2025 KEYNOTE SPEAKER
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Professor Jonathan Turley
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BIO:
Professor Jonathan Turley is a nationally recognized legal scholar who has written extensively in areas ranging from constitutional law to legal theory to tort law. He has written over three dozen academic articles that have appeared in a variety of leading law journals at Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Northwestern, University of Chicago, and other schools. He is the author of the best-selling and award-winning book, The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage (Simon & Schuster 2024).
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After a stint at Tulane Law School, Professor Turley joined the George Washington faculty in 1990 and, in 1998, was given the prestigious Shapiro Chair for Public Interest Law, the youngest chaired professor in the school’s history. In addition to his extensive publications, Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades, including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, former cabinet members, judges, members of Congress, and a wide range of other clients. He is also one of the few attorneys to successfully challenge both a federal and a state law.
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In 2010, Professor Turley represented Judge G. Thomas Porteous in his impeachment trial. The trial before all 100 U.S. Senators was only the 14th time in the history of the country that such a trial of a judge has reached the Senate floor. In November 2014, Turley served as lead counsel to the United States House of Representatives in its successful constitutional challenge to changes ordered by President Obama to the Affordable Care Act. He has also represented four former attorneys general and high-ranking members of all three branches of government. He has also served as lead counsel in some of the most famous espionage and national security cases in the last two decades, including the Area 51 litigation and the Daniel King espionage case. He was also lead counsel in the World Bank protest case, leading to the largest settlement in history for the one-day arrests of journalists and observers.
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Professor Turley testified over 100 times before the House and Senate on constitutional and statutory issues, including the Senate confirmation hearings of cabinet members and jurists like Justice Neil Gorsuch. He appeared as an expert witness in both the impeachment hearings of President Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. He also testified in the hearing on the basis for a Biden impeachment. In the Trump impeachment, he was the only witness called by the Republicans. In the hearing, Professor Turley opposed the proposed articles of impeachments on bribery, extortion, campaign finance violations or obstruction of justice as legally flawed. The committee ultimately rejected those articles and adopted the only two articles that professor Turley said could be legitimately advanced: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. However, Turley opposed impeachment on this record as incomplete and insufficient for submission to the Senate. Professor Turley’s scholarship was cited by both the House Managers and the White House counsel in their Senate trial, including the showing of videotaped remarks on the interpretation of the constitutional standard.
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In 2024, the Washingtonian featured Professor Turley as one of the most influential persons in public policy in its annual review. He is also a nationally recognized legal commentator. Professor Turley was ranked 38th in the top 100 most cited “public intellectuals” (and second most cited law professor) in the study by Judge Richard Posner. He has been repeatedly ranked in the nation’s top 500 lawyers in annual surveys. In prior years, he was ranked as one of the nation’s top ten lawyers in military law cases. He has been ranked among the world’s top lawyers and legal experts on various international surveys, as well as one of the 100 best-known law professors in history.
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Professor Turley was called the “dean of legal analysts” by the Washington Post who has worked for various networks and newspapers for over three decades. He is currently the legal analyst for Fox News. He has previously worked as a legal analyst for NBC, CBS, BBC, and Fox News. He is also a columnist for USA Today, The Hill, and other national newspapers. Professor Turley’s columns on legal and policy issues appear regularly in national publications with hundreds of articles in such newspapers as the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal. His award-winning blog is routinely ranked among the most popular legal blogs. His blog has received various awards and, in 2013, the ABA Journal inducted the Turley Blog (Res Ipsa) into its Hall of Fame. Professor Turley has also received various free speech and columnist awards.
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Professor Turley received his B.A. at the University of Chicago and his J.D. at Northwestern. In 2008, he was given an honorary Doctorate of Law from John Marshall Law School for his contributions to civil liberties and the public interest.
