House GOP Leadership Welcomes Fringe, Fascists To Capitol

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by: Colorado Pols

Yesterday’s Opening Day rally at the Colorado legislature featured a motley crew of color-coded far-right activists (we are not making up the color-coded thing), sounding off on a range of issues from opposition to childhood vaccination to the state’s new “red flag” law to protect the public from preventable gun violence–and a range of more bizarre issues in between like conspiracy theories about 5G cell phone service. Also in attendance were members of the Proud Boys, a neo-fascist “pro-Western civilization” group regularly involved in political street violence.

Here’s how 9NEWS’ Kyle Clark summarized the contrast between “the Republicans inside the building” and “the Republicans outside.”

We got a glimpse today of the difficult position that the minority Republicans are in when you compare their stated legislative priorities to what their supporters rally for on the capitol steps.

Republicans inside called for transportation funding.
Republicans outside carried anti-vaxxer signs.
Republican inside linked teacher performance with bonuses.
Republicans outside linked former President Obama and Hitler.
Republicans inside included a call for bipartisanship.
Republicans outside included the Proud Boys, recently featured in a 9 Wants To Know investigation on hate in our state.

So that is the trouble that looms ahead for the Republicans inside the state capitol. They have to answer to the Republicans outside.

The only thing we’re obliged to add is the photo collage at the top, courtesy the Colorado Times Recorder, which closes the loop in this discussion of the Republicans “inside the capitol” versus the right-wing protesters who turned out in force outside to vent their particular flavor of misguided rage. The protesters outside the capitol yesterday were eventually joined by a large contingent of elected Republican lawmakers–including House Minority Leader Patrick Neville, Rep. Dave Williams, Rep. Lori Saine “In The Membrane,” Rep. Susan Beckman, and a number of others.

That’s critical to understand. The Republicans inside the capitol went outside.

Once that happened, it was no longer possible–or necessary–to tell the “inside” and “outside” Republicans apart.

18 thoughts on “House GOP Leadership Welcomes Fringe, Fascists To Capitol”

Moderatus says:

January 9, 2020 at 1:27 pm

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1. Pseudonymous says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 1:28 pm
  
  These are cool! Do you have more?
  
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2. Diogenesdemar says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 1:59 pm
  
  Just how are you keeping your Proud Boy membership and handling their no-more-than-once-a-month proscription, Fluffy ???
  
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  1. unnamed says:
    
    January 9, 2020 at 2:24 pm
    
    If only they knew. He would get booted out so hard.
    
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  2. RepealAndReplace says:
    
    January 9, 2020 at 2:53 pm
    
    No more than once-a-month? Is that like the infamous contest on Seinfeld?
    
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    1. unnamed says:
      
      January 9, 2020 at 3:08 pm
      
      And when it comes to this, he's Kramer.
      
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      1. itlduso says:
        
        January 9, 2020 at 3:44 pm
        
        He's more like George who lied.
        
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3. JohnInDenver says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 3:16 pm
  
  Any sense of when or where these shots were taken? Doesn't strike me the people shown are in-state.
  
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  1. kwtree says:
    
    January 9, 2020 at 3:30 pm
    
    The one with the young woman holding the poster of "Nazi Trump" was from
    
    Protesters in New York City, November 9, 2016.
    
    Pacific Press / Getty
    
    and was first published on Vox in an article arguing that Trump is not a fascist.
    
    The Trump Pence sign was from the Trump inauguration protest in DC 3 years ago.
    
    The others are from the UK – English and Scotttish anarchists. Right click on the image and do a google image search.
    
    It's pure "what about – ism" and distraction on Moddy's part, and it worked.
    
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Moderatus says:

January 9, 2020 at 1:28 pm

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1. unnamed says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 1:43 pm
  
  You have a point? Aside from hating being called fascists?
  
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Moderatus says:

January 9, 2020 at 1:29 pm

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1. unnamed says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 1:42 pm
  
  They guy separates families, and lets children die in cages. You're just butthurt that they're calling your racist furher what he is.
  
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2. Pseudonymous says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 1:43 pm
  
  Moddy keeps finding all the good ones. Where are the signs not from the right that are crazy and leading to actual policies that kill people?
  
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3. NOV GOP meltdown says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 1:43 pm
  
  Whaaa ? Proper spelling even ??? Thanks for posting these.
  
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4. Mike W. says:
  
  January 9, 2020 at 1:43 pm
  
  Which elected Democrats from the Colorado State House went to speak before the people in those pictures, eh Moddