Ben Murrey serves as Independence Institute’s Director of Fiscal Policy, working to promote fiscal responsibility in Colorado government and to defend the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in the state’s constitution. Prior to his role with II, Ben spent seven years as a United States Senate staffer in Washington, D.C. and a legislative aide for Senator Ted Cruz. While in Washington, he participated in numerous legislative and policy battles, including those over the 2014 effort to defund Obamacare, passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, and passage the CARES Act in 2020. He also took on other fights to stop federal bureaucratic overreach, limit the size and scope of the federal government, and restore fiscal order in Congress. Before moving to D.C., Ben coordinated grassroots and get-out-the-vote efforts for 45 east Texas counties for the Ted Cruz for Senate campaign during the 2012 runoff election. He served as Deputy Director of Operations during the general election. A graduate of Hillsdale College with honors from both the Politics and German departments, Ben has been steeped in the principles and precepts of limited government, free market economics, and individual liberty. He did two stints as an exchange student in Germany, first on a State Department scholarship where he spent a year living with a German family and attending a German high school (Gymnasium) in Bremen and later for a semester at the University of Saarland. He speaks fluent German. A native Texan, Ben spent his formative years vacationing in and falling in love with Colorful Colorado. Years working the D.C. swamp left him with the strong conviction that most of America’s governing should happen at the state and local level. He finally put his money where his mouth was by moving with his wife and son to Denver and joining the Independence Institute staff.

Prior to his role with II, Ben spent seven years as a United States Senate staffer in Washington, D.C. and a legislative aide for Senator Ted Cruz. While in Washington, he participated in numerous legislative and policy battles, including those over the 2014 effort to defund Obamacare, passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, and passage the CARES Act in 2020. He also took on other fights to stop federal bureaucratic overreach, limit the size and scope of the federal government, and restore fiscal order in Congress. Before moving to D.C., Ben coordinated grassroots and get-out-the-vote efforts for 45 east Texas counties for the Ted Cruz for Senate campaign during the 2012 runoff election. He served as Deputy Director of Operations during the general election.

A graduate of Hillsdale College with honors from both the Politics and German departments, Ben has been steeped in the principles and precepts of limited government, free market economics, and individual liberty. He did two stints as an exchange student in Germany, first on a State Department scholarship where he spent a year living with a German family and attending a German high school (Gymnasium) in Bremen and later for a semester at the University of Saarland. He speaks fluent German.

A native Texan, Ben spent his formative years vacationing in and falling in love with Colorful Colorado. Years working the D.C. swamp left him with the strong conviction that most of America’s governing should happen at the state and local level. He finally put his money where his mouth was by moving with his wife and son to Denver and joining the Independence Institute staff.

https://i2i.org/about/our-people/ben-murrey/

https://i2i.org/author/beni2i/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-murrey-40500426/

Fred Bibik earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Colorado School of Law, and went on to earn his Masters of Law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.  He began his career with the District Attorney's Office in the First Judicial District (Jefferson and Gilpin Counties) where he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases.  Fred left the District Attorney and joined a prominent Jefferson County law firm where he worked for individual and business clients in a wide range of legal matters. 

Fred currently limits his practice to criminal defense, emphasizing defense of Domestic Violence matters.  He accepts criminal cases in all misdemeanor and felony matters, and also offers defense of alcohol-related driving offenses.  Fred represents attorneys in matters before the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, and acts on behalf of clients who believe their attorneys have committed legal malpractice. 

The Equal Justice Foundation and DVMen.org have granted Fred their highest recommendation for legal representation in the defense of Domestic Violence matters.  He is a member of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, the Colorado Bar Association, and is ranked among the 100 Best Trial Lawyers in Colorado.