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DATE: Saturday, September 20, 2025
TIME: 12:30 pm
SUBJECT: Free Speech in an Age of Rage
LOCATION: Town Park • Grand Lake, CO 80447
2025 SPEAKERS
SPEAKER: Professor Rob Natelson
BIO: Rob Natelson is Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies at the Independence Institute in Denver. A former law professor, he has written widely on constitutional law and history. His research into the Constitution's meaning has been cited 39 times by Supreme Court justices since 2013. He also has extensive experience in business, journalism and politics and is a frequent guest on talk radio.
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DATE: Monday, September 15, 2025
TIME: 5:00 pm
SUBJECT: "Ancient Rome and the Constitution"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: John Brackney, J.D.
BIO:
John Brackney is a philosopher, and has spent his life thinking about how to inspire people and to engage them in communities and a society that can help more people reach their higher calling. John is an expert in community engagement, relationship building and community investment, with over 40 years of public policy and community problem solving experience, Today, John helps businesses and organizations become more productive and efficient through mentorship and relationship building.
Formerly, John was elected as an Arapahoe County Commissioner, the youngest in County and like Colorado history at the time. He was re-elected and served as chairman. He served as chairman of the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority (Centennial Airport) under one of the most contentious periods in history, taking a case all the way to the US Supreme Court (and losing), the having Congress write a new law and winning! After leaving office he became the Director of Public Policy at the South Metro Denver Chamber. He then served as the President and CEO and member of the Board of Directors of the South Metro Denver Chamber for a decade.
He is the founder 25 years ago of the largest city in the history of the United States at time of Incorporation, the City of Centennial, Colorado. He also was elected to write it’s Charter or City Constitution after its incorporation.
He is a life-long resident and native of Colorado, has traveled to 38 states and 22 countries and kinda bummed he’s not gonna be able to see them all and meet more wonderful people along the way. He’s been married for 36 years and has two adult daughters.
A lifetime ago, he managed state legislative races while attending law school. During law school and the first Persian Gulf War, he enlisted in the Colorado Army National Guard, later graduating from Officer Candidate School. He eventually became the Company Commander of the 147th Combat Support Hospital, then later served as a Captain at the National Guard State Headquarters. Highlights were leading a medical training exercise in Belize and civil military work in Eastern Europe. He received the Meritorious Service Medal twice and served for 12 years.
He believes he was put here to try his damndest to make a positive difference in the people he meets and the world he touches.
He remains an optimist, problem solver, and patriot and encourages you to be so as well…
For a more formal bio visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrackney/ or a more whimsical bio but one of his more important writings please read: https://brackney.substack.com/p/just-john
To engage in the future he posts daily at: https://www.facebook.com/john.brackney
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DATE: Tuesday, September 16, 2025
TIME: 12:00 Noon
SUBJECT: "Guidelines, advice & discussion to become a focused devout Citizen in a Uniquely American Tradition: a Constitutional framework"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: Brian Blumenfeld, J.D., M.A.
BIO: Brian is a practicing attorney, published author, and a proud long-term resident of Grand Lake. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Wyoming where he has taught law and constitutional government. Brian has published original scholarship on federalism, international law, and marijuana legalization with the University of Virginia's Journal of Social Policy & the Law and with Pepperdine Law Review. He is also, most importantly, the founder and commissioner of the Grand Lake Pond Hockey Classic. Brian holds a J.D. and an M.A. in American Studies from Rutgers University.
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DATE: Tuesday, September 16, 2025
TIME: 5:00 pm
SUBJECT: "The Killdozer and the Constitution: Zoning, Property Rights, and the History of Land Use Law in the U.S. Supreme Court"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: Dr. William Morrisey, Professor Emeritus of Politics at Hillsdale College
BIO: Will Morrisey held the William and Patricia LaMothe Chair in the United States Constitution at Hillsdale College until his retirement in 2015.
A native of Rumson, New Jersey, he served as Executive Director of the Monmouth County Historical Commission before his appointment at Hillsdale College in 2000.
He graduated summa cum laude from Kenyon College with a double major in political science and English. His M. A. and Ph.D in political science are from the New School for Social Research.
