by Valley Gadfly | Jul 20, 2023 | Main Articles
Scandal Ridden Anderson Drops School Board Reelection Bid; DPS Releases Final Safety Plan Bringing Armed Police Back
by Glen Richardson
Anderson Bids Adieu: School Board VP Auon’tai Anderson is dropping his reelection bid. April poll showed just 9% planned to vote for Anderson. Photo: Denver Gazette
Baldermann Bid: Board’s Scott Baldermann, who proposed bringing police back, is seeking reelection. Elected in 2019, he represents District 1. Photo: Baldermann Website
Shootings, safety, and a bungling-inept school board pulled news of violence on Denver’s school campuses onto the front page of the nation’s largest mailed circulation newspaper, The Wall Street Journal.
The article by a trio of Dow Jones reporters — with a two-thirds page jump and five photos — recounted the 2020 Denver School Board removal of 17 Denver Police Officers from 18 middle and high schools, followed by this April’s East High campus shootings. The June 27th article detailed East’s student march to the Capitol, and the plea by East High teachers for the School Board, “to do something.” The Journal then recounts the harshly written reply by School Board Vice President Auon’tai Anderson, “School police aren’t coming back to East or any campus.”
The article also quoted School Superintendent Alex Marrero, and Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas, concluding with the School Board’s decision one-week later to return police to campuses.
Reckless Results
The article didn’t, however, reveal that the school board meeting was closed to the public and press. A violation of the Colorado Open Meetings Law, it was yet another example of the board’s recklessness. Not as foolish, however, as the board’s decision to
kick cops off campuses while keeping high-risk kids in class.
Cops On Campus: Denver police encircled East High after two administrators were shot by a student. U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools Rankings lists East 18th within Colorado. Photo: Andrew Miller, New York Times
Chronicle readers will recall that the East High student shooter was already on probation for a prior gun charge, and was being frisked for weapons when he shot the two administrators.
Equally alarming, neither the School Board or the Denver Public School system have any idea how many kids like the East High shooter will return to class with criminal records when fall classes begin August 22. Neither tracks them.
Lightning Bolt Leaving
With Denver police beginning to restore security in DPS schools, Vice President Anderson is dropping his reelection bid, brightening the beginning of the fall school term this month.
A lightning rod criticized for infighting, his exit will create a sudden, meaningful change to the board’s dynamics. He was a part of the historic 2019 school board flip, backed by the teacher’s union. A poll taken in April revealed that just 9% planned to vote for Anderson. More than half said it was “time for someone new.”
Parents and teachers are optimistic that new members will restore credibility to the DPS Board. The two announced candidates seeking Anderson’s spot suggest the change will rebuild and restore reliability and integrity. They are: East High grad Kwame Spearman, who ran for mayor, and is CEO of Tattered Cover, who says he would focus on school safety and educational excellence; and Security Consultant Paul Ballenger, a Denver father who served in the military, and is concerned about school safety. Former East High principal John Youngquist reportedly is considering a run, but hasn’t yet decided.
Election Update
Two board members, Charmaine Lindsay and Scott Baldermann, are up for reelection. Lindsay — representing District 5 — was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2022. When appointed Lindsay said she wouldn’t seek another term.
Baldermann — who represents District 1 and was elected in 2019 — is running for reelection. He proposed and supported bringing police officers back to Denver schools. The change, opposed by
Student Scare: Shootings and lockdowns on and off campuses at Denver public schools have created fear, frustrations, and calls for sweeping change. Photo: Wandy Cross, Associated Press
Anderson, won by a 4-3 vote. Baldermann supports smaller class sizes, flexibility, and backing for teachers.
Credit for bringing police officers back to schools in Denver was driven by parents who mobilized after the shootings. Remember, East High student Luis Garcia, 16, was also shot near the East campus back in February.
Reelection In 2025
The four other school board members will be up for reelection in November 2025. Xóchitl Gaytán who represents District 2 is the current board president. She was elected in 2021.
The other board members, Olson, Quattlebaum, and Esserman, were the trio that most often allowed Anderson’s antics to constantly slide, according to critics, by repeatedly offering excuses encouraging Anderson’s shifty, scheming behavior.
Scott Esserman is an at-large member elected in 2021; Carrie Olson represents District 3 and was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021; and Michelle Quattlebaum represents District 4 and was elected in 2021.
