Station: KNUS, 710 AM

Show:     Craig Silverman Show

Guests:  Keyser

Link:      http://craigsilverman.podbean.com/

Date:      January 3o, 2016

Topics:

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HOST CRAIG SILVERMAN:  This guy can tell real war stories.  He happens to be a lawyer but he’s a lot more than that. His name is Jon Kaiser. He wants the be United States Senator.  Jon Kaiser, welcome to Craig’s Lawyers’ Lounge.  How are you, sir?

FORMER REPRESENTATIVE FROM HOUSE DISTRICT 25 AND CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO, JON KEYSER:   Hi, Craig!  How’s it going?  It’s great to be with you today, and glad to be here in the Lawyers’ Lounge and certainly happy to be able to talk with all of your listeners.

SILVERMAN:  Well, I have a team of paralegals standing by to bring you anything your heart may desire.  What can they bring you?

KEYSER:   I’ll tell you what, what we need right now is a grassroots army that’s going to go ahead and beat Michael Bennet.  We’ve got a 283 day mission ahead of us, and that’s to really go out and listen to all Coloradans, and to make sure that we understand that Colorado does need a Senator that understands the threats we face, at home and abroad, and someone who is willing to do what it takes to protect our nation and ensure that Colorado families are safe and secure.  And I am that guy.

SILVERMAN:  Well, I have a link to your website, I’m going to print that out my paralegals are going to run around Aurora and Denver and do what they can for you.  Tell us about yourself, Jon Kaiser.  There’s a beautiful young family pictured on your website.  Is that really your wife and children, or are they just actors?

KEYSER:   It’s hard to believe.  I’m a lucky guy.  I am a lucky guy, for sure.  Yeah, my wife Emma and our daughter Eleanor, and our son Jack, are on our website at JonKeyser.com – [spells out the URL].  So, yeah, go in there and take a look.  But, I’m a Colorado guy.  I grew up on the Western Slope, a very blue collar family.  I lived in the Bayfield and Durango area, and went to high school in Montrose.  And, you know, then, Craig, I was pretty fortunate because I was able to attend the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.  And that was a pretty important part of my life, because 9/11 happened while I was at the Academy.

SILVERMAN:  Wow!

KEYSER:   So, all of our lives changed at that time, but really, it has sort of shaped my life because – really my entire adult life has been focused on terrorism, radical Islamic Jihadism, and doing what is necessary to keep the United States and Colorado safe.  So–.

SILVERMAN:   I love that about you.  Did you serve overseas in the military?

KEYSER:   You bet! You bet.  And you know, when I graduated from the Air Force Academy, Craig, there were two ground wars going on.  And so, for an Air Force guy, it was a little bit interesting.  So I decided, you know, I think the biggest place where I can help make a big difference is on the ground. So I volunteered and I deployed to Iraq, and then also later to Afghanistan.  I’ve had some other deployments in there, and I’m actually an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force Reserve right now.

SILVERMAN:  Well, thank you for your service to the country.  How did law school fit in to all of this?

KEYSER:   Well, law school – actually, I went to Afghanistan right in the middle of law school, believe it or not.  So, I had –

SILVERMAN:  Some people will do anything to get out of those exams.  Yeah.

KEYSER:   Well, I didn’t get out of any exams.  I’ll tell you that.  I doubled up my class load to finish that, but, you know, that was about six years ago.  And then I went on to be a successful business lawyer.  But I was also elected to the Colorado House of Representatives.  But, you know, Craig, I think that the situation that we face right now across the globe – it’s dangerous.  It is very dangerous.  We have a United States Senator who, really, I don’t think appreciates and understands how dangerous this world is, and [inaudible]–.

SILVERMAN:  Well, yeah, and we’ll get around to Michael Bennet.  He is in my crosshairs, too. And I’ve invited him about fourteen times to come on my show. He won’t come on, even though he could come in to Craig’s Lawyers’ Lounge – he’s a lawyer, too — but he’s afraid to talk about things on the public airwaves.  I’m glad that you are the opposite. You did have an experience as a legislator.  What area did represent in the State House?

KEYSER:   So, a very important area – about 55% [65%???] of Jefferson County, which we both know is a swing county here in Colorado, a very important county.  I was certainly proud to represent House District 25, but I decided that, you know what?  If you’re going to be serious about beating Michael Bennet, you’ve got to go all in.  And so I decided I’m going to resign from the House of Representatives, which I’ve already done, and also decided to resign from my position at my law firm.  And so, for the next 283 days, we’re at a fast sprint.

SILVERMAN:  I like that!

KEYSER:   There is not a moment to waste.

SILVERMAN:  I like it.  I like the fact that you’re on the radio and you don’t know what I’m going to ask next.  Here’s my next question:  What makes a good legislator, and why are you that guy?

