Blue’s newest adventure is full of holiday warmth. Sturdy cardstock pages, a compact and child-friendly text, and flashing colored Christmas lights on the final page come together in a novelty gift book that will be a favorite with kids.
Adult Books
A Gentleman in Moscow: With his debut novel, Rules of Civility, Amor Towles established himself as a master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction. In this latest book he immerses us in another elegantly drawn era with the story of Count Alexander Rostov. Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.
Cooking For Jeffrey: This is the most personal cookbook yet by bestselling author Ina Gartner. It is filled with the recipes she has made for her husband of 48-years. There are traditional dishes that she’s updated, such as Brisket with Onions and Leeks, and Tsimmes, a vegetable stew with carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and prunes. Some of her new favorites are Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken and Roasted 
Salmon Tacos. For the first time, she has also included a chapter devoted to bread and cheese, with recipes and tips for creating the perfect cheese course.
A History Of American Sports In 100 Objects: This entertaining book explores sports history through objects from a wide range of sporting experience from balls, articles of clothing, to various ephemera. In chapters of a single page to no more than a handful of pages it shows how the objects of sports and games take on historical significance based on their larger context. Written in a conversational, witty fashion it makes wry observations without losing touch with the larger historical, social, and political significance of the events and athletes that give the objects significance.
100 Things Broncos Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die: A revised and updated version by sportswriter Brian Howell. This book covers the franchise’s greatest moments, from its early days as an AFL charter team through the dominating Orange Crush all the way up to a new era led by Peyton Manning including the 2016 Super Bowl victory.
Located just two blocks east of Colorado Blvd. on Mississippi, The Bookies is just the place to pick up the gifts you need this holiday but it’s also a place where people go for the experience of simply coming here. Information: 303-759-1117.
by Mark Smiley | Nov 21, 2016 | Editorials
There is no individual elected official that has been a subject of more Chronicle editorials over the last 12 years than Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey. He is term limited and will be turning over the reins of office to soon to be septuagenarian Beth McCann this next month.
Mr. Morrissey is admittedly something of a mystery to us. He is intelligent, highly articulate and strikingly handsome which are attributes he shares with Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler. When he came into office in January 2005 we had high hopes for him and his office.
His immediate predecessor as DA, Bill Ritter, went on to become governor of Colorado and there was no reason to think that Morrissey might not successfully follow that path to higher office.
There have been no scandals to speak of at the Denver DA’s office during his entire 12-year tenure for which Morrissey can be justifiably proud. Moreover, he has at times had the courage to do such things as his extremely sharp edged attack on presiding Denver County Court Judge John Marcucci and his brethren for turning Denver into the heroin capital of the West as highlighted on the front page of this month’s Chronicle.
But conversely from the beginning up until today there has been a constant barrage of legal and public relations gaffes that are extraordinary.
By way of example, we were aghast when he decided in 2008 to criminally prosecute Skinner Middle School Principal Nicole Veltze for failure to notify the police over incidental touching in a classroom, although she suspended the children involved. He assigned his two top assistants to bring three charges against the poor school administrator which brought howls from the local media.
County Court Judge Doris E. Burd threw out all charges against Veltze saying there was absolutely no evidence that the school principal acted willfully and wantonly to thwart the law. Amazingly Morrissey then went after Judge Burd saying that his office was very surprised and concerned by the ruling and just might appeal.
To prove he never was able to grasp the old saying that “if you find yourself in a hole stop digging” Morrissey then went personally to the editorial board of the now defunct Rocky Mountain News to attempt to prevent them from issuing an editorial castigating him. He told its editorial board that state law required him to bring the charges. The editorial board found his arguments ludicrous and issued one of the most damning editorials about a Denver DA in living memory.
To demonstrate he has learned nothing in his 12 years in office he just recently decided to bring to trial Clarence Moses-EL for rape charges. Moses-EL had been convicted back in 1987 for beating and raping a woman in his Five Points neighborhood. His conviction was based almost solely on the testimony of the victim saying that it had come to her in a dream that Moses-EL was the one who raped her. She had previously said that she could not identify her assailant because of the beating, but that the person had a toupee and was either “LC, Earl or Darnell.” Moses-EL did not have a toupee nor was one of the men named.
There was significant evidence containing DNA collected by the Denver Police but that field of science was just in its infancy and no tests were performed. Moses-EL was sentenced to 48 years in prison. Moses-EL steadfastly denied he was guilty even after the verdict
When the field of DNA advanced to the point that the evidence gathered could, in fact, be tested Moses pleaded with the DA’s office and the state to perform the tests, but they refused saying they did not have enough money. Eventually Moses-EL, with the help of fellow prisoners, scrapped together enough money to have the tests performed but once again the DA’s office and the state refused. With help of pro bono attorneys, a court finally ordered Denver to perform the tests.
Unbelievably it turned out Denver had destroyed all of the DNA evidence relating to the Moses-EL case. LC Jackson, one of the men who the victim originally said was a possible assailant, confessed to the crime but later recanted, then reconfessed and then recanted.
