During a radio interview on the Jeff Crank show KVOR (6:40 above), El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa claimed he received an email from the offices of the County Sheriffs of Colorado threatening to stop or stall pay raises to the state’s elected sheriffs if they don’t support Colorado’s pending gun control legislation. After the interview, Maketa back-pedaled on his Facebook page as follows . . .
I want to take this opportunity to let you all know that I very much appreciate your support. I believe all of us share a passion for all of our Constitutional rights, including our right to bear arms. Unfortunately, we have a liberal majority in control of our legislative process, who without any statistical data, empirical evidence, or studies to support their gun control agenda, will do what it takes to pass these control measures.
I want to make something very clear; I have not been directly threatened or coerced in any way nor would I tolerate any threat. A message delivered verbally to a representative of the Colorado Sheriff’s Association basically stated that the Senate Dems are very upset with the Colorado Sheriffs opposing the gun legislation proposed by the Senate Democrats. This message insinuated that this could negatively affect the salary bill which has been delayed and put off by the Democrats with the excuse that they would expect bipartisan support.
I do believe the salary proposal is being held hostage and I believe that if they’re willing to send gun control measures without bipartisan support then they should be willing to take a stand as the majority leadership and follow a democrat-created commission’s recommendations. It is the democrats’ created commission, which was put in place by Gov. Ritter. That same commission has gone to the legislature on a couple other occasions since its formation to increase the salaries of sheriffs and other elected officials. These salaries have not been increased since they were legislated in 2006.
I find it so ironic that they have withheld bringing this forward as legislation and taking formal action, especially in light of a double standard they hold with gun control. This inaction, and other vague insinuations, I take as quid pro quo. They are holding the salary of sheriffs hostage to gain compliance with gun control matters. I assure you that there is not a legislator on the dems’ side of the isle that will take ownership of this injustice, nor will they know where it came from, but their inaction will speak volumes.
This salary proposal or recommendation has no bearing on me personally as it does not affect me since I am term limited. Again, I want to make it clear this is not about me, or any threats made directly toward me; this is about doing what’s right and we have many sheriffs around this state standing their ground and defending law abiding citizens. These proposed laws will not increase public safety or save lives.
Rather than create laws that criminalize law abiding citizens or infringe on due process and property rights, we should be targeting criminals. We should target those who have a history of crime and a history of violence, not erode Constitutional rights nor punish law-abiding citizens, disarm them or restrict their rights. Gun control doesn’t work. Chicago is a great example, one of which our president never mentions or uses as an example.
Countless studies conducted by DOJ, the Urban Institute and even the American Journal of Medicine show gun control does not work, it only controls law abiding citizens and that’s not where we should be focused. They claim these measures will stop future mass shootings, when in fact they will not. Had these same measures been in place in any of the states where these tragedies took place, the outcomes would have been the same.
I want to thank all of you for your support and I think together we can stand firm, we can be heard, and we can make a difference. We cannot let up, we cannot give up and we cannot fall to the rhetoric they’re trying to spread. I will stand tall for you, and with you, and ask all of you to do the same. Government should be for the people, not against the people.
Is blackmail an acceptable political tactic in Colorado? I know their legislature’s kind of crazy, but that seems like it would violate some retributive legislation laws or something.
Blackmail is only unacceptable if you are a commoner. Blackmail is permissible for those above the law, if only we all had that position..Sarcasm
If this doesn’t get to court, I want to know why. Tyranny, bold faced coercion, blackmail. Not even the courtesy to attempt to hide their crimes.
Blackmail by people who oppose the establishment is blackmail. Blackmail by people who support the establishment is reasonable encouragement to do the right thing. For the children.
Blackmail? Hardly. “Blackmail” is the compromising video of you and someone other than your spousal unit, or your gambling/coke/hooker hobbies being used against you.
This? Holding a pay raise hostage till they get your ‘support’? This is just politics. It’s how things get done. And frankly, this is really low-grade stuff.
Of course. One set of rules for for the masters, another for the little people.
Ummm, this is called everyday politics. This is how the system works, on a daily basis, across the country. Wake up.
wonder what would happen if masses of uniformed and armed deputies and sheriffs did an occupy wall street on the colorado state houses?
Hell, I’d drive from California to bring them coffee and donuts.
People need to be legally pushed out of office, the window for that is closing….
Can we push them out that window before it’s closed?
Anyway, two words: LAW ENFORCEMENT STRIKE. Don’t get all mathy on me, either.
Go for it, then the citizens can see just how worthless most “law enforcement” is and will demand to cut salaries, budgets and manpower!