KEYSER:   Well, I think certainly being a legislator, or at least having a little bit of a voting record, is really important because it tells people where I stand.  I mean, there’s no question that when people look at my legislative record, they’re going to immediately notice things like editorial boards and others have said that I’m a Colorado guy and a common sense Colorado conservative, and that I’m a fiscal conservative, for sure, and that I’m not afraid to stand up to Democrats, and I certainly won’t hesitate to stand up to the GOP establishment, either.  You know, I opposed the largest budget in Colorado history, even though the Republican establishment supported it last year.  I think that’s pretty important here in the primary, but I think it speaks to the sort of process and the principles that you go through when you have to make those certain decisions in governing.

SILVERMAN:  Well, I know you have limited time, so I’m doing a little bit of a lightning docket.  I’m going to name a controversial public policy, and I’d like you –as quickly as you can – to tell us if you’re for or against.  Common Core.

KEYSER:   Against.

SILVERMAN:  Capital punishment.

KEYSER:   For.

SILVERMAN:  Global warming.

KEYSER:   Well, I don’t think any of us are for global warming, but you know, I believe in science.  I think that the climate is changing but the question is how much, and to what extent human factors are contributing to that.  And I certainly don’t think that–.

SILVERMAN:  Should America follow the lead of Barack Obama and did you like that Paris conference?

KEYSER:   Well, look, there’s no question that we can’t afford to cripple our United States economy and our economy here in Colorado when we know that a bunch of other people around the world aren’t going to do anything at all.  So, you know, every single one of us wants a cleaner, better environment to live in.  And because I’m a Coloradan, that’s important to me.  I think that’s something they also notice, you know, as a legislator was named “Preservationist of the Year” because I am a conservationist.  I mean, I do believe that we want to leave our Colorado environment better for our future generations.  I look at my kids and I know for sure that, you know, that they deserve exactly what I had growing up.

SILVERMAN:  You want to–.

KEYSER:   But I’ll tell you what:  Michael Bennet doesn’t believe that.

SILVERMAN:  Right.

KEYSER:   Michael Bennet doesn’t.  He wants to cripple our economy. He’s willing to do Barack Obama’s bidding, and 98% of the time during his tenure there in the Senate, he’s been a rubberstamp for Barack Obama.

SILVERMAN:  Are you pro-life, or pro-choice?

KEYSER:   I’m pro-life, and I’ve always been pro-life.

SILVERMAN:  Any exceptions?

KEYSER:   I have three exceptions: rape, incest, that and life of the mother.

SILVERMAN:  What about illegal immigration? Do you think we have a problem?

KEYSER:   Of course we have a problem. We have a massive problem and a national security problem. [Something about closing the border]

SILVERMAN:  What about in Colorado?  Should we have in-state tuition for illegal immigrant children?

KEYSER:   You know what?  I don’t think we need to – that’s something that the Colorado voters, I think, have already discussed. But where my focus will be is National security. And Michael Bennet has been terrible on that.  You know, he wants open borders.  I mean, he just recently opposed some very common sense legislation to reform our immigration system and that would prevent radical Islamist terrorists from posing as masquerading as refugees coming to our country.

SILVERMAN:  Should we take any Syrian refugees?

KEYSER:   Well, sure. We should take any refugees if we have the assurance that they are who they say they are.  I think that’s very important to know.  The process that we have in place right now doesn’t allow those assurances. So, you know, my concern is the safety and security of Colorado and I want to make sure that we aren’t bringing terrorists here to Colorado. You know, Michael Bennett – he voted a number of times to close Guantánamo Bay, which would bring the worst of the worst terrorists from Guantánamo Bay, probably right here to Colorado.  So, you know, while I am going to be constantly on the watch to make sure that we are keeping Coloradans safe and secure, Michael Bennet has done exactly the opposite to that.

SILVERMAN:  Are you a high tax or a low tax kind of guy? And how do you feel about changing TABOR – the taxpayers’ bill of rights?

KEYSER:   Well, sir, that’s a state issue and I’m running for United States Senate, but I am a low tax guy.  I think that the free market economy is something that is going to always work best and the more government, and the more regulations that you pile on, the less the business owner – the small business owner, the family – has the ability to be free and make the judgment of how to spend their money the way they want to spend it.

SILVERMAN:  How do you feel about legalized marijuana in the state of Colorado?

KEYSER:   Well, I’ll tell you, I think the 10^th amendment is very, very important. And I will guard Colorado’s rights on any issue to be able to do with the people of Colorado want to do. And, by the way, they said that they want to have legalized recreational marijuana here in Colorado, but I think we need to stay focused that it stays out of the hands of kids, and we need to make sure that we understand and have the facts on how or if it is affecting public safety – driving, things like that.