Final Safety Plan
DPS’s final school safety plan has armed police officers returning to Denver schools.
The final version made public July 1st by Denver School Superintendent Alex Marrero, returns officers to the same 13 large high schools — including East High School — where police were re-stationed this spring. The district is still considering school resource officers or SRO’s at secondary schools.
Unlike previous policy, Marrero will now have the power to remove officers who do not follow best practices. Denver’s Police Department will be required to monitor citations and arrests, requiring “corrective action” if citations disproportionately affect marginalized groups. Initial plan details do not specify the number of officers at each school or their exact responsibilities.
Seeking Common Roles
During the plan’s development (July 1 was third-final), Marrero has pursued a collaborative approach with the Denver Police Department. The final version has the DPD developing strategies and standards, though that likely hinges on the mayoral transition.
The superintendent has constantly indicated that guns and violence are not just a DPS problem but a “city problem.” With little or no consequences, Denver has been dealing with both since his arrival, he says. Swiftly adding, “And I’m sure before that.” DPS hopes a new memo of understanding can be developed between Mayor-elect Mike Johnston and DPD Chief Ron Thomas, albeit thus far Johnston has remained unresponsive.
The plan calls for added security support when conducting student searches, plus a safety audit of school building. A weapons detection system plan will be considered following “extensive community engagement.” Finally, the plan provides for three mental health screenings of students during the school year.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 20, 2023 | Main Articles
Fans Claim Best Cirque Production To Come To Denver In Years
by Mark Smiley
The equipment is as simple as it gets — eight chairs and a pedestal — but in this act, the artist uses them to create a 23–foot tower on which to perform a balancing act that displays the human body at the very peak of condition and muscular control. Photo Credit: Matt Beard & Bernard Letendre
Cirque du Soleil’s production KOOZA is under the big top at Denver’s Ball Arena through August 13, 2023. KOOZA had its world premiere in April 2007 in Montréal, Canada, and has since played in over 66 cities in 22 countries, including Denver in 2009. KOOZA has performed in front of eight million spectators since its creation. The big top in Ball Arena’s parking lot has a seating capacity of 2,600 which makes for an intimate show without a bad seat in the house.
KOOZA is packed with interesting characters, daring acrobatics, clowns, lavish costuming (by Marie Chantale Vaillancourt, Cirque du Soleil), colorful sets, and a powerful live score that complimented the show wonderfully. The music of KOOZA demonstrates the spirit of the live show with its themes of human connection and fun in a world of duality.
With a stream of uplifting songs with timeless influences where forms and styles intertwine, the music of KOOZA is inspired by the sounds of western pop culture, from 1970s funk to full orchestral arrangements. It also draws heavily on traditional Indian music. There are six KOOZA musicians who play live music during each performance: trumpet, trombone, bass, drums, percussion, saxophone, electric guitar, and keyboard. There are also two singers who sing live during each performance.
KOOZA’s 1,600-pound Wheel of Death rotates at high speeds, powered only by the two artists who leap and counter-rotate in a display of fearless acrobatics and teamwork. Like the High Wire, the Wheel of Death is positioned diagonally, stage left to stage right, in order to break with the usual symmetry and bring the action as close as possible to the audience. Photo Credit: Matt Beard & Bernard Letendre
KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil that combines two circus traditions — acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance, presented in a colorful way that emphasizes bold slapstick humor. The audience had plenty to observe as the action never stopped through its two hour and 10 minute performance.
“KOOZA is about human connection and the world of duality, good and bad,” says the show’s writer and director David Shiner. “The tone is fun and funny, light and open. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s very much about ideas, too. As it evolves, we are exploring concepts such as fear, identity, recognition and power.”
The name KOOZA is inspired by the Sanskrit word “koza,” which means “box,” “chest,” or “treasure,” and was chosen because one of the underlying concepts of the production is the idea of a “circus in a box.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit cirquedusoleil.com/kooza.
