Andy Koen

Husband, dad, Pueblo native now living in COS. Former reporter and news anchor for KOAA

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@markvalorian Well said. That part also resonated with me. Although, I was going to spout off about the consequences of living under constant surveillance, ie. the panopticon remark. But disrupting communication feels deeper, more foundational to all social interaction.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

A few months ago, I learned a little secret that I shared with my friend Jon McMichael at @KOAA
Watch his report: The Beautiful Reason You See Butterfly Sculptures All Over the City. https://t.co/ije54oOUBl via @YouTube

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@jarvis_best Is there no one in the replies who’s going to crack a joke about guys always finishing faster?

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

Great reporting @KyleClark and @9NEWS. Hey, I wonder if the Denver Board of Ethics looked at Mr. Leach’s other investments during their review. I think he’s part of a venture capital group. Those firms invest in a lot of places. Anyway, I appreciate the report. End/

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

I first read the company name as “I bought a,” and thought, nah. That’s too on the nose. For a story involving the city’s anti-bribery code? There’s no way! Then I watched the video, and that’s precisely how it’s pronounced. 1/

[Kyle Clark @KyleClark]

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston had sweet courtside seats for the Nuggets Timberwolves Game 5 in Denver. The city says it wasn't a violation of the gift ban because the ticket was a gift from Johnston's friend, the CEO of Ibotta, who doesn't have active business before the city.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@pibblepatriot2 @profstonge You seem like a nice enough person. I don’t think I would’ve been so snarky if we were having this conversation in person. I disagree with you. And that’s okay.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@Whatfinger1 @profstonge https://t.co/ozlKj0DGb7

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@pibblepatriot2 @profstonge If it’s such a good investment, then why doesn’t Trump buy it with his own fortune? Or let another airline buy it? Why use taxpayer dollars to prop up a failed venture? Govt ownership is the opposite of business. It’s like NYC owning grocery stores.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@pibblepatriot2 @profstonge Doubt that fantasy of yours will ever come true.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@pibblepatriot2 @profstonge If it’s such a good investment, then why doesn’t Trump buy it with his own fortune? Or let another airline buy it? Why use taxpayer dollars to prop up a failed venture? Govt ownership is the opposite of business. It’s like NYC owning grocery stores.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

That’s nuts!

[Colorado Rockies @Rockies]

We’ve added Greg and Carrie Penner as minority owners through an investment from Penner Sports Group, the family entity that holds their stake in the Denver Broncos.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

Of course, this cost comparison doesn’t even consider the corruption that’s plagued the CA HSR program.
https://t.co/dqomB53CSO

[skepticalifornia @skepticaliblog]

“So, let's get this straight. You changed the bidding rules on the first phase?”

“Yes, because the contractor we wanted failed the technical score. Eliminated.”

“And this contractor, his nickname is "The Change-Order Artist" ... he is, in fact, notorious for ripping off the state of California?”

“Oh sure, it's a whole business model. Partners with Richard Blum for years. You know, Feinstein's husband.”

“OK. So, there were experienced bidders who had actually built HSR, who had core competency and a delivery record.”

“Sure. But Ron's a big donor, you see. He also took a bath buying Miramax, so it was a way for the party to funnel some money back to him. Aside from the film tax credits, obviously. Jerry Brown pulled some strings.”

“And the change orders?”

“Not even any documentation needed. They tried an audit back in 2018, they found change orders for tens of millions of dollars without documentation. Easy money. Now they're sealing the records.”

“They're ... sealing the records?”

“People are starting to ask too many questions now, the public get antsy once you get up to half a billion dollars in a single change order, so the IG is going to shield the records. It might "harm the state" if people see them, haha.”

