Anti-Trump measure ignores ‘rising crime’ and ‘cost of living’: blue state GOP
Colorado lawmakers spent hours on Friday afternoon debating a resolution led by Democrats to denounce President Donald Trump’s pardons of Jan. 6 prisoners. This comes at a time when the state is facing a significant budget shortfall of around $1.2 billion for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Republican minority leader Rep. Rose Pugliese criticized the resolution, calling it a distraction from the pressing issues facing Coloradans. She accused the majority of focusing on partisan resolutions instead of addressing the real concerns of the state, such as rising costs, a budget deficit, increasing crime rates, and an affordability crisis.
The resolution passed by a vote of 41-23 in the Democrat-controlled state House of Representatives, with Democratic Rep. Lisa Feret voting against it. Republicans, who provided public comment against the resolution, went as far as turning their chairs away from the assembly speaker during the hearing in protest. Several amendments proposed by lawmakers to modify the wording of the resolution were rejected.
State Rep. Jarvis Caldwell expressed his frustration on social media, criticizing the focus on the resolution instead of important issues like the cost of living and crime. Republican Rep. Ryan Gonzalez also voiced his concerns, accusing the majority of passing messaging resolutions indirectly aimed at the former President.
Democratic lawmakers Nick Hinrichsen and Matt Ball sponsored the resolution in the state Senate, where it passed in a party-line vote of 21-12. The resolution condemns Trump’s pardons and the mass termination of FBI agents investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
In response to the resolution, Republican lawmakers and supporters took to social media to express their opposition, claiming that the resolution does not address the state’s $1 billion budget deficit and accusing Democrats of playing political games.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican representing Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, questioned whether partisan politics would lower the cost of essential goods like eggs. Despite the backlash, the resolution is set to pass, with Democratic representatives Sean Camacho and Michael Carter sponsoring the state House version.
As tensions rise between the two parties, the focus remains on the fallout from the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and the subsequent pardons issued by Trump. The resolution serves as a symbolic gesture of condemnation, highlighting the deep divide in political ideologies within the state.
Overall, the debate over the resolution underscores the larger issues facing Colorado, from budget deficits to political polarization. As lawmakers navigate these challenges, the focus remains on finding common ground and addressing the needs of all Coloradans.
