Rochelle Galindo:
Posted on 04/08/2019 4:54:41 PM PDT by real saxophonist
Colorado Treasurer Dave Young says Galindo recall effort ‘raises serious questions’
News | April 7, 2019
Tyler Silvy
tsilvy@greeleytribune.com
Amid a backdrop of calls for secession and a push for the recall of numerous Democratic state legislators, a House District 50 Democrat voted for a controversial firearms bill, as well as numerous changes to oil and gas regulations.
That Democrat wasn’t Rochelle Galindo, the current House District 50 representative who is now the subject of a recall effort.
It was former District 50 Rep. Dave Young, who never encountered a recall effort.
A Tribune review of Young’s votes from the 2013 legislative session reveal Young’s support for limits on high-capacity magazines and for background checks for gun sales between private parties. It revealed a “yes” vote on a controversial renewable energy mandate for rural electric cooperatives that served as another basis for the failed 51st State initiative that year.
And it revealed “yes” votes on bills that increased oil and gas spill reporting requirements, monitoring requirements, increased fines for oil and gas violations and sought to change the mission and makeup of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, including forcing the commission to prioritize health and safety.
Young, who is now the state treasurer, said he has thought a lot about his record in comparison to Galindo’s amid the ongoing recall attempt.
“In many, many ways, the votes I’ve taken and the policy stances I’ve had are pretty much the same (as Galindo),” Young said. “The question is, ‘Why her and not me?’ What is it about her that they’re really attacking here? I think that raises some pretty serious questions.”
It was ostensibly Galindo’s “yes” vote on Senate Bill 19-181, the oil and gas regulations bill that led to the recall effort against her.
It’s what recall leaders have touted publicly and printed on petitions they began handing out Saturday.
Former Weld County GOP Chairwoman Stacey Kjeldgaard, who is leading the recall effort, in a phone interview Sunday went further when it comes to oil and gas — and the potential negative economic impact of SB 181 — being the reason for the recall.
“That’s our big thing; that’s our only thing,” Kjeldgaard said.
But then there’s this: When asked whether she would be working to recall Galindo if she had voted “no” on SB 181, Kjeldgaard said, “Absolutely.”
Galindo and her supporters have a pretty good idea about why people are looking to recall her, and she said it has nothing to do with her votes.
“I think that just kind of shows that the whole effort behind this recall has absolutely nothing to do with my votes,” Galindo said. “It has everything to do with who I am as a person. My biggest question is what’s the difference between me and Dave?”
Galindo is the first openly gay legislator elected to statewide office from Weld County. She’s also the first person of color.
When local Pastor Steven Grant told his congregation he would stop at nothing to remove Galindo from office, he called Galindo a “homosexual pervert.”
In a prior interview with The Tribune, Grant defended his use of the phrase, saying he was referring to Galindo’s vote on comprehensive sex education, among other issues. Grant and others also take issue with Galindo’s support of the National Popular Vote bill, as well as the red flag gun bill.
Galindo and supporters have alluded to that comment in pushing back against the recall effort, and she told The Tribune Sunday she thinks Grant’s comments are representative of the people behind the recall effort, something local organizers dispute.
Galindo also said Grant’s address was listed on recall petitions. That’s not true. The addresses listed on the petitions correspond to the two people named on the document, according to Weld County property records.
Kjeldgaard’s group has attempted to distance itself from Grant and his remarks, which came amid his own attempt to file a recall affidavit. Kjeldaard’s group is not working with the other group, and has received fundraising pledges nearing $400,000 based largely on Galindo’s vote on SB 181.
When asked why Galindo is facing a recall effort when Young never did, Kjeldgaard said there wasn’t motivation to recall Young because he was out in the community, always accessible.
“He had connections in the community,” Kjeldgaard said. “He was an educator. Everybody knew him.”
Galindo hosts monthly meetings with constituents in downtown Greeley, something no other Weld County legislator does.
And what of Young’s votes, particularly on oil and gas issues?
Kjeldgaard said the dynamics of oil and gas in Weld County have changed significantly, saying there are more employees now in her district.
Oil and gas production was nearly three times higher in Weld County in 2018 compared to 2013, according to data from the COGCC, although prices are still lagging behind the near-$100/barrel producers grew accustomed to before the drop in 2013-14. Employment in the industry has grown, too.
Further, Kjeldgaard in a phone message Sunday said Galindo’s “yes” vote on SB 181 was inconsistent with her campaign messages, including support for school funding and support for working families. Kjeldgaard said SB 181 would remove $200 million in school funding and cause people to lose their jobs.
The precise impacts of SB 181 on the oil and gas industry are not yet know, and despite opposing the bill in its final form, industry groups did praise legislators for industry-friendly amendments added before final passage.
Galindo knew the 181 vote would be controversial. With the House having a huge Democratic majority, though, Galindo said she never considered voting “no” simply to protect herself, saying she took the vote very seriously.
“I’m not here for myself, or to save myself,” Galindo said. “I’m doing it for my community. I’m just continuing to work to ensure we have leadership that reflects our community.”
— Tyler Silvy is a content manager for The Greeley Tribune. Reach him at tsilvy@greeleytribune.com. Connect with him at Facebook.com/TylerSilvy or @TylerSilvy on Twitter.
Thought about running against him, but there are WAY too many skeletons.
So now we have a Paula Poundstone dressing lesbian as a state rep, and a junior high teacher as the state treasurer...
about, not abouy... grrr
I am of the opinion that a recall election is about:
1) removing those that do not represent the will of the voters
2) changing the power balance between liberal and conservative to reflect one value system or the other.
In other words, when one side goes “too far”, the recall is used to replace weak representatives with the other side. It acts as a check and balance.
It must be because UNC is in this district, I can't think of any other reason.
I chewed Dave Young out in public about his anti-gun vote, and about his vote to give drivers licenses to illegals. He got snotty with me about his gun vote. I consider him to be an ass.
The problem is the Colorado voters rejected oil and gas drilling restrictions by a gigantic margin in the 2018 election. It was something like a 40% margin a victory. Within two months of her being an office she voted for something that her entire District explicitly overwhelmingly voted against. Typical dumbass Democrat authoritarian.
Rochelle Galindo:
If Dave Young wants to be attacked we should oblige him.
Start the petitions to have him removed as state treasurer.
Colorado ping
Why is she wearing a tie? She just looks stupid.
She’s a lesbian, so of course she perfectly represents the agriculture and oil industry in northern Colorado. Not...
I think she represents the UNC brainwashed and the illegal residents of her district.
Colorado needs to focus on recalling state senators where 2 conversions flip the Dems current 3 vote majority.
Because Galindo is unusually vulnerable in her district. A recall is "low-hanging fruit" with reasonable odds of success.
But I like your suggestion of picking off a couple of State Senators in a recall. Got any nominations for this attention?
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