A twist on the classic unicycle number introduces a passenger to the action. Two performers create a pas de deux in constant motion around the stage with a combination of balance, acrobatic control, physical strength, choreographic grace, and a spirit of partnership. Photo Credit: Matt Beard & Bernard Letendre
Young performers work in unison to bring a new approach to the art of contortion. What sets this number apart are the artists’ innovations in movements and position, their speed, and the way they work as a team to create a tableaux of sculptural beauty. Photo Credit: Matt Beard & Bernard Letendre
With the ability to fly, spin, and swing in all directions, the flowing dynamics of the aerialist’s motion is juxtaposed against the high acrobatics performed in this silk act. The versatility of the artist allows her to own the space and soar into aerial feats while continuously building the excitement to its climax. Photo Credit: Matt Beard & Bernard Letendre
by Valley Gadfly | Jun 23, 2023 | Main Articles
Shoot, Spin, Spray, And Splatter! July 1st Blast Begins A Fun, Fantastic Four Day Birthday Bash
by Glen Richardson
Glittering Glendale Fireworks is set to launch a glowing, lengthy 4th of July weekend beginning on Saturday, July 1. The flareup of fantastic fireworks, food, and festivals is expected to draw a red, white, and blue explosion of revelers ready for the country’s big birthday bash.
Glendale’s jaw-dropping pyrotechnics — considered the Valley’s premier Fourth of July display — will once again light up the skies. Family and friends gather at eateries, bars, patios, and porches from LoDo to the Dam to view
Park Hill Parade: Watch this holiday tradition starting at 1:30 p.m. on July 4. Costumed characters, classic cars, and marchers’ parade on 23rd Ave. The parade ends at a Street Fair on the 2200 block of Kearney St.
the dazzling aerial display sponsored by the City of Glendale.
In addition to musical extravaganzas, a blockbuster art festival, and parades, the weekend is a celebration of all things wonderful about summer in the Cherry Creek Valley. Here is a step-by-step guide to keep you crackling, whistling, and glowing through the lengthy weekend:
Liftoff Blast – July 1
Glendale Fireworks Spectacular: One of the Valley’s largest and oldest, Glendale’s stunning salute returns to Infinity Park Stadium again this year, gates open 7:30 p.m. Families can sit in the stands or on the turf field for viewing. Movie shorts and videos will precede the fireworks show. There will be food trucks or you can bring food and beverages, no glass containers or grills. Fireworks start at about 9:40 p.m. Information: 303-692-5799.
Four Mile Park Gala: Games, activities, crafts, food trucks, and live music, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Denver Concert Band gives 45-minute performances at noon and 2 p.m. The event is prior to Glendale’s fireworks at Infinity Park. Information: 720-865-0800.
Lowry Parade & Festival: The quaint suburban area that was once an air force base, hosts its first 4th of July Parade & Festival at the Great Lawn Park, 9 a.m. to noon. Parade around the one-mile park will feature costumes participants riding decorated bikes or pulling-pushing wagons, or walking costumed dogs. Information: 303-344-0481.
Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July 1-3: View works by 250 national-international artists, plus 13 performing artists on the streets in Cherry Creek North, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Mon., 6 p.m
Party Like A Patriot: We the People like to party, proving it by crowding Civic Center Park’s 4th of July celebration downtown. Local groups, Symphony, play starting at 5 p.m., prior to fireworks finale.Photo by Evan Semón, 720-620-6767
. There will be vendors and food trucks, plus creative stations for kids. Information: 303-355-2787.
Colorado Rockies Games: Catch the Rockies as they take on the Detroit Tigers, 7:10 p.m. A stunning fireworks show follows the game. Information: 303-292-0200.
Let Color Fly — July 2
Stunning Shot: “If you rise above the storm, you will find the sunshine,” hints this David Meyhew photograph donated to this year’s Cherry Creek Art Festival. Let your soul and spirit fly this 4th of July.
Indigo Exhibit, July 2: Sculpture, textiles, and works on paper in rich-alluring blue opens in Denver Botanic Garden’s Freyer-Newman Center. See work by artists from the U.S., Nigeria, Japan, and South Korea created from the plant-derived dye. Exhibit continues through Nov. 5. Information: 720-865-3500.
Freedom Frenzy — July 3
Civic Center Celebration: Denver’s fireworks show returns to Civic Center Park at Broadway & Colfax. Local musicians, including Dragondeer, entertain at 5 p.m. The Colorado Symphony with singer-actress Sierra Boggess as guest, performs patriotic and contemporary favorites beginning at 8:15 p.m. The fireworks finale is about 9:30
Bold Strips, Bright Stars: Fireworks on July 1 from Glendale — aka Rugby Town USA — launches a lengthy 4th of July salute to the country’s big birthday bash from the city’s Infinity Park Stadium, gates open 7:30 p.m. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
p.m. Information: 303-861-4633.
