Hickenlooper vows to "fight like hell" against Trump policies

• Councilmember Stacie Gilmore said it's the first time it's happened in her nearly 10 years on council.

Context: Hickenlooper, who was Denver's mayor during the Great Recession, made a brief virtual appearance, saying he's worried about a government shutdown.

Yes, but: The senator from Colorado said deciding whether to let the government shut down is a "tough choice," because Senate Democrats appear willing to risk a shutdown to work out a better deal with Republicans.

• "If we let it shut down, we'll get blamed," Hickenlooper said.

Threat level: "If you were to squint your eyes, I think you could be convinced that Trump wants to go into a recession; he wants the economy to go to hell," he said.

The intrigue: Hickenlooper said voters in districts with vulnerable Republicans should protest and press their representatives to vote against measures that could lead to potential program cuts, like Medicaid.

• His suggestions included protesting at town halls, events House Republicans were told to forgo.

What's next: Denver council members want details from the senator on how fired federal workers will get assistance and what progress he's made with congressional Republicans from Colorado to avoid cuts.