Statement from Minority Leader Caldwell
Thank you, Madam Speaker, for this moment of personal privilege.
Members, I want to begin by assuring you that we heard your concerns yesterday and we take them seriously. At the same time, there are over two million constituents that we represent, many who have voiced their concerns to us. I want to be clear, we do not take the loss of any life lightly. Which is why we also need to remember the lives of Coloradans like Melissa Powell and her 16yearold son, Karen Diamond Jasmine Carpio and Kaitlyn Weaver. While some of you may not know those names, their families do, and we will ensure that no one forgets that their lives were tragically taken by individuals not lawfully present in this country.
We agree with the Speaker that immigrants are important. In our caucus, we have multiple members who are immigrants to this country, we have members who are children of immigrants, and we have members such as myself who are married to an immigrant.
At the same time, I must speak to the rhetoric we’ve heard. Terms like “Gestapo”, “Fascists”, or “masked vigilantes” when used to describe our federal law enforcement are not just unfair but also dangerous. Comments like these are not just words; they have real-world consequences for those they’re attributed to. Just two weeks ago, in the parking lot of this Capitol, death threats to my members were placed on legislative parking spots.
The men and women of law enforcement are doing a job they were lawfully tasked to do. The administration elected by a majority of U.S. citizens and following the policies outlined by Congress is carrying out laws that were passed through our democratic process.
As I said during my opening day speech, I want to work with the Majority to lower the temperature in this building. However, in doing so, we cannot allow emotion to replace facts or the rule of law. Due process is the cornerstone of our Republic, and we wholeheartedly agree that full and thorough investigations should and will take place.
The right to peacefully protest and to speak freely remains fundamental, but those rights do not include impeding or obstructing law enforcement operations. If unlawful acts against law enforcement are deemed justified against one agency, what stops it from being justified against another, be it the State Patrol, a county sheriff, or your local police department? The rule of law must apply equally to everyone, even when you disagree with a policy or operation.
This is not about choosing sides or dismissing pain. It is about acknowledging concerns from all sides, respecting the rule of law, and rejecting the rhetoric that places more lives at risk. We can condemn violence and protect due process all at the same time. We can value immigrants, honor our law enforcement officers, and insist on civility in this chamber. If we are truly serious about lowering the temperature, it begins with responsibility from every single one of us. We owe that to the families who are grieving, to the brave men and women who are enforcing the law, to the millions of Coloradans who expect us to govern for them and to ourselves. We remain committed to that standard, and we urge this body to do the same.