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

There’s a really basic problem with the California design: it needs electrification of the rails to work. But there is another way. @swisspod put the propulsion on its vehicle instead and the slashed the infrastructure cost by 90%.

https://t.co/CbA2ytmtRt

[60 Minutes @60Minutes]

An ambitious state-run high-speed rail project linking Los Angeles and San Francisco hasn’t stayed on track. 60 Minutes reports on the costly struggle to bring high-speed rail to the United States, Sunday. https://t.co/mEN4CWeXMW

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

They’re testing their prototype in Pueblo. I wrote about it for the @PSJ_News in December.

https://t.co/uI7Z8GZJ9e

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

We can learn to live with each other or we can continue to demonize each other. I support this. I hope you both enjoyed the game in spite of the scoreboard. 🍻

[Jared Polis @jaredpolis]

The @rockies and baseball bring people together! Go Rockies! W @laurenboebert

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@ruiruicamovi Here is a photo of a sunrise from last summer summit of Pikes Peak, in Colorado. It was a cloudy morning and the low clouds looked like the ocean.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

@jarvis_best The Rockies tied for the 3rd worst record in baseball history last year and they still notched more wins than our state at SCOTUS.

[KOAA News5 @KOAA]

The Rotary Club, Downtown Colorado Springs and Dizzy Charlie's Music and Events are partnering on a plan to upgrade the bandshell at Acacia Park, a structure more than 100 years old. https://t.co/aG4GRoi5AP

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

She was criticizing Kent for obsessing over Israel. My apologies to DR for misunderstanding.

https://t.co/vaIghNpX9U

[DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican]

Ok, I'm apparently not good at writing parables, because nearly everyone interpreted it wrong.

I used a parable because I want to respect others' service records, especially when not all the facts are out yet.

So let's pivot to a much more direct analogy.

In 2016, career intelligence professionals, people who had genuinely spent their lives fighting America's enemies, became convinced that a foreign power had compromised the incoming president. They had data points. Real ones. Trump had business dealings in Moscow. He said nice things about Putin on camera. People in his orbit had meetings with Russian nationals. A dossier appeared with salacious claims. Each data point individually was... a data point.

But they were looking for Russia. So they found Russia. Everywhere.

They were so certain they were right that they leaked to the press. They used classification authority to spy on American citizens. They presented unverified opposition research to a FISA court as intelligence. Peter Strzok texted about "insurance policies." Andrew McCabe authorized leaks.

They were experienced professionals who genuinely believed the republic was in danger. Their service records were real. Their concern was sincere.

And they were wrong.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

Curious parable in reply to a classified docs leak scandal. The Smurf seems to be referring to Kent, which implies Papa Smurf is Trump. The assassinated Smurf sounds like Charlie Kirk. But who does that make Gargamel and Peewit? And why do I feel like this is about Epstein?

[DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican]

I'm a Smurf. I've been hired to run counter-intelligence operations at Smurf Village. My role is political; I've personally gone up against the evil wizard Gargamel.

But once I'm on the inside, I discover that Smurf Village has a relationship with a goat-riding human boy called Peewit. Peewit isn't a Smurf. He's caused a lot of damage with his antics over the years. Why is he even here?

I start digging. I pull up Papa Smurf's history with Peewit. Papa Smurf has been collaborating with this kid for years. Protecting him. Making excuses for him. Why? Peewit is reckless. Peewit makes messes. But Papa Smurf keeps letting him back in.

The more I dig, the more Peewit I find. He's everywhere. In every file, behind every favor, connected to every mess. A picture forms in my head: if I'm looking for Peewit everywhere and I keep finding Peewit, the only logical conclusion is that Peewit is the one controlling Papa Smurf.

Then a prominent Smurf gets assassinated. They say Gargamel's people did it. Case closed, move along. But I get access to the dead Smurf's private messages. And there's Peewit. Right there in the chats. The same Peewit I've been laser-focused on all year. Pressuring him. Making demands.

I bring this to Papa Smurf and his inner circle. I bring it with alarm. Papa Smurf looks at me funny. And then — just like that — I'm kicked out of the investigation. No explanation. Just... out.

This is the final proof that Peewit is controlling the Smurf Village.

I know what I saw. I have to get the truth out there. So I do the unthinkable. I leak the information.

[Andy Koen @AndyKoen79]

Okay, so this about Israel and Iran. This Kent guy is showing up on Tucker, Megyn Kelly, etc. I knew there was a civil war underway in the GOP, but I hadn’t been following it that closely.

https://t.co/fYOwRnegSg

[Bonchie @bonchieredstate]

Know the op when you see it.