Littleton Red, White & You: Clement Park fireworks show has community exhibits, a food, beer, and wine garden, plus Kids Zone beginning at 5 p.m. That Eighties Band plays in the Amphitheater at 8 p.m., fireworks a 9:30 p.m. Information: 303-409-2600.
Ballet Blast: Ballet company Wonderbound fires-up its new $8.1 million space with original wild west tale, The Sandman. The show is a collaboration with country rock band Gas
Art On The Streets: The Cherry Creek Arts Festival returns to the streets of Cherry Creek North July 1-3. This year’s show has 255 exhibitors, including 20 from last year plus five emerging artists.
oline Lollipops, and front-man Clay Rose. Information: 303
Fun At Four Mile: Four Mile Historic Park fires up the fun July 1 with games, activities, crafts, and food trucks, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Denver Concert Band plays at noon and 2 p.m.
-292-4700.
Belmar Bash: See a fleet of drones with LED lights at downtown Lakewood’s 4th of July show. Bash begins at 5 p.m. with live music, kid’s activities, local vendors, food, and drinks. Information: 303-987-7899.
Stars & Stripes — July 4th
Aurora Spectacular: Enjoy food trucks, musical performances, and fun activities on Aurora Municipal Center’s Great Lawn, starting at 6 p.m. Launch of fireworks is at 9:30 p.m. Information: 303-739-7000.
Park Hill 4th Of July Parade: This Northeast Denver tradition starts at 1:30 p.m. and runs on 23rd Ave. from Dexter S
Colorful Configurations: See colorfully-lit drones flying in patriotic formations at the July 4th celebration for the City of Lakewood and Belmar on July 3.
t. to Krameria St. Parade has 50-plus floats, costumed characters, classic cars, a marching band, and more. The parade ends at the Kearney Street Fair on the 2200 block of Kearney. Families will enjoy live music, kids’ activities, food, and more. Information: 303-918-6517.
Wash Park Family Fun: Plan a picnic at the historic Boathouse pavilion from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Stay for the evening’s patriotic concert by the Denver Municipal Band, 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Information: 720-913-0700.
Deadbeats Backyard Jamboree: Canadian electronic music duo Zeds Dead returns to Civic Center Park, 2-10 p.m. This year has three unique stages, plus food, games, and interactive art. Information: deadrocks.net.
by Valley Gadfly | Jun 23, 2023 | Main Articles
Apartment Buildup Wave Ripples Through District Also Facing Surge In New Office Buildings
by Glen Richardson
Cherry Creek North — long notable for ritzy shops, fancy restaurants, and posh homes — is about to feel the impact of a tidal wave of new apartment construction. The tsunami of new construction apparently triggered by Broe Real Estate Group’s announcement it plans to replace a 10-story office building at 50 S. Steele St. with a 12-story, 416-unit apartment building, groundbreaking to begin in early 2024.
High Tide On 1st Ave.: Broe Real Estate Group plans to replace its 10-story office building at 50 S. Steele St. with this humongous 12-story high-rise with 416 apartments.
The district, of course, had its first ominous hint of a powerful forward apartment construction wave when East West Partners announced it would build 600 apartment units in the largely vacant west end of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Near the Cherry Creek waterway shore, work at that site is also set to begin in early next year.
Adding to the ground swell of new apartments is BMC Investments plan to build a 12-story, 250-unit apartment building on the southeast corner of East. 1st Ave. and Steele St. (High Rise Apartments Going Up at Sears Store Site, Chronicle June).
Splattering Effect
Set to splash into Cherry Creek before or following the new year and ride the wave of new apartment projects to historic high-rise highs, are these earth-movement projects:
Zocalo Development is planning to build a 12-story, 185-unit apartment complex on the northeast corner of 1st Ave. and Steele St., their first project in Cherry Creek.
Stillwater Capital, a private national real estate firm, is planning an 85-unit apartment project that will replace several buildings in Cherry Creek North, at 255 N. Detroit. The tallest part of the building will be eight-stories, with step-downs to seven and five stories.
