Speaker of the House Battle and Election Integrity Challenges

The January 6, 2023 program examined the historic Speaker of the House vote, Colorado election integrity battles, and state budget priorities. Wade Miller from the Center for Renewing America provided insider analysis of the Kevin McCarthy standoff, while former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters discussed her upcoming trials. State Representative Rod Bockenfeld explained the Joint Budget Committee’s work on Colorado’s $37 billion budget, and financial expert Steve Cruz covered new SECURE Act 2.0 retirement provisions.

Congressional Power Struggle Over House Speaker

Start listening at 17:56 – Hour 1

In this segment, Wade Miller, Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Renewing America, joins Kim to analyze the ongoing battle over the Speaker of the House position. Miller explains the two factions among the 20 Republican holdouts: those seeking procedural reforms regardless of who becomes Speaker, and those who believe Kevin McCarthy has lost his moral authority to lead. He details the significant concessions being negotiated, including conservative control over what reaches the House floor, spending cut commitments, and the ability to offer amendments.

“What is happening right now is the way Congress should always work on every matter that comes to the floor. And it never happens like this, because what traditionally happens is a cabal of five or six people from both parties get together. They decide what’s going to happen, and then they dictate that to the rest of the floor.”

— Wade Miller, COO, Center for Renewing America

Miller dismisses fears about Democrats gaining the speakership, calling them “manufactured fears” and explaining that voting for a Democrat would trigger immediate primaries. He emphasizes that the standoff could represent a historic turning point for conservative influence in Congress.

SECURE Act 2.0 Retirement Changes

Start listening at 62:32 – Hour 2

Steve Cruz, co-owner of Three Points Financial, explains new provisions in the SECURE Act 2.0 passed in December 2022. Key changes include: required minimum distribution ages pushed back to 73 for those born 1951-1959 and 75 for those born 1960 or later; new Roth options for simple IRAs and SEP plans; 529 education account transfers to Roth IRAs (up to $35,000 lifetime for accounts held 15+ years); and employer 401k matching for student loan payments.

Election Integrity and Whistleblower Persecution

Start listening at 32:46 – Hour 1

Former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters discusses her upcoming trials and the persecution she has faced since backing up election records in 2021. Peters explains that constituent concerns after the April 2021 Grand Junction city council election led her to investigate Dominion voting systems. When she learned that a software update would delete election records needed to verify the 2020 results, she backed them up as required by her oath of office.

“I broke no laws, but because we uncovered such blatant manipulation of the election that they came after me. Joe Biden’s Merrick Garland was on this immediately. So, you know, you have to wonder why. How would a small county clerk be the spotlight of a national position like Joe Biden’s Attorney General?”

— Tina Peters, Former Mesa County Clerk

Peters faces two trials: a two-day trial on January 26-27 regarding an iPad recording incident, and an 11-day trial from March 3-14 on seven felony and three misdemeanor charges. She encourages viewers to watch Selection Code at SelectionCode.com and review reports at TinaPetersForColorado.com.

Colorado’s $37 Billion Budget and TABOR Protections

Start listening at 69:53 – Hour 2

State Representative Rod Bockenfeld, representing House District 56 and serving on the Joint Budget Committee, provides an inside look at Colorado’s budgeting process. The proposed budget totals approximately $37 billion, with $14.8 billion in general fund revenues. Bockenfeld begins by thanking voters for passing the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, now celebrating its 30th anniversary.

“The governor has grown the staffing level, the state government substantially. And into the future, when this money goes away, we got a cliff effect where there’s going to have to be substantial cuts made to the budget because it’s structurally out of balance.”

— Rod Bockenfeld, Colorado State Representative, District 56

Key concerns include $34 million for administering the new state employee union contract (CoWINS), transportation maintenance funding, and structural budget imbalances caused by temporary COVID and ARPA funds being used for permanent employee positions.

El Paso County GOP Controversy

Start listening at 103:40 – Hour 2

Former U.S. Senate candidate Eli Bremer calls in to discuss the El Paso County Republican Party controversy. He disputes characterizations of the conflict as grassroots versus establishment, arguing instead that the state party’s censure of the county chairman was based on documented failures including election fraud in the caucus system.

“My wife’s the county commissioner. She attended 27 precinct caucuses on caucus night. 13 had no one attend, yet all magically elected delegates to the assembly. So that’s a nearly 50% fraud rate.”

— Eli Bremer, Former U.S. Senate Candidate