http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4044304

Owens took vote from GOP's hands

By David Harsanyi
Denver Post Staff Columnist
DenverPost.com

Apparently, there are three political parties in Colorado: Democrats, Republicans and Bill Owens.

And it took tripartisan cooperation to throw Colorado voters under a bus.

The recently completed special session - spurred by a state Supreme Court decision killing a proposed anti-illegal immigration ballot initiative - was a lesson in political posturing, selling out and back-stabbing.

It should have been about voters.

When the Supreme Court first issued its decision, Owens sent out a statement directly to Colorado voters: "Whether you support or oppose this initiative, you deserve the right to vote on it."

In my estimation, Defend Colorado Now was a dreadful initiative. But approximately 50,000 Coloradans who signed on strongly disagree with that assessment.

Owens, despite his statement, did zilch to make sure we had a chance to decide this issue at the ballot. And Republicans, with their extraordinary lack of backbone, are just as complicit.

Now, it was widely understood that Democrats could not afford to allow the immigration issue to linger into the gubernatorial campaign season. So we know why they sold out.

"I think we can be proud of the work we have done," explained Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, after the special session came up with House Bill 1023. "We did legislation that was tough, fair to the taxpayers, enforceable and humane."

Really? If she's so proud, why did Democrats shoot down every substantive immigration bill during the regular legislative session?

In fact, on June 14, right after Owens threatened to call a special session, Fitz-Gerald claimed that the state has already done "what's possible" on immigration. Does anyone believe Dems would have passed HB 1023 - or anything remotely similar - without the special-session limelight forcing their hand?

The party of Owens had a different agenda. No one is quite sure what it is. Though his newfound bipartisanship has brought much love from the usual suspects. (Why, incidentally, does "bipartisanship" always involve a Republican defecting to the left?)

His backroom deal with the Democrats was a dramatic turn of events. The governor only days before had accurately called the Supreme Court decision "arrogant."

One wonders if it's also arrogant for a Republican governor to craft a deal with Democrats behind the back of his leadership.

According to numerous sources intimate with the circumstances, instead of digging in and fighting for a ballot initiative, Owens never consulted Republican leadership while he was negotiating with the opposing party.

In fact, as the session was winding down, Owens sent his lobbyists onto the floor. Henry Sobanet, the governor's budget director, was out strong-arming Republican senators into voting for the Democrat bill.

Sobanet invited leading legislators to the Red Room restaurant near the Capitol to continue the discussion. This is when Republicans learned that Owens had struck a deal behind their backs and called a news conference. They learned this not from Sobanet but from a Republican staffer at the Capitol.

Republicans were livid. The usually soft-spoken Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell of Broomfield compared Owens to ex-President Clinton. In right-wing circles, it doesn't get more vicious.

Republican insiders believe the session had been "scripted." They believed Owens had "hung us out to dry." They believed he had capitulated to business interests. That was about the nicest thing they had to say.

Which brings us to the Republicans. Plenty of them supported HB 1023. Many claim they did so because they live in fear of political retribution from the governor.

If Republicans want to stand up to their erstwhile leader, they should do so on the record. Who knows, Owens might even take them seriously in the future.

David Harsanyi's column appears Monday and Thursday. Reach him at 303-820-1255 or dharsanyi@denverpost.com.