Colorado chief justice obstructed investigation into misconduct

The chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court obstructed an ongoing investigation into misconduct allegations in the judicial department, a new report reveals.

Driving the news: In an explosive 11-page letter sent to lawmakers Monday, the state's Commission on Judicial Discipline outlines how the department's leaders worked to cover up the scandal by refusing to provide records and supplying outright falsehoods.

• Chief Justice Brian Boatright even met with the commission's leader in a Denver parking garage, where he made clear he wouldn't provide the information easily, the Denver Gazette reports.

What they're saying: "Members of the Colorado Supreme Court, directly and through its senior staff, made a series of decisions and took a series of actions throughout 2021 and 2022 that limited the ability of the commission ... to do its constitutionally mandated work," commission executive director Christopher Gregory wrote in the memo.

• A judiciary spokesperson declined to comment.

What's next: The commission is pressing lawmakers for an overhaul in how discipline cases are handled in the judicial branch. A legislative committee will meet Wednesday to discuss the matter.