Formally an office proposal, Blair Richardson — CEO of Denver-based Bow River Capital — is now planning a five-story, 22 apartment-condo building at the vacant lot on the southwest corner of 2nd Ave. & Adams St., adjacent to the Cherry Creek Grill.
Broe Group’s Geyser
Building Boxes Rising: East West Partners plans 600 apartment units in the largely vacant west end of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, near the Cherry Creek waterway.
The 416 apartment Broe development will have a humongous 611 parking spaces, plus ground-floor retail, and rooftop amenities. In 2021 when the site was rezoned for a 12-story structure, Cherry Creek East groups raised concerns about parking, traffic, and how a new building would block views.
Councilman Chris Hinds, who represents the district, also expressed concerns about the rezoning, particularly the impact it might have on older residents living at Kavod Senior Life around the block. But, nonetheless, he voted for the rezoning.
Broe has owned the 1970s-era, 115,325- square-foot building at 50 S. Steele St. since 1989. Elsewhere in Cherry Creek, Broe has two office developments underway at 200 and 250 Clayton St. The 200 Clayton site is in the final stages of completion. Broe plans to break ground at the 250 Clayton late this year.
Deluge At 1st & Steele
Zocalo’s new apartment building will be located on the northeast corner of 1st Ave. and Steele St., across the street from the 88
Splash On Steele St.: Zocalo plans this 12-story, 185-unit apartment complex on the northeast corner of 1st Ave. and Steele St., across from the 88 Steele Creek development.
Steele Creek development. Currently the site is just a dirt lot with some torn up pavement.
The 12-story LEED-Gold building will include their “Velo” bike room, a rooftop deck, fitness room, and ground floor retail.
Rezoning in April created a slight uproar concerning over-development and traffic congestion issues. Zocalo countered by offering $80,000 for bike and car sharing programs plus congestion relief measures.
Trio Slip Into Creek
BMC’s 12-story, 250-unit Steele Creek complex replacing the deserted Sears store, will be split, half one-bedroom, the other half divided between studio and two-bedroom units. Amenities will include a fitness center, rooftop deck, and landscaped courtyards.
Stillwater Capital’s 85-unit project on North Detroit will be eight-stories, stepped-down to seven and five-stories. Directly north of the eight-story Financial House, it will replace numerous retail sites including women’s store Garbarini.
The empty lot at 2nd Ave. & Adams St., originally planned as an office building, is being nixed in favor of a five-story, 22-unit apartment-condo project. Purchased by Bow River Capital’s CEO in July 2019, the site was bulldozed and has sat vaca
The Road Ahead: Cherry Creek West is changing Cherry Creek North Drive to be all at grade. A wide pedestrian crossing will allow walkers and bikers to cross freely.
nt for three years.
Housing Turbulence
In the past, apartments in metro Denver were simply four walls and a roof overhead, with few amenities. Renters viewed them as temporary shelter while they saved and searched for a starter home. That, however, has never been the case in Cherry Creek. Renters want luxury features like gyms, pools, walking paths, plus, of course, convenience to shopping and work.
The surge in apartment developments here reflects the overall turbulence in the housing market. The high-rise building wave is tapping into an exploding need for more housing options for everyone from millennials to empty nesters. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the apartment buildup is far beyond the most optimistic forecasts.
Still, amidst labor shortages, record-breaking inflation and unparalleled consumer demand, Cherry Creek has embraced the district’s construction buildup with grace. “At a time when other communities have struggled, we have continued to be the metro region’s economic powerhouse, and have exceeded our own growth expectations with grace,” is how Cherry Creek North’s CEO Nick LeMasters explains it modestly.
Soaking In Money Sway
Stillwater Floods Detroit: Stillwater Capital is planning an 85-unit project on North Detroit. The project will replace several retail businesses along Detroit St.
It’s hard to quantify an exact rent impact of the fast-paced buildup. As of June 2023, the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Cherry Creek was $3,000, a 15% jump from the previous year. Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment was $4,790, a 2% drop.
With a median home price of $3,488,577 and a median rent of $1,696, Cherry Creek is Denver’s most expensive neighborhood. Furthermore, based on growth in home prices in Cherry Creek over the last three years, it ranks No. 1 among all Denver neighborhoods.
