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Phil Weiser: “In Colorado, no one should live in fear”

COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERAL | Phil Weiser. (Photo / El Comercio de Colorado)

INTERVIEW WITH THE COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERAL

El Comercio de Colorado Newsroom

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Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser spoke with us about his priorities for 2026 and the outcomes of the lawsuits his office filed in 2025. In less than a year, his office has brought 47 lawsuits against the federal administration.

What does the number of cases you have filed against the federal government in 2025 indicate?

Phil Weiser: It’s terrible. We have a federal government that breaks the law over and over again. In 29 of these 47 cases, we have obtained relief. More than one billion dollars are at stake for Colorado, and those funds have now been secured for the state.

Which lawsuit you filed gives you the greatest satisfaction?

PW: Among the cases I am most proud of is securing $230 million for public health. Colorado needed those funds for our health care system and for behavioral health support. We went to court, and we got the money. We achieved the same with AmeriCorps, food assistance programs, and support for people with addictions.

What other type of case do you consider especially significant?

PW: This administration wanted to force people to go hungry. We had to go to court to defend access to food through the SNAP program, and we won. On the other hand, there is the defense of the energy transition. We are at a key moment for Colorado to have the necessary charging infrastructure, and Congress has already authorized resources for it.

Tina Peters and ICE

What can you say about President Donald Trump’s pressure for the governor of Colorado to pardon Tina Peters?

PW: This president seems to decide who goes to jail based on whether he likes them or not. That is not the law. The law means fair treatment for everyone. In the case of Tina Peters, I cooperated with the Republican prosecutor. She was convicted by a jury and is following the normal legal process. In the face of harassment, you don’t give in. You must stand up for what you believe in. That’s what I will continue to do as attorney general.

Do you have any comment on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) strategy of inviting local police departments to sign the 287(g) memorandum and collaborate with ICE?

Phil Weiser: Local police should focus on public safety, not on enforcing federal immigration laws. Communities must be able to report crimes without fearing immigration consequences. That is what maintains safety and justice.

Your priority for 2026?

PW: Protecting Colorado from this administration that harms us, and taking care of people who are suffering: abused tenants, high food prices, scams. Also protecting our air, water, and land, and confronting climate change. I want Coloradans to know that the Attorney General’s Office works for them.

His legacy

How would you like to be remembered as attorney general?

PW: We have returned more than $500 million to consumers and recovered nearly $900 million from Big Pharma to protect our communities. We are also regulating smartphone use in schools, investigating TikTok, suing Juul, and supporting mental health prevention, he summarized.

What gives you hope as a Coloradan?

PW: The people of Colorado give me hope. They care about others, they want everyone to succeed and be safe. There is hatred and pettiness, but I see people of goodwill working for a better life for everyone.

Sports

What do you like most about the Broncos right now?

PW: I’m surprised that the Broncos can win close game after close game. They are an incredibly clutch team—one that knows how to perform under pressure.

How do you see the Nuggets?

PW: Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are like peanut butter and jelly—they go very well together and are there to be a team. It’s great to have football, basketball, and hockey teams all while give us so many emotions.

A final message

PW: No matter your language, appearance, or who you are, you deserve to be protected. I want everyone in Colorado to feel safe, treated fairly, and able to live without fear. That is our job. It is an honor to serve.