Over the weekend many Coloradans received a robocall claiming that the special legislative session that begins today is somehow diverting funds from economic recovery and instead spending them on this special session to pass civil unions.
The call, paid for by conservative group Compass Colorado -- a group that is also launching 28 billboards around Colorado this week linking Obama to widely reviled Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- states the following about the special session:
"I'm calling you today to let you know about Gov. John Hickenlooper's special legislative session promoting his divisive social agenda over Colorado job creation. This special session is costing hardworking taxpayers nearly $25,000 a day. Money that should be spent promoting economic recovery."
Although the special session does cost $23,500 per day, the money is coming out of a fund of approximately $350,000 that was already allocated explicitly for this kind of session as Hickenlooper stated in his press conference calling for the special session, it's not costing taxpayers more money and it's not to be used for "promoting economic recovery" as the call suggests the money should be spent.
The robocall goes on to state, "Reasonable people can disagree over civil unions and same-sex marriage, but we can all agree that gas prices are too high and there are too many Coloradans out of work. So why aren't Gov. John Hickenlooper and his fellow Democrats calling for a special session on these important economic issues?"
The special session was called after more than 30 bills were killed by Republican House leadership simply by letting the clock run out before the bills could be called to the floor to receive a full vote. Many of these bills had bipartisan support and had already passed through the Senate and several House committees.
And although the call suggests that Hickenlooper called the special session over civil unions, there are, in fact, seven bills being considered during this special session, including the high profile civil unions bill, funding for water infrastructure in the state and the so-called marijuana DUI bill.
One Huffington Post reader, a senior citizen named Sheldon Shapiro, who received the call over the weekend wrote to us via email questioning the call's message. Shapiro said:
I am a senior living in Denver. I am heterosexual. I am in favor of civil unions. I received a recorded message telling me that the governor's call for a special session is costing hard-earned tax money. There is a special fund set aside for this session. I favor this session and the passing of civil union legislation. The call is a lie!
LISTEN: Compass Colorado's robocall that many Coloradans received this weekend.