Metro Denver is losing people, and so is Colorado as a whole, and that has to be of considerable concern. Between January and March of this year Denver lost 4,200 people, according to real estate brokerage firm Redfin. That places Denver among the top 10 cities people are leaving the most.
by Mark Smiley | Jun 23, 2023 | Main Articles
Launch Pad Brewery Helps Sponsor The Most Recent Event On The Rooftop Of Carla Madison Recreation Center
by Mark Smiley
At a time in which many local chambers are struggling, the Greater Glendale Chamber of Commerce is expanding and thriving not only in Glendale but the surrounding communities as well. The most recent Business After Hours was held on June 6, 2023, on the rooftop of the Carla Madison Recreation Center in Denver.
Business leaders from throughout the Denver Metropolitan area flocked to the event to network and enjoy a sampling of Launch Pad Brewery’s beer. Launch Pad Brewery, located in Aurora, is part of the expanded reach, and they provided six different types of beer to sample. Launch Pad Brewery opened its doors on July 24, 2015, and has grown over the last eight years. They now have 32 beers on tap at their brewery. Launch Pad is located at 884 South Buckley Road. Learn more at launchpadbrewery.com.
As typical with these Chamber events, it was full of activities, including a putt putt golf challenge and ring toss. Pure Dermatology set up a booth and gave away packets of sunscreen and skin care products. They also held a drawing for two sun hats at the event. For more on Pure Dermatology, visit puredermdenver.com. Bartenders and waitresses helped keep the libations flowing and added a nice touch to this event.
The next two events are set for July 18 (Creekside Park in Glendale) and August 9 (Central Park Recreation Center). To learn more about the Chamber or to join, visit www.ggchamber.com or call 303-584-4181.
Barret O’Brien, O’Brien Rugby, left; Leslie Gross, Tac+on Ready; and Mike Gross, Tac+On Ready were among the attendees on June 6.
The rooftop of the Carla Madison Recreation Center on East Colfax was a well-received venue by the guests who attended.
Casey Bloyer, center, Distribution Manager for Launch Pad Brewery, pictured with Glendale Chamber hostesses Jesalyn Barnett, left, and Everyn Darling, was on hand to talk about the beers provided and answered questions from guests.
Guests enjoyed beers from Launch Pad Brewery on the sky deck of the Carla Madison Recreation Center.
Left to right: Ashli LaMadrid, Katie Velasquez, and Bonnie Manzanres from Pure Dermatology had a booth at the latest Business After Hours on June 6, 2023.
Kal Thakor, MK Hotels; Everyn Darling, Noelle Talent Group; HP Padhiar, JPAD Liquors; and Jatin Padhiar, JPAD Liquors, enjoyed the view from the sky deck.
The Putt Putt Golf Challenge was on full display at the latest Business After Hours for the Chamber.
by Charles Bonniwell | May 22, 2023 | Main Articles
by Charles C. Bonniwell
Bureaucratic Power Duo: Observers of the IEC have indicated the Executive Director Dino Ioannides, above, and legal counsel Senior Assistant Attorney General Gina Cannan, right, have filled the power vacuum left when Commissioner Bill Leone was not reappointed to the IEC. They in turn have carried on Leone’s vision of the IEC as an all-powerful entity to be used by insiders to crush political opponents.
In 1902 the Colorado voters authorized home rule governance for municipalities by amending the state constitution and extended it to counties in 1970. It allows for municipalities and counties who adopt home rule governance to act and legislate on local matters and, in general, home rule ordinances addressing local matters supersede state law. Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission (the “IEC”) under the control of the power-hungry New York lawyer Bill Leone decided it did not like home rule cities and counties having more power than it on local ethics matters, so starting in 2015 it began to scheme on methods to put the home rule towns, cities, and counties under its oppressive yoke.
The plan was apparently to attack a small town, have it bend to the IEC overlordship, and then use that as precedent for its claim of power on all ethics issues over all home rule municipalities and counties. It was important not to attack a powerhouse like the City and County of Denver, which would have the influence and funding to fight off the rapacious IEC.
As disclosed in our prior front-page articles on the IEC, it takes only the cases it wants to take with little rhyme or reason other than increasing its power. It doesn’t want a lot of cases because it only meets once a month and has only one investigator (its Executive Director), so it restricts the cases to people and places it wants to attack, such as Secretary of State Scott Gessler, Governor John Hickenlooper, and it turns out, the City of Glendale.