He is the author of ten books, including Self-Government: The American Theme: Presidents of the Founding and Civil War; The Dilemma of Progressivism: How Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson Reshaped the American Regime; Churchill and De Gaulle: The Geopolitics of Liberty; and a study of Moby Dick entitled Herman Melville’s Ship of State.
Dr. Morrisey has been an editor of Interpretation: A Journal of Political Philosophy since 1979. His reviews and articles have appeared in The New York Times, Social Science and Modern Society, Law and Liberty, The New Criterion, and many other publications.
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DATE: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
TIME: 5:00 pm
SUBJECT: "Separation of Powers"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: Patrick Warfle, Captain USNR (Ret.)
BIO:
Retired SES Intelligence Community officer and former USNR Captain (Intelligence)
Current Position: President, QUINTUS Consulting, LLC, an independent Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) Consulting Group. Science Fiction Author.
Attributes:
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Space-based and Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Expert;
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Broad Senior Intelligence Community, International Partner and Defense Acquisition Experience;
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Senior Leader in Deployed Combat/Armistice Conditions (Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea);
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Extensive DoD and IC Programming and Budgeting Experience;
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Congressional Staff Experience, as a Congressional Staffer and as an Executive Branch Official;
Department of Defense Career Hightlights (32 years Federal Service):
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Director, Acquisition Intelligence Requirements Task Force (AIR/TF), managing Intelligence support to DoD’s Major Defense Acquisition Programs comprising a $1.4 trillion investment; Led concept designs for a future, agile, sentient intelligence architecture for 5th-Generation weapons;
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Director, Defense Analysis, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (USDI&S); policy oversight and budget authority for the Defense Intelligence Enterprise.
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Deployed National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) Senior Representative to Task Force 714, Bagram, Afghanistan and Balad, Iraq.
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NGA Director for Military Support, responsible for 2000 deployed combat support personnel.
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Chair of Director of National Intelligence (DNI) committee controlling space-based reconnaissance.
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NGA Director of Warning, advising the White House, DNI, Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Combatant Commanders of threat warning from imagery reconnaissance, 24x7.
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Director, Congressional Affairs, NGA.
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Associate Deputy Director, Imagery Acquisition and Operations (IMINT), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), leading 4500 satellite acquisition engineers and space operations officers.
Education:
CAPSTONE Fellow, National Defense University, 2012;
M.S., Defense Industrial Management, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 1995;
M.A., National Security Studies, Georgetown University 1984;
B.A., Government and International Relations, College of William and Mary, 1980;
Read Economics, Christ’s College, Cambridge University, England, 1978.
Awards:
Presidential Rank Award-Meritorious Executive; Secretary of Defense Global War on Terror Medal; NGA Distinguished Civilian Service Medal; NGA Meritorious Civilian Service Medal; NRO Superior Service Medallion; military awards and decorations as a Reserve Officer (DMSM, JSCM, NCM, NAM).
Military Service:
Retired U.S. Navy Reserve Captain (O-6); two command tours; Wartime Reserve J2, US Forces Korea.
Personal:
Married to the former Jane N Bush, a Tax Attorney with Bloomberg; Rock drummer; Painter; Amateur Astronomer; Fly Fisherman; Eagle Scout; American Legion Post 88, and Grampa.
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DATE: Thursday, September 18, 2025
TIME: 12:00 Noon
SUBJECT: "Warrior Panel: What my Oath to the US Constitution Meant to Me"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: Norm Steen, Brigadier General (Ret.), US Army/ARNG
BIO:
“Norm Steen is the State Director of the American Legion Colorado Boys State program and a member of the American Legion Boys Nation staff, which are youth programs of the American Legion for civics education of high school juniors at the state and national levels.
Norm served as an Army combat arms officer for more than 32 years, retiring at the rank of Brigadier General in 2010. As a logistics planner, he assisted with the redeployment of more than 16,000 soldiers and their equipment from Operation Desert Storm from the Middle East in 1991.While serving as a National Guard officer for most of his military career, he founded and led a civilian commercial logistics services company for nearly 20 years.