Hasn’t there been a court case ruling that police can’t strike?
That is actually a good idea.
Here! Here!
These politicians need a salary cap in the form of being booted out of office either by vote in the next election or a recall election.
This guy showed class, resolve and the epitome of the American spirit.
Who is surprised by this? Why do you think Democrats, and especially progressive ones want to put so many people on the government dole? Because when they want to get something unpopular done, they just have to threaten your livelihood to get you to back down. This is Alinsky at his finest.
Thank God somebody else is awake..
We have another Wisconsin Sheriff(Washington county) I believe that is of like mind with him & Sheriff Clarke. The good decent thinking is quite inspiring, Randy
Again; I do not personally know any LEO’s at any level who agree with this politically motivated crap. Even the Fed level agent’s think this is crap.
This is why they don’t call themselves “liberals” anymore. They ruined a good word by being anything but, and now they’ve revealed themselves as just plain nasty. Telling women to pee or vomit on rapists; and “too bad for you, you can’t use a gun to stop one.” Extortionists.
There’s nothing on earth that scalds the Left’s hide more than a free citizen with a gun. Which more than anything shows what they think of freedom generally.
One good thing about these gun debates: the Left’s pretty little mask has slipped.
Progressives are sub-human filth, the greatest threat this nation his ever faced. They are the closest thing to unequivocal evil that exist on this planet. Any truly just society would not allow them to exist.
We’re over run with them here in Kalifornia. And they seem to control everything in government. The unions and the fashionably progressive liberal airheads continue to mindlessly vote them into office. Too few people here even know what critical thinking and evaluation mean. They just buy the lies and vote Hollywood style. There should be a reading comprehension and an intelligence test required to vote.
It seems the only thing left to do is move out of state.
Its not blackmail! Its Politics!
I think “extortion” is more accurate. Euphemistically called “protection.”
“Mighty nice elected office you got there. Would be a shame if responding to the priorities of your constituents became financially untenable for you. You know, we can maybe help you out with that.”
Blackmail is used more often like: “Stop advocating against this here gun bill we want or we’ll disclose something bad you did … like advocating against this here gun bill.”
I like to think that some threats like these can be shut down just by letting your freak – or Gadsden – flag fly.
I’m pretty sure messing with people’s pay as punishment for a political view in this way is extremely illegal. With such an email connecting the cause to effect people are going to get sued.
All perfectly legal and common and routine.
“Support my bill, and I’ll support yours.”
Want new sidewalks for your neighborhood? Then you’d better help the guy in the next district get the funding for the fur-lined sinks he wants in their public bathrooms.
Want my vote for ObamaCare? Then vote for funding my favorite charity, Prosthetics For Disadvantaged Emus.
It’s the usual and normal way we’re governed. Look up “logrolling.”
Jesus Don, are you naïve I’m not trying to insult you, but c’mon man.
“Anyone who shirks the labors, sacrifices, and dangers that his people must undergo is a coward. But no less a coward and traitor is the man who betrays the principles of thought to material interests, who, for example, is willing to let the holders of power decide how much is two times two. To sacrifice intellectual integrity, love of truth, the laws and methods of thought to any other interest, even that of the fatherland, is treason. When in the battle of interests and slogans the truth, like the individual, is in danger of being devalued, disfigured, and trampled under foot, our one duty is to resist and to save the truth–or rather, the striving for truth–for that is our highest article of faith.” – Hermann Hesse: Reflections; pg. 5.
Chicago-land politics 101. More proof this has less to do with saving lives and all about political agenda’s
I believe it, its Colorafonia York no surprise here where majority of the house is infested with socialist gun grabing welfare libturds that willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want even if they have to kill, steal or lie, theres a good reason why Obama and Double barrel Joe like to visit and hang out here prety often.
Dump all progressives, McCain has to go in Arizona, McConnell has to go in Kentucky, but KENTUCKY PLEASE, PLEASE DONT ALLOW ASHLY JUDD YOU WILL CUT ALL OF OUR THROATS WITH THAT MOVE…NO TO ASHLY JUDD
NO TO ASHLEY JUDD
Thank you for posting this story. I was already passing it along yesterday via social media and grassroots sites. Our Democrat-dominated legislature here is shameful and petty, and operates without principle or apparent fear of political and legal reprisal. Our Sheriffs, except for a very few in the obvious gulag counties, firmly support The Constitution as you can see here:
http://constitutionclub.ning.com/forum/topics/county-sheriff-s-honor-roll?commentId=6585610%3AComment%3A11859