2015 – The Saga Begins
Glendale was targeted because it is a small home rule municipality (population of 4,613) which has its own ethics code and complaint procedures which Commissioner Leone apparently believed would make a perfect target.
How Glendale came before the IEC was a labyrinth. In 2015 the city filed an Urban Renewal Plan for what is now known as “4 Mile District.” The owners of Authentic Persian Rugs on Colorado Boulevard, through an entity known as M.A.K. Investments, which owns approximately 3.8 acres along Cherry Creek wanted to build a massive condo building on this site which violated Glendale’s Zoning Code and Master Plan. Glendale residents nicknamed it the “Death Star Project.” The Persian rug merchants apparently believed with enough bullying they could get Glendale to bow to their plans.
Enter The FBI And The Oath Keepers
Jam-Packed: The Glendale City Council meeting of May 12, 2015, to reauthorize its urban renewal authority’s eminent domain powers was jam-packed by people brought to the meeting by Ali, Saeed and Nasirin Kholghy owners of Authentic Persian & Oriental Rugs. Residents of Glendale have accused the Kholghy family of attempting to bully and intimidate them by bringing in the paramilitary militia group the Oath Keepers whose banner is shown on the right.
In 2015, the rug merchants went to the state, local, and national press claiming that Glendale was going to use eminent domain to condemn the rug business and surrounding acreage for the project formerly known as the Glendale 180 project. (See Fight Over future of Glendale Persian Rug store heats up, Denver Post, July 2015.) Glendale believed that no assurances to the contrary mattered as the rug merchants were simply trying to pressure Glendale to approve the “Death Star Project.”
The rug merchants engaged the Oath Keepers, a feared rightwing paramilitary group, to engage in an armed “shock and awe” march on Glendale City Hall and threaten the City Council to accede to the rug merchants’ demands or face recall or worse.
At or about the same time the rug merchants began meeting with the Denver Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the “FBI”) to encourage the FBI to investigate the City of Glendale on their behalf. It is widely believed that the FBI had infiltrated, and perhaps controlled, the Oath Keepers a long time ago. It is not clear if the FBI helped arrange or were involved inthe armed march to threaten Glendale City Council by the Oath Keepers.
What is known is that city officials began receiving suspicious proposals from previously unknown businessmen for what could possibly lead to potential bribe attempts. One well known Glendale businessman reported to City Hall that the FBI asked him to wear a wire and attempt to bribe the mayor which he refused to do stating the mayor was not going to take bribes.
Moreover, infamous undercover FBI agent Charles Johnson came to Glendale pretending to be a journalist and began harassing the city clerk and citizens who publicly opposed the “Death Star Project.” He went directly to the home of Glendale City Clerk Sherry Frame on the pretense that he had been “hired to look into an ethics complaint” against the mayor. The threats against the city clerk resulted in his arrest at the Denver International Airport. The FBI then intervened and got then Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler to dismiss all charges against Johnson as a “professional courtesy.” D.A. Brauchler then publicly revealed what the FBI was up to. (See Trevor Anderson, How an Undercover FBI Agent Ended Up in Jail After Pretending to Be a Journalist, The Intercept, May 16, 2016.) The rug merchants were caught on camera meeting with FBI officials in a Denver restaurant.
The Rug Merchants’ Lawyers
– Ireland Stapleton
Secret Meeting: It has long been believed that Glendale rug merchants were in cahoots with the local FBI to force the City of Glendale to allow the building of a massive condominium complex on Colorado Boulevard and East Virginia. Such suspicions were supported by the above picture taken on October 6, 2015, at Panera Bread on Colorado Boulevard north of Yale. At the back of the booth, left to right, are FBI Special Agent Kimberly Milka, and FBI Special Agent Jonathan Grusing; at the front of the booth, left to right, are the owners of Authentic Persian & Oriental Rugs, Nasrin Kholghy, Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, and Saeed Kholghy.
The rug merchants also hired the law firm of Ireland Stapleton to file a series of lawsuits in state and federal courts to tie up the city in a legal quagmire. While the lawsuits were in motion, the rug merchants, hoping the city had been sufficiently softened up, demanded a meeting with the Zoning Department bringing with them an all-star development team that included Dana Crawford, the founder of Larimer Square, famous Denver architect David Tryba, and an RTD Director.
