By Jen Schumann | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
Colorado Springs is dealing with “a hometown Jussie Smollett situation.”
That’s how Todd Watkins, vice chair of the El Paso County Republican Party, described the hate crime hoax involving Mayor Yemi Mobolade. Watkins, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection official and U.S. Army analyst, says political violence in El Paso County has risen during the last nine years.
His remarks highlight the seriousness of the allegations of an alleged hate crime that may have impacted the outcome of a municipal election.
Three individuals have been indicted for their roles in the hoax. But the DOJ has reportedly declined to charge Mobolade despite evidence of false statements. The FBI found that Mobolade allegedly denied contact with one of the indicted individuals, despite evidence of texts and a phone call.
When originally reported, the hate crime angered the community. It sparked calls for justice. Angela Stevens, the president of the Colorado Springs NAACP, condemned the incident before it was revealed as a hoax. In remarks reported by KDVR-TV Fox 31, Stevens said, “We are looking at this as voter intimidation. This is unacceptable. Do we believe that it’s a hoax? Personally, we do not. It’s not funny in any form.”
Stevens’s comments show that community leaders took the incident seriously. They saw it as a grave threat to democracy and voter participation.
Now an investigation reveals the incident was a hoax. The question is whether the marathon toward justice will prevail.
The NAACP is recognized for championing the equal application of the law. Given their original stance on racially-charged incidents, it is fair to expect the NAACP to advocate for fairness in this case.
The Rocky Mountain Voice sought comment from Angela Stevens after three were indicted for a hate crime hoax. Attempts to reach her by phone and email were unsuccessful.
However, her earlier remarks echo a wider belief that justice must be impartial. And key to maintaining the legal system’s credibility for all in the community.
A Colorado elected official told the Rocky Mountain Voice, “The FBI had a record of it. If he denied it, that’s an accountability issue.” This aligns with Watkins’ observation, “They went to talk to him about that incident. He said he didn’t know anything about it. Apparently, he did. That’s a lie — a material fact that was withheld under 18 U.S. Code § 1001.”
George Brauchler, district attorney-elect for Colorado’s 23rd District, echoed this on Twitter/X.
Both Brauchler and Watkins highlighted the need for equal justice. The Colorado official, granted anonymity by Rocky Mountain Voice, shared, “If the DOJ said they couldn’t indict the first black mayor of Colorado Springs, that’s a political, not a legal, decision.”
That Colorado elected official added, “We must return to the rule of law. If laws were broken, it doesn’t matter if you’re a friend of mine or not — accountability must be consistent.”
Watkins similarly remarked, “The leveraging of the race card to earn sympathy votes is pathetic. It’s the reason we have racial problems in this country — not because of us, but because of the narrative spin.”
By failing to investigate Mobolade’s role in this hoax, the DOJ risks a precedent. It may embolden public figures to lie to federal investigators, fearing no repercussions. Meanwhile, the impact of the hate crime hoax perpetuates falsehoods of prejudice and civil unrest based upon ethnic differences.
Watkins criticized the false narrative it created, “Trying to cast Colorado Springs as 1962 Mississippi is absurd. This is not that kind of place.”
Refusing to hold Mobolade accountable may appear as selective enforcement. This could further erode public confidence in federal institutions.
The Colorado elected official called for transparency, stating, “He needs to come clean because if he doesn’t, he’s going to lose a lot of his support. Even if it wasn’t about the cross burning, people won’t believe him without transparency.”
Todd Watkins, George Brauchler and the Colorado elected official have all emphasized the gravity of the Colorado Springs hate crime hoax and the need for accountability.
The allegations against Mayor Mobolade, if substantiated, represent a clear violation of federal statutes, as highlighted by Watkins: “They went to talk to him about that incident, and he said he didn’t know anything about it. Apparently, he did. That’s a lie — a material fact that was withheld under 18 U.S. Code § 1001.”
As Brauchler points out, similar cases, such as Martha Stewart’s, resulted in prosecution and imprisonment.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.