Denver, CO
No criminal charges will be filed in Colorado election passwords leak, Denver DA says
The Denver District Attorney’s Office will not file criminal charges related to the inadvertent release of some voting system passwords by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, prosecutors announced Friday.
In a statement, District Attorney Beth McCann said the release of the passwords, which were posted on the secretary of state’s website for several months starting in June, was not “an effort to influence the outcome of an election.” Instead, she wrote, the passwords release was an error that didn’t constitute a violation of law.
A law firm hired by Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s office previously determined that the passwords’ release was inadvertent, though the review found that the office violated information security policies.
The passwords were included in a hidden tab on a larger spreadsheet by a staffer who left Griswold’s office in May 2023, the firm’s review found. Current staff members were not aware of the hidden tab when they published the spreadsheet online a year later.
In a separate statement Friday, Griswold’s office reiterated McCann’s findings and said that it had cooperated with the Denver investigation. Spokesman Jack Todd declined to comment further.
McCann’s office opened the investigation in November, shortly after the Colorado Republican Party announced in late October the discovery of the spreadsheet containing hidden passwords, which could be publicly downloaded.
There has been no evidence indicating the passwords were used to alter or interfere with election results, nor has any evidence suggested that elections systems were compromised. Anyone seeking to do so would’ve needed another set of passwords as well as physical access to controlled, camera-monitored areas in county clerks’ offices.
According to a 26-page report issued by McCann’s office, investigators spoke with several current and former state employees and also reviewed employees’ laptops and email accounts.
In an Oct. 24 email exchange among secretary of state staff — sent the day the office became aware that the passwords were publicly available — staffers sought to take down the spreadsheet. After being told about the issue, one employee whose name is redacted from the report replied: “Jesus.”
Investigators also received numerous “sworn affidavits” from people and groups seeking an investigation into the situation. None of those affidavits included new information or evidence that a crime had been committed, according to the report, and none came from within Denver.
The district attorney’s office in El Paso County has said it received two affidavits alleging state law violations, and the agency said it would cooperate with Denver prosecutors and review the Denver investigation. A spokeswoman for that office did not return messages seeking comment Friday.
Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.
Originally Published:
Denver, CO
Denver officers cited for separate incidents, 1 fired
DENVER (KDVR) — Two officers, one now formerly of the Denver Police Department, face multiple charges relating to separate incidents in the past two months.
According to a release, now-former Denver Police Officer Gabriel Lucero was issued a citation for third-degree assault, official misconduct and false reporting, while Officer Javon Leach was cited for reckless driving and eluding.
The incident involving Lucero reportedly occurred on May 22 just before 1 a.m. in the 500 block of 16th Street. According to a release, Lucero was involved in an assault at a business, as he allegedly assaulted a person and walked away as others continued to assault the victim.
Security guards and an off-duty officer escorted him and the group out; however, Lucero reportedly identified himself as a Denver police officer and attempted to re-enter by using his police badge.
Lucero reportedly provided a false name without any other information, and further investigation verified Lucero as the person involved. Lucero was hired in 2025 and, due to his current probationary status, was fired as of Wednesday.
The incident involving Leach occurred around 1:41 a.m. on June 21, when Leach was reportedly pulling out of a parking lot on Larimer Street, attempting to drive against traffic.
Leach reportedly refused commands to stop as he left the area. Officials said he was found just seven minutes later, traveling at high speeds northbound on Park Avenue West.
He reportedly fled a traffic stop and continued to drive away, and officials deemed Leach to be the suspect following an investigation. He was placed in an off-line assignment while the case progresses, as they are considered misdemeanors.
“The Denver Police Department’s administrative review of Leach’s incident will begin once the criminal case is adjudicated, and that process includes the Denver Department of Safety and the Office of the Independent Monitor, a civilian oversight agency,” the release said.
Denver, CO
Peyton Watson landing spots: Could Nuggets star actually leave Denver?
Denver Nuggets standout forward Peyton Watson could find himself on another team before you know it.
With the Nuggets reportedly open to a sign-and-trade of Watson, could Denver really lose a core piece to their rotation?
It’s hard to imagine many teams being able to shoulder the financial weight of a Watson contract at this point because of the aprons and such, but he’s absolutely an asset to any contending team.
We’ve gone through and identified a few teams that make sense for Watson in the fall… including the one he’s already on at the moment. Hey, he might stay home, you never know!
The Clippers have been linked to Watson as a possible destination; he could help them immensely.
The Pistons have also been linked to Watson, which would help them a lot to contend for an NBA title.
Look, HYPOTHETICALLY, the Nets could move around some cap space with some player trades and such and get a deal done. They are one of the only teams in the NBA right now not in the negative with cap space.
The Grizzlies are the team with the least amount of negative cap space right now, per Spotrac. If they really wanted to pull off a Watson sign-and-trade… it would be hypothetically possible from a money standpoint.
Denver Nuggts
Look, it’s very possible Watson just stays in Denver on a brand-new deal. Who knows at this point?
Denver, CO
City of Denver says images of piling waste a case of illegal dumping
DENVER (KDVR) – A Denver Park Hill Resident says trash in her alley hasn’t been picked up by city-run waste collection in more than 2 months.
“It’s starting to be frustrating because that pile has been there 2.5 months, and I’m not kidding about that,” Andrea Sanders-Childs said.
A spokesperson for Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) says they did receive a call about the address on Krameria in mid-June and are investigating the case as ‘illegal dumping’ versus ‘missed collection.’
The DOTI spokesperson says more information will be available when the inspector assigned to the area returns on Wednesday.
Sanders-Childs said that the people who live in the home closest to the mess had actually rented a dumpster; however, it was eventually picked up and towed away.
In the meantime, for Denver residents, DOTI provided FOX31 with the following reminders:
- Carts that are overfilled, stuffed or too heavy cannot be emptied
- All trash must be inside the cart, and overflow trash cannot be collected
- To report illegal dumping, call 311
-
Sports7 minutes agoCaitlin Clark’s return falls flat after Fever coach limits her in loss to shorthanded Sparks
-
Business15 minutes ago
Commentary: Trump wants to let companies make fewer disclosures, thus keeping investors in the dark
-
Entertainment22 minutes agoJustin Baldoni and wife break silence after ‘It Ends With Us’ legal battle with Blake Lively
-
Lifestyle25 minutes agoA meal with an animated Mona Lisa? Immersive dining goes high tech — but will L.A. eat it up?
-
Politics30 minutes agoNexstar launches its first digital subscription service with The Hill Insider, aimed at political junkies
-
Science37 minutes ago
Not everyone is leaving California. A new commercial battery maker just landed in Sacramento
-
Sports40 minutes agoMookie Betts’ eighth-inning single gives Dodgers the win over the Rockies
-
World52 minutes ago
From sewers to swimming sites: how Europe's cities reclaim their rivers