Colorado commentator calls on Senate president to address Sullivan’s treatment of citizen witnesses

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project

The Free State Colorado video I link to first below was infuriating to me. In it, host Brandon Wark details Senator Tom Sullivan’s berating of a witness who came to testify on a bill before a committee where Sullivan is chair. Not okay. I don’t care what the bill is. I don’t care what any one person’s or organization’s stance on it is. This is impolite, bullying behavior and it’s not okay.

Nor is it, and this is why I find it infuriating, the first time I’ve seen Sullivan do this in public. The second link below is to an earlier newsletter about a time a ways back where, shockingly, Senator Sullivan berated some citizens who came in to speak about a gun bill, essentially lobbing the accusation at them that they were profiteering off of murder.

Again, bullying behavior. Again, not okay.

In the Free State Colorado video, Senator Sullivan, when he denies the person he berated the chance to respond, suggests that she write to Senate President James Coleman.

What a good idea, Senator Sullivan. I believe I will take you up on that. If you would like to follow suit with both my open letter (see beneath the links) and/or a phone call to Senate President Coleman’s office, you’ll find his contact information here:

[email protected]
(303) 866-4864

In the meantime, if you know someone who lives in Senator Sullivan’s district (see the picture of the map attached as screenshot 1), a word to them regarding the behavior of who speaks for them at the state senate wouldn’t be out of order.

Open email (sent to the address above along with a phone call to the number above) follows the links.

https://coloradoaccountabilityproject.substack.com/p/an-open-letter-to-senators-sullivan?utm_source=publication-search

An open letter to Colorado Senate President James Coleman and Senator Tom Sullivan:

Hello to both,

My name is Cory Gaines and I am writing this open email (along with sharing with my readers) regarding what I saw in a recent video posted by Free State Colorado. Once again, as happened back in March of 2023 (at least — I have a feeling it’s likely that there are more I am unaware of seeing how leopards don’t change their spots), Senator Sullivan openly berated witnesses who came to testify.

In 2023, he did it as a member of a committee while you, Senator Coleman, did nothing substantive in response.

Recently, he did it as a chair of a committee. After doing so, when the witness asked if she could respond to his remarks about her, he told her no and that she could take her concerns to you.

I am hoping that you do SOMETHING this time as opposed to the NOTHING you did previously. I cannot imagine losing a child. As a father, I don’t even want to think about losing my young one, regardless of cause.

Still, loss or not, we are responsible for our life choices and the bullying that Senator Sullivan continues to display to people in this state, citizens who come to speak to their legislature, is by no means okay.

His loss does not excuse his repeated poor behavior.

What you do, or what you fail to do, here will show us exactly how you feel Senator Coleman about the people of Colorado.

C

Related:

Not only does Sullivan’s behavior go unchecked by his Senate Colleagues, it goes unchecked, and unremarked-upon, by our watchdog media.

Again, bullying is not okay. Tragedy doesn’t make ones behavior and words unassailable.

https://coloradoaccountabilityproject.substack.com/p/senator-sullivans-dismissive-rhetoric?utm_source=publication-search

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT COLORADO ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT

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