Lawn kegger at guv mansion today

CSU student and gubernatorial fortunate son August Ritter has attracted the attention of Mason Tvert and the state's pro-cannabis movement after throwing a bash at the governor's mansion. Photos of Ritter, twenty-two years old, drinking from a keg and holding the state flag were recently obtained and published by The Denver Post and 9News.

In response, Tvert's group, SAFER, is holding its own kegger on the mansion lawn today at 2:30 p.m. to protest the seeming encouragement of drinking at parties, instead of pot smoking. Governor Bill Ritter's spokesman, Evan Dreyer, told 9News that no one under twenty-one was drinking at the party -- a Mansion Masquerade. In an invite to the gathering, found at a social-networking site, Auggie reminds guests that there's no puking or "sexy time" at mansion throwdowns.

From a SAFER press release:

"If everyone partying at the Governor's Mansion was of age to use alcohol legally, they were also of age to use marijuana legally under Denver laws," said SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert. "Allowing adults to drink straight from a keg-tap and drink hard liquor off of a ski, while making criminals out of those who simply use a less harmful drug, is totally a party foul."

Denver voters approved a ballot initiative in 2005, amending city ordinances to make private possession of small amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 and older. City officials have said they are bound to continue enforcing the state marijuana possession law in the city.

"This is partying discrimination and the governor should grant equal party time in his publicly-funded home to those adults who prefer to make the safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol," Tvert said. "The People of Denver have spoken and it is time for our state government to stop the hypocrisy."

Tvert is always pretty crafty with these types of stunts, confronting Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Denver Broncos in the past over policies that favor drinking over pot smoking. No word on whether the Ritter family will head out to the mansion lawn for a kegstand, but why not grab a TGIF beer with some stoners if you're around 400 E. 8th Avenue this afternoon.