The meeting was openly taped with Crawford declaring “there is, you know there’s some sugar in it, a special sugar in it for the community…” When the tape was publicly revealed it was an embarrassment to the rug merchants and its team of developers. (See Wealthy Rug Merchants Plans Exposed, Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, March, 2016.)
Lawsuits Galore And Bernie Buescher
Glendale did not fold to the barrage of lawsuits and Glendale eventually prevailed in all of them. (See Rug Merchants Lose All Court Battles, Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, December 2016.) But the one legal move made by the Persian rug merchants’ attorneys that proved to be fruitful was to bring in attorney and former interim Secretary of State Bernie Buescher of Ireland Stapleton, an expert on how the IEC can bring down political opponents. For an organization that was able to bring to heel such powerful political players as Scott Gessler and John Hickenlooper, Glendale appeared to be an easy target.
First the rug merchants had a political hit group known as Ethics Watch to file ethics complaints in Glendale against then Councilman Jeff Allen and Mayor Mike Dunafon. The complaint was based on the seemingly specious claim that both were members of the Greater Glendale Chamber of Commerce and that the city utilized and paid the Chamber as its economic development arm. The second complaint against the mayor was for breaking a tie vote involving a final zoning approval for a business which the rug merchants claimed his wife was one of the shareholders. The problem with this complaint was that the woman was not his wife and moreover another vote was taken at the next meeting without his participation.
A hearing was held with an independent attorney who investigated the matter and presented the evidence to the City Council which in turn dismissed the complaints as frivolous.
FBI Agent Arrested: Charles Johnson (left) allegedly harassed, stalked, and intimidated former Glendale City Clerk Sherry Frame, right, and individuals who wrote letters or were quoted in the Chronicle as being critical of Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi or M.A.K’s proposed massive condo project on Colorado Boulevard. All charges were dropped and all warrants quashed in Arapahoe County Court per the request of the FBI “for reasons that cannot be disclosed.”
That would appear to be the end of the matter but the rug merchants legal counsel Ireland Stapleton filed the exact same complaint with the IEC. Ethics Watch refused to file it with the IEC as it did not believe it had jurisdiction in the matter as Glendale had adopted ethics rules, and as a home rule city those applied over the IEC. Leone, however was looking for a small home rule city it could crush with massive legal bills, just as it had with Hickenlooper and Gessler.
It took seven years for the IEC to find the first complaint against Allen to be frivolous, but not frivolous against Dunafon, although they were exactly the same. Apparently, the IEC found the mayor an easier target.
Eight Years Later
After hundreds of thousands in legal bills later, Glendale is still standing for the people of Colorado and home rule. After eight years of the IEC holding hours of closed-door deliberations and refusing to make records public, the IEC has finally set a hearing for August 15, 2023. However, the Executive Director Dino Ioannides refuses to inform Glendale attorneys what the hearing will exactly be on so it can prepare witnesses.
The Colorado courts have ruled that Glendale cannot appeal the question of whether the IEC has jurisdiction over home rule cities until after it has been fined or otherwise punished by the IEC. The fines that the parties are subject to are no more than a couple of hundred dollars. So just like in the Hickenlooper and Gessler cases Glendale is forced to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight the IEC power grab over a miniscule potential fine.
Bureaucratic Takeover
Since the end of Bill Leone’s reign at the IEC in 2021, there has been a power vacuum at the IEC pursuant to which insiders believe the bureaucratic staff of Executive Director Dino Ioannides and Senior Assistant Attorney General Gina Cannan have filled the void. The two dominate the volunteer and inexperienced commissioners and carry on Leone’s vision of an all-powerful IEC to crush political opponents for those who know how to operate inside of the bureaucratic chamber of horrors.
Cannan in particular has raised the ire of IEC observers. While in theory she has the obligation to be neutral until an investigation has taken place she does not comply and lets her biases show from the very beginning. She was caught in briefs before the investigation saying “when Mayor Dunafon is fined” which assumed his guilt even before an investigation had even occurred.
Reporters, longtime observers, and critics of the IEC are expected to attend the August 15th Glendale hearing where they expect the bias of the IEC to be on full display, along with its unceasing unethical conduct for all to see.