SILVERMAN:  Well, Bill O’Reilly and Stuart Varney were on the “O’Reilly Factor” [Fox News show] last night, saying that the people of Colorado who voted for [Amendment] 64 are villains.  And that they’ve ruined the country because some people are buying marijuana in Colorado and taking it to other states.  How do you feel about Oklahoma and Nebraska’s lawsuit against Colorado?

KEYSER:   Well, look, the fact of the matter is if somebody is doing that than they’re breaking the law.  They’re breaking the law and that shouldn’t be allowed at all. So, you know, what we need to do is make sure that Colorado has the restrictions in place that will keep marijuana out of the hands of kids and that will help make sure that we have safe roads to drive on, and things like that.  So –.

SILVERMAN:  What about the Iran nuke deal?  How did you feel about that?

 

 

KEYSER:   It’s the biggest foreign policy failure that – you know, I think – that we’ve had in the last 50, maybe 100 years.  You know, the fact of the matter is that the sanctions were working.  Craig, the sanctions were working.  And, by the way, I can’t even call it a ‘deal’.  You know, Michael Bennet will call this ‘a good deal’.  Well, a deal implies that we get something.  I think the only thing that we got out of this deal is being mocked by the Iranian government and the Ayatollahs.  And you know, they’re laughing at the United States.  They think, “I can’t believe that you guys agreed to do this!”  I mean, what we said was, you know, “We’re going to give you a $100 billion to fund state terrorism.”  I think they did all around the world.  And by the way, John Kerry and the White House, just this last week, said, “You know what? Yeah, we know that some of that money – that $100 billion that we gave the Iranians—that’s going to go directly to terrorists, and wind up probably killing – you know — certainly innocent civilians and very possibly Americans.  And I also think it’s going to ensure that Iran – probably by the time my kids are in high school – is a nuclear capable country.  Certainly they gave up some of their abilities right now so that they could get that sanctions relief.  But we allowed them to get $100 billion.  Now they’re turning out maybe 500 [thousand] to maybe a million barrels of oil a day, putting that on the market.  Their economy is booming.  Michael Bennet cares more about the Iranian economy than he does about the Colorado economy.

SILVERMAN:  I could not agree with you more.  And even the New York Times reported this week that the moderates in Iran are still losing out to the hardliners.  They have disqualified 7000 candidates as not being sharia compliant enough, or suitable to run for office and so if they thought there was going to be reform, it hasn’t come.  Michael Bennet, to me, was a huge disappointment –the way he turned his back on the people who supported him and voted with President on the Iran nuke deal.  I want him out of office.  Why are you the best guy to beat him?

KEYSER:   Well, I’ll tell you what – just to finish up on your thoughts around Iran, I mean, you’ve got to remember who we’re talking about, too, you know.  These are people –.  This is very personal to me, Craig, because I served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And the Iranian-backed insurgents killed my friends.  So, they killed – we say probably a thousand Americans in uniform, certainly many, many more around the globe.  They deny the Holocaust.  As a matter of fact, I think the Ayatollah just this week was saying again how, you know, the Holocaust is not real and all that kind of stuff.  So, this is pretty amazing that Michael Bennet is willing to cut that sort of terrible, terrible deal.  He’s a terrible negotiator.  He’s dangerous, frankly.  He’s dangerous for Colorado, and Colorado deserves a Senator who is willing to do what it takes to keep Colorado safe and secure.

SILVERMAN:  Now, here comes the most important question.  I know you’ve been prepped on a lot of things, but how deep does your blood run with orange and blue for the Broncos?

KEYSER:   Well, I’ll tell you what, you know, growing up, I think that me and every single one of my friends wanted to be John Elway.  And you know, certainly got to see some heart-breaking Super Bowls, and when I was older, some great ones.  So, I tell you what, this week is going to be fantastic!  I think next Sunday is going to be a great day for Colorado and it’s going to be great for the Broncos.

SILVERMAN:  Well, Jon Kaiser, I really appreciate your time. I hope you will come back.  I think you’re an exciting, viable candidate for this spot to beat Michael Bennet.  I’ve made no secret of the fact that I oppose Michael Bennet.  He refuses to do radio interviews.  His vote on the Iran nuke deal was disastrous.  It was a betrayal of a lot of people who supported him.  So, I wish you nothing but good luck.  And again, if anybody wants to support Jon Keyser, go to my radio website.  It will link right to JonKeyser.com.  You can see his beautiful family.  And thank you, Jon, for your service to our country and I hope we can visit again in the not-so-distant future.

KEYSER:   Thank you very much, Craig.  [I] enjoyed it.  Thanks to your listeners.  And I’ll tell you what, I look forward to talking to you again soon!

SILVERMAN:  All right.  Thank you, Jon Keyser.