A press release sent out from Sen. Wayne Allard’s office contained comments from his spokesman that were unofficial, to say the least.

In a statement announcing an effort to recognize first-responders to disasters, there’s a two-part quote from the senator with an eye-catching second sentence.

“First responders in Colorado have recently provided critical services in the face of blizzards and tornados,” said Allard. “Since I don’t think first responders have really done anything significant in comparison to their counterparts who have dealt with real natural disasters, I have no idea what else to say here…”

Allard spokesman Steve Wymer, who wrote both sentences, said he was trying to draw the attention of another staff member who was helping him finalize the quote.

“It’s certainly not the words of the senator,” Wymer said. “I was just trying to get a quote about some of those specifics from a fellow staff member.”

Wymer said he finished the statement and had it approved, but then sent out the version he’d used to communicate with the co-worker.

He sent out a correction 23 minutes later that said. “Please pardon my typo in the first version of this release. I sincerely apologize for the error.”

The statements went to everyone on Allard’s press release list.

Washington and the West is on vacation, but will be back soon. In the meantime, tell us what you think about immigration, the Iraq War and other hot topics on Capitol Hill.

By Anne C. Mulkern in Washington - The Senate voted Monday to open debate but delay a vote on legislation that would allow an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to stay in the country legally.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said senators needed more time to digest and reshape the complicated bill, which Sen. Ken Sala zar, D-Colo., helped craft. Reid put off a vote for at least three weeks.
>> MORE

By Mike McPhee - Philanthropist and businessman Jared Polis today announced his intention to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Mark Udall, covering Boulder and portions of Jefferson and Summit counties. >> MORE

By Erin Emery in Colorado Springs - More analysis needs to be done to determine whether moving air- and space-surveillance missions to Peterson Air Force Base from Cheyenne Mountain is good for national security. >> MORE

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Post

By Anne C. Mulkern in Washington - U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar today called for the resignation of his friend, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, whose leadership he said had tarnished the Department of Justice.

“I arrive at the decision with a heavy heart and disappointment,” said Salazar, D-Colo. He said he admired Gonzales’ history as someone who grew up in the projects and went on to rise to the nation’s top law enforcement post. “I very much wanted him to succeed as attorney general.” >> MORE

Here’s an interesting item from the Associated Press:

“Justice Clarence Thomas sat through 68 hours of oral arguments in the Supreme Court’s current term without uttering a word. ”

That’s a new record for the quiet justice, who typically pops out a couple of questions during a Supreme Court term. According to the AP, the last time Thomas spoke in court was on Feb. 22, 2006.

Thomas has spoken only 281 words on the bench since October 2004, according to McClatchy Newspapers.

Justice Stephen Breyer, in contrast, said 35,000 words during oral argument questioning in the past year, while Justice Antonin Scalia spoke some 30,000 words.

–Christa Marshall

Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents stand guard at Greeley’s Swift & Co. meat processing plant AP

By Christa Marshall in Washington - At an angry and tearful demonstration Thursday on Capitol Hill, Greeley Mayor Tom Selders called for an end to federal immigration raids until officials could ensure they were humane.

Selders said Greeley was in turmoil from a Dec. 12 sweep of a meatpacking plant that resulted in 261 illegal immigrants’ arrests.

“By people being arrested, children who were citizens of the United States were left without nurturing parents,” Selders said at the event, sponsored by a coalition of religious and immigration-rights groups. >> MORE

By Karen E. Crummy — Conservative Christian evangelical leader James Dobson said Thursday that if Rudy Giuliani receives the Republican nomination, he may not vote in a presidential election for the first time in his life.

Citing Giuliani’s three marriages, an extramarital affair, and his support of gay rights and abortion rights, Dobson said that if he’s forced to choose between Giuliani and Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, he will either vote for an “also-ran” or not vote. >> MORE

By Christa Marshall – Colorado and other Western states will get a little more time to study a federal plan for commercial oil shale development, but not enough to satisfy Gov. Bill Ritter.

In a letter obtained Tuesday by the Denver Post, the Interior Department told Ritter and Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal that they only would have an additional two weeks to review the plan, although the governors requested a 120-day extension and sent lobbyists to Washington last week.

“We are disappointed that our request was not granted and regret that the time provided will not allow for a comprehensive evaluation,” said Evan Dreyer, a spokesperson for Ritter. “We believe that nothing is of higher importance than assuring that oil shale development proceeds in a responsible manner.” >> MORE

A majority of Americans do not want to see Roe v. Wade overturned, but are opposed to “partial-birth” abortion, according to a new poll.

In a survey of public opinions of the Supreme Court, Gallup reported that 53 percent of Americans want Roe v. Wade to remain the law of the land, while 35 percent want to see it overturned.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed, however, believe “partial-birth” abortions should be illegal. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court recently upheld a federal ban on that late-term procedure.

Many analysts believe that the fate of Roe v. Wade hangs with one or two justices, although the views of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito remain murky on the subject.

In the recent “partial-birth” abortion decision, Alito and Roberts failed to join conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia in a concurring opinion stating that Roe v. Wade had “no basis in the Constitution.”

To read the full poll, click here

–Christa Marshall

By Anne C. Mulkern in Washington - Former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer will run for the U.S. Senate seat that Sen. Wayne Allard is vacating in 2008, a race expected to be one of the nation’s most expensive and competitive.

Schaffer, 44, said today that he wants to rebuild the Republican Party.

“I am convinced that the Republican Party lost badly in the last two election cycles for lack of message & and because it has temporarily lost its credibility.” >> MORE

In the latest technological advance of the presidential race, fans of Sen. Hillary Clinton soon will be able to receive campaign updates on their cell phone.

By dialing “77007″ and typing “join,” Clinton supporters can receive regular updates and photographs on their mobile device. They also can send text messages to the campaign and surf the former first lady’s Web site.

“This is an exciting step forward that I hope will continue our conversation with voters in a new format,” said Clinton, who will appear in Albany Monday to receive the endorsements of Gov. Eliot Spitzer and New York state officials. >> MORE

Kay Hiramine with President Bush on Thursday, May 10 AP

By Christa Marshall - Coloradan Kay Hiramine walked on a White House stage Thursday, stood next to President Bush and accepted a medal for his volunteer work in Afghanistan, Indonesia and other world hot spots.

“Good job. Terrific,” Bush said as he presented Hiramine with the Presidential Volunteer Service Award before an audience of about 500 people in the White House East Room.

Hiramine, only the second Coloradan to receive the award at the White House, then listened with Bush on stage as Lt. Cmdr. Robert Roncska praised his work. >> MORE

By Anne C. Mulkern in Washington - Legislation approved Thursday by a House committee puts conditions on any Army attempt to expand its Piñon Canyon training site in southeastern Colorado but doesn’t bar the government from forcing landowners to sell.

Democratic Rep. Mark Udall, of Eldorado Springs, added language on Pinon Canyon to a larger bill that still must pass Congress. Udall’s measure sets up a list of criteria the military must meet before it can force property owners to sell their land.

“It urges the Army to do everything but use eminent domain,” Udall said. >> MORE