A Denver District Court found enough evidence “to allow a jury to probably return a verdict of acquittal in favor of the Defendant” and allowed Moses-EL a new trial. Everyone assumed the case was over, but Morrissey decided to go after Moses-EL. To cover his tracks, Morrissey attempted to get Moses-EL to plead guilty to various lesser charges in return for the DA’s office recommending he be released for time served. Moses-EL said he would never plead guilty to a crime he had not committed even if it meant he would spend the rest of his life in prison.
The NAACP brought to the court a petition signed by 2,000 prominent Denverites asking that he not be forced to go through a second trial. The Denver Post wrote a blistering editorial pleading that Moses-EL not be retried. Beth McCann stated that if Morrissey would not take any action until she was in office she would not retry Moses-EL. Apparently, none of that mattered to the tone deaf Morrissey. As in the Veltze case he brought his top aide Chief Deputy Bonnie Benedetti to try the case.
On November 14, 2016, a 12-person Denver jury after only three hours of actual deliberation found Moses-EL not guilty on all charges to the tumultuous cheers of the community. At age 60 Moses-EL was finally free after 28 years of wrongful confinement for a crime he never committed.
As we noted earlier, both Morrissey and Arapahoe DA George Brauchler are highly intelligent individuals, but Brauchler has one attribute that Morrissey has demonstrated time after time he badly lacks — judgment.
An extraordinary lack of judgment is why Mitch Morrissey should never again be elected or appointed to any office of public trust, notwithstanding his many gifts. The Veltze and Moses-EL cases demonstrate he simply cannot be trusted to do the right thing when it truly counts.
— Editorial Board
by Mark Smiley | Nov 21, 2016 | Main Articles
by Glen Richardson
As first shockingly disclosed by the Washington, D.C., based news publication The Hill, the highly prominent and powerful Denver based law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP has filed under the federal Foreign Agents Registration Act to represent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A copy of the Fee Agreement between the Brownstein firm and the Kingdom was leaked to 710 KNUS radio host Peter Boyles (who writes a column for the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle and found on page 2 each month).
Under the Fee Agreement the Kingdom is paying Brownstein $100,000 per month for a minimum of four months “to act as policy counsel . . . in connection with legislative issues of importance to the U.S. – Saudi Arabia bilateral relationship.”
The representation according to The Hill is to reverse the rights of the victims of 9/11 just granted under the Justice of Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) to sue the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its alleged complicity in the 9/11 attack. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia.
The Brownstein firm is not just any law firm in Denver. It was started in 1968 by 
Norm Brownstein, Jack Hyatt and Steve Farber fresh out of the University of Colorado Law School. Both Brownstein and Farber grew up from highly humble beginnings on the west side of Denver. The firm has grown into the second largest firm in Colorado and the second largest lobbying firm in Washington, D.C. The firm has over 250 attorneys and has offices in 11 cities across the United States.
Nationally the firm is known for its political connections and locally for its philanthropic activities. It represents The Denver Post, Mayor Michael Hancock, and Governor John Hickenlooper. Both Brownstein and Farber are highly active in the Jewish community in Denver, and in the Cherry Creek Valley.
But Brownstein himself has not escaped scandal in recent years. His son Drew “Bo” Brownstein was forced to pay a $4.7 million fine in June 2012 by the Securities and Exchange Commission for insider stock trading for securities purchased in h
is and his father’s names. He was later sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Patterson, but Norm himself managed to escape any punishment.
What is so alarming to many is the fact that the Brownstein firm came to prominence as a lobbying powerhouse in Washington, D.C., due to its strong connections with the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). It is a highly powerful group that lobbies for pro-Israel policies to Congress and the Executive branch.
JASTA was passed over the veto of President Barrack Obama on September 28 by a 97 to 1 vote with the only dissenting vote being Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, and passed the House by a 348 to 77 vote. It is expected to be the only veto overridden during Obama’s eight years in the Presidency.
Notwithstanding the overwhelming votes in the Senate and the House it has been speculated that after the November 8 election and during the lame duck session, a way would be found to amend and render the legislation moot. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hired at least 13 other lobbying firms to get the legislation reversed including such other heavyweights as the Podesta Group and Patton Boggs.
Under the Fee Agreement the lobbying would be headed up by Alfred Mottur, Marc Lampkin and two non-lawyers. Mottur and Lampkin are among the 2016 top Washington, D.C., “hired gun” lobbyists as ranked by The Hill. Mottur works the
Democratic side of Capitol Hill having been a senior staffer for Senator Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC). Conversely, Lampkin is called a part of “Team Boehner” named after the recently retired Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner, as well as having been Deputy Campaign Manager for the George W. Bush for President Campaign.
Mottur called into the Peter Boyles Show on 710 KNUS and somewhat quixotically attempted to assert that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had hired him to protect U.S. servicemen abroad from possible lawsuits. Retired Army veteran George Athanasopoulous who served four tours in Iraq as an infantryman was in studio when Mottur called. He later called Mottur’s dissembling on air who and what he was hired to lobby for “comical if it wasn’t so tragic.”
He went on to note, “He was destroyed on air by Peter [Boyles]. I don’t know how anyone would want the Brownstein firm to legally represent them knowing that they were registered foreign agents for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia working to screw over the 9/11 families. Mr. Brownstein and Mr. Farber should be ashamed of themselves.”
