April 29, 2026 09:51 AM UTC

Ka-Ching! Hope Scheppleman Gets Her Reward

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

For those who have followed the unlikely rise of former Colorado Republican Party vice-chair Hope Scheppleman since she was convening stealth state party meetings under a literal bridge to evade critics, the last few months have been quite the metaphorical whirlwind. After leaving the Colorado GOP in shambles with her close ally and former chairman Dave Williams, Scheppleman filed what was a dead-end primary challenge against incumbent freshman GOP Rep. Jeff Hurd–a challenge that suddenly became national news after President Donald Trump un-endorsed Hurd in a fit of pique over Hurd’s vote against tariffs, and switched his endorsement to Scheppleman.

In the weeks following this shock un-endorsement, House Speaker Mike Johnson and others with access to Trump were able to get the message through that Scheppleman was totally unqualified for the position and would very likely lose this R+6 district to a competent Democratic opponent. This led to Trump rescinding his un-endorsement of Hurd, while promising Scheppleman a plum post in the administration as a consolation prize–much like Dave Williams himself entered the Trump patronage ranks in reward for his loyalty as GOP chairman.

And sure enough, earlier this week, Scheppleman’s new bio as Senior Advisor to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) went online:

Hope Scheppelman, MSN, AGACNP-BC, is a Senior Advisor at SAMHSA, where she supports national initiatives to address substance use disorders, strengthen mental health systems, and advance strategies for prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery.

Mrs. Scheppelman brings more than three decades of healthcare experience spanning frontline care, advanced clinical practice, and system-level leadership. She began her career in healthcare as a candy striper and an emergency room clerk before entering the U.S. Navy, where she served as a Hospital Corpsman. Following her military service, she pursued nursing, working as a bedside nurse before advancing her education to become a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner…

Mrs. Scheppelman’s work in substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery is informed by both clinical expertise and lived experience. She is in long-term recovery from alcohol and is a strong advocate for evidence-based prevention, timely access to treatment, and sustained recovery support. She has worked with diverse populations, including rural and tribal communities, with a focus on expanding access to care and strengthening community-based recovery systems.

In terms of Scheppleman’s work with “rural and tribal communities,” she is perhaps best known for drawing the wrath of the Southern Ute tribe after misrepresenting a sweat lodge ceremony she participated in as a campaign endorsement. As for Scheppleman’s professional qualifications to serve as a SAMHSA Senior Advisor, a position with a salary between $120-170,000 annually, that’s not really for us to assess. What we can say with some confidence is that Scheppleman would not have landed this six-figure job had it not been arranged for her by President Trump to undo his unforced political blunder.

Scheppleman’s appointment to SAMHSA might not top the list of Donald Trump’s brazenly corrupt actions. But the obviously transactional nature of this appointment is a textbook example of the corruption that Trump has made everyday practice. And they happen so regularly that accountability for individual actions becomes impossible.

Trump has fostered a “new normal” of debased ethical standards that will take years to undo after he leaves office.

Hope Scheppleman is just another mess he’ll leave behind.