By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice
A month has passed since Republicans in the Colorado House of Representatives first called upon Speaker Julie McCluskie to hear Articles of Impeachment for Secretary of State Jena Griswold.
“Since being elected, the secretary of state has used her position as a platform for her partisan political ideology and has proven herself unfit for this elected position,” a new letter from Rep. Ryan Armagost and signed by 16 other Republicans reads.
The letter, dated March 6, 2024, terms it imperative to have the matter placed on the legislative calendar.
“The secretary of state has consistently been criticized for her lack of transparency and questionable bias,” Armagost’s letter continues. “Her partisan political beliefs are constantly the subject of her communication to the state, indicating her lack of respect for facilitating unbiased and fair elections. The secretary of state’s request for the removal of a Presidential candidate [Donald Trump] from a primary ballot, on the basis of accusations and personal feelings, demonstrates a lack of professionalism and integrity.”
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled for removal of Trump’s name from the ballot, citing the 14th Amendment. The ruling was unanimously overturned by a 9-0 vote this week of the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump has neither been charged with or convicted of insurrection related to the events of Jan. 6, 2020. On that day, Trump called upon his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
“Colorado should be able to bar oath-breaking insurrectionists from our ballot,” Griswold had said.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Windsor, added in a letter jointly written with the Colorado Republican Party this week, “Coloradans should have zero faith in you [Griswold] to adequately protect their right to vote.”
Griswold had attempted to “disenfranchise millions of Coloradans” and attempted to “shut down [Coloradans] right to support a candidate of their choice,” reads the letter jointly signed by Boebert, Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams, along with the vice chair and secretary of the party.
Boebert and the Republican Party pledged “all legal options available” would be considered in regards to Griswold, “including a formal recall effort.”
House Republicans, meanwhile, have asked Articles of Impeachment be added to the House schedule immediately. Their letter concludes as follows:
“The secretary of state’s effort to remove a Presidential candidate from the ballot, recently ruled unconstitutional by a unanimous vote of the U.S. Supreme Court, would have silenced the voice of Coloradans statewide, thus displaying a direct threat to Coloradans’ freedom of speech. Minority Leader Pugliese and I submitted this resolution on Feb. 8 and it has yet to be scheduled for the floor. We, the undersigned members of the House of Representatives, implore you to add this resolution to the House schedule immediately.”
The letter is signed by Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, Republican Whip Richard Holtorf and other leaders and representatives in the House Republican conference.