Staff Reports
A political firestorm is brewing in Colorado as state Democrats push forward with a controversial bill that would divert $4 million in taxpayer funds, originally earmarked for critical infrastructure projects, into a legal war chest to battle the Trump administration in federal court. This move, spearheaded by Governor Jared Polis and legislative Democrats, comes at a time when Colorado faces a $1.2 billion budget shortfall, crumbling roads, rising crime, and an education system in distress. For many Coloradans, the timing and priorities of this bill could not be more misguided.
Republican lawmakers and taxpayers alike are rightly outraged. The infrastructure cash fund, intended to match federal dollars for roads, bridges, and water projects, is now being siphoned off for partisan legal battles. Instead of fixing potholes or improving public safety, Democrats want to give the governor a blank check to sue the federal government over policies they don’t like. This echoes California’s playbook, where Governor Gavin Newsom approved $50 million for similar legal fights—an approach that has done little to address the real needs of ordinary citizens.
The justification from Democrats is that the fund is needed to “Musk-proof” Colorado against what they call “illegal, unconstitutional federal actions” under President Trump. Yet, this is a smokescreen for political gamesmanship. If Colorado’s laws are so defensible, why do they require millions in taxpayer dollars to shield them from federal scrutiny? The reality is that these funds are being used to prop up radical legislation, like taxpayer-funded abortion, mandated insurance coverage for transgender procedures, and bills that threaten parental rights—all of which are likely to invite federal challenges.
Perhaps most alarming is the recent push to classify “misgendering” or “deadnaming” as acts of discrimination, with the potential to strip parents of custody if they do not affirm their child’s chosen gender identity. These measures, which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, now threaten to silence parents and undermine the very foundation of the family. The legislature’s willingness to rush these bills through with minimal debate only adds insult to injury, revealing a pattern of government overreach and disregard for the voices of concerned citizens.
In the end, this $4 million legal fund is not about protecting Coloradans—it’s about protecting a radical political agenda at the expense of taxpayers, infrastructure, and parental rights. The people of Colorado deserve a government that prioritizes roads over lawsuits and families over political theater. If the state’s leaders are confident in their policies, they should welcome scrutiny, not hide behind a taxpayer-funded legal shield. It’s time to demand accountability and restore common sense to Colorado’s government.
