Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold is facing an impeachment attempt by a group of House Republicans who accuse her of being biased and unfit for her position. The Republicans claim that Griswold violated the state constitution by supporting the removal of former President Donald Trump from the state’s primary ballot.
Griswold’s stance on Trump sparks controversy
Griswold, a Democrat, has been vocal about her opposition to Trump and his role in the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. She agreed with the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to bar Trump from the state’s primary ballot, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits former officeholders who try to overthrow the government from holding office again.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously overturned Colorado’s ruling, stating that states do not have the authority to apply that provision to federal candidates. Griswold said she stands by her belief that Trump should not be a candidate for President.
“I believe Colorado and states have the authority to bar oath-breaking Insurrectionists from our ballot,” Griswold said in a statement.
Republicans seek impeachment hearing
A resolution to impeach Griswold was drafted by Republican Rep. Ryan Armagost and backed by all 19 House Republicans. They submitted the resolution last month and are now requesting a hearing.
The Republicans allege that Griswold has used her position as a platform for her partisan political ideology and has proven herself unfit for the elected position. They also accuse her of undermining the trust of voters, especially those on the right, in the election system.
“She comes out with unfair and completely biased rhetoric in all of her press releases, her social media, and everything else,” Armagost told CPR News. “And that’s, in our opinion, not appropriate for that position.”
The Republicans also claim that Griswold’s effort to remove Trump from the ballot would have silenced the voice of Coloradans statewide, thus displaying a direct threat to Coloradans’ freedom of speech.
Griswold dismisses impeachment attempt as baseless
Griswold dismissed the impeachment attempt as baseless and politically motivated. She said she will not be intimidated by the proceeding and will continue to work for Colorado voters of all political affiliations.
“The Colorado Republican Party continues to focus on conspiracies and political games. I will not be intimidated by this baseless proceeding,” Griswold said in a statement to CBS News Colorado. “While the Republican House Caucus wastes taxpayer dollars to score cheap political points, you can find me working for Colorado voters – Republican, Democratic, and Unaffiliated alike – to ensure they can make their voices heard in free and fair elections.”
Impeachment is a rare and drastic measure in Colorado politics. The state constitution allows for the impeachment of elected state officials, but the power has not been successfully invoked in recent memory. The resolution would need a majority vote in the House and a two-thirds vote in the Senate to pass. Both chambers are currently controlled by Democrats.
