June 17, 2025: Election denier to pay millions, county seeks break with state laws, major landslide, spectacular garden

Leaders of conservative Douglas County want voters to give them more authority. The county says it’ll allow them to break with state laws, but opponents disagree, and as voters cast their ballots, they question the movement’s motives. Then, the verdict in a historic trial for a 2020 election denier: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Plus, a garden in Fort Collins puts other gardens to shame, and you can visit it. This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Arlo Pérez Esquivel. It’s edited and produced by Mateo Schimpf and Stephanie Wolf. The executive producer is Rachel Estabrook. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members . Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Megan Verlee report on the verdict in Mike Lindell’s defamation trial . CPR’s Hayley Sanchez shows you the Trial Garden at CSU . CPR’s Haylee May reports on the landslide on Loveland Pass . Learn how to access the Douglas County virtual town hall on home rule at 6 p.m. here .