In 2012, Norm sold his business and ran for public office, was elected County Commissioner for Teller County, Colorado, and was re-elected in 2016. He has testified before the Colorado Legislature numerous times on Constitutional and public policy matters and once before a US Congressional committee.
In 2021, Norm served as the District Director for a US Congressman, leading constituent services and outreach.
Norm has a Bachelor of Science in Economics, a Masters in Public Administration, and a Masters in Military Studies. He is a 2016 graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies. He currently volunteers with his local church, American Legion post, Junior Achievement, and is the current president of the Ute Pass Kiwanis Club.
He has been married to his wife Dr Cheryl Steen for 46 years. They have three grown children and six grandchildren and reside in Woodland Park CO, soon moving to Loveland CO.
Norm’s current focus in life is to ‘work on the handoff’—to prepare the next generation of young people for life’s important issues, including living out United States Constitutional values and principles.”
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DATE: Thursday, September 18, 2025
TIME: 12:00 Noon
SUBJECT: "Warrior Panel: What my Oath to the US Constitution Meant to Me"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: Lt. Col. Jim Moat, USAF (Ret.)
BIO: Coming Retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, combat aircrew member, and ordained Roman Catholic deacon.
Military Background:
22-year Air Force career (1969-1991);
C-130 Hercules Navigator, AC-130 Specter Gunship Sensor Operator, F-4 Phantom Weapon Systems Officer;
Survived a Surface-to-Air Missile (SA-7) strike over Vietnam which crash-landed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Thailand;
Air Force Forces Operations Rep during OPERATION JUST CAUSE (Panama, 1989); Personnel Programs Staff Officer at AF Military Personnel Center; Planning & Programming Officer, Hq USAFE and 12th AF.
Military Awards and Decorations:
Four Distinguished Flying Crosses;
Four Meritorious Service Medals;
Nine Air Medals;
Two Air Force Commendation Medals;
Air Force Achievement Medal.
Education and Training:
Immaculate Conception Seminary;
BA, University of Colorado, Boulder;
MA, Pepperdine University;
National Security Management College;
Air Command &; Staff College.
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DATE: Thursday, September 18, 2025
TIME: 12:00 Noon
SUBJECT: "Warrior Panel: What my Oath to the US Constitution Meant to Me"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: Dr. Thomas Krannawitter, Ph.D.
BIO: Dr. Thomas L. Krannawitter is the founding president of Waypoints—a teaching system for high schools based on primary source documents and key ideas of liberty—and proprietor of the Substack Zetetic Questions.
He sits on the Mackinac Center’s Board of Scholars, the
Scholarly Advisory Board at The Gilder Lehrman Institute of
American History, and he is a member of the National
Association of Scholars.
He holds a Ph.D. from the School of Politics & Economics at the Claremont Graduate University. He has taught undergraduate and graduate classes at Claremont McKenna College, Hillsdale College, Ashland University, and George Mason University.
He was formerly Vice President at The Claremont Institute, where he helped launch The Claremont Review of Books in 2001.
He’s been one of the principal instructors for the Leadership Program of the Rockies for over twenty years, where he directs the Defenders of the Declaration of Independence
program, and he frequently advises businesses and charitable organizations on communications, employee culture development, branding, and fundraising.
He is currently teaching the Elite Leadership Program within J.R. Butler, Inc, one of the nation’s top commercial glass and fenestration companies. Dr. Krannawitter has testified before state legislatures, though he doesn’t put much faith in politicians. That’s why he focuses on teaching citizens, helping teachers, students, business owners, employees, and others to improve our modern American culture through persuasion and moving stories. Americans
won’t get principled constitutional policies from their government until they demand politicians who are principled constitutionalists.
Dr. Krannawitter’s research and published writings have ranged from politics to history to constitutional law to economics to social commentary, from specific historic events to timeless philosophic questions.
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His 2008 book, Vindicating Lincoln, was featured by The History Book Club and endorsed by the United States Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
His 2014 book, Crisis of Our House Divided: A Guide To Talking Politics Without The Noise, applies the lessons of Lincoln to our challenges today. His most recent book,
Save the Swamp: Career Guidebook for Budding Bureaucrats, is different. Swamp is funny. It’s satire. Feel free to check out Dr. Krannawitter’s author page at Amazon.
Currently, Dr. Krannawitter is finishing a civic primer titled, Tragedy & Triumph: The American Founding and the Greatest Anti-Slavery Movement in History.
Dr. Krannawitter has received many research fellowships throughout his career, including the H.B. Earhart Fellowship (which puts him in the company of other Earhart Fellows such as Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, Thomas Sowell, Larry Arnn, and Ed Feulner).
He was a Winston Churchill Society Fellow, a Henry Salvatori Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a Richard Weaver Fellow at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and the recipient of a John M. Olin Foundation Fellowship.
Dr. Krannawitter grew up in Hays, Kansas, where he wrenched on cars in his father’s full service Phillips 66 gas station. He can be tempted occasionally with a cigar or a peaty Scotch, or both. He is married and he has three children. He is a romantic about baseball, though most people think he roots for the wrong team.
It’s not unusual for him to arrive at professional events with fur from his English Cream Golden Retrievers adorning his suit: When the choice is between staying tidy and
smooching his dogs, he smooches the dogs.
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DATE: Thursday, September 18, 2025
TIME: 5:00 pm
SUBJECT: "Dred Scott, The Constitution, & The Declaration of Independence: Lies That Stick"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: National Society Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), Colorado Chapter
BIO:
Honoring our Revolutionary patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving our communities and educating and inspiring future generations about the founding
principles of our country.
Patriot Chest Program – Qualified members, dressed in period-correct 18 th century uniforms providing hands-on history in classroom settings. We use teaching aids, such
as reproduction period items to spark youth interest and letting youth experience what it was like during the Colonial Period.
Friday Programs:
11:00 AM – Demonstration, loading and firing of our muskets. Discuss common phrases such as “fire in the hole, knock on wood, flash in the pan”, as they relate to musket use.
11:30 AM – Break out presentations
Younger children – Life in Colonial Times and Education in Colonial Times. Ever wonder what life was like 250 years ago.
What was your home like? What chores did you have to do? What were your living conditions? What was school like and what subjects did you learn?
Older Youth – What were the events that led loyal Colonists to reject the King and strive for independence? How did these events / Parliamentary Laws affect the colonists and subsequently influence the writing of the Constitution and Bill of Rights – Peacefully?
12:30 PM – Dress up – Children and adults will be able to dress up in Colonial and Continental Army clothing for pictures.
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Presenters –
Robert Guy – ancestor was Major Jacob Miller of the Massachusetts Colonial Militia
Rob Hampton – ancestor was Capt. John Files, SR of the Virginia Colonial Militia
Chip Dawes – ancestor was Cpl. John Daws, a member of the Continental Army and member of General Washington’s life Guard.
Steve DeBoer – ancestor was Colonel David Chambers of the New Jersey Colonial Militia.
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DATE: Friday, September 19, 2025
TIME: 11:00 am
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.
SPEAKER: Allen Thomas, III
BIO:
Allen Thomas is a Colorado native, husband to his high-school sweetheart, and father of two boys. He serves Colorado audiences as a featured author and frequent guest host on The Kim Monson Show, where he has written more than 60 articles exploring America’s founding principles, civic character, and the habits that keep a republic free. Allen holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Science and Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, both earned in 2012, and is a 2018 graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies. He has emceed Northern Colorado’s “Blessing of Liberty” celebration three times.
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One of his convictions is increasing civic education one citizen at a time. The Federalist Papers explain why our constitutional structure channels conflict, guards liberty, and asks every citizen to practice self-governance. His talks turn those first principles into clear language and simple practices that students and adults can use at home, in school, and in the community.
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DATE: Friday, September 19, 2025
TIME: 5:00 pm
SUBJECT: "Learning New Things From An Old Book: What the Federalist Papers Reveal about the Constitution and Life"
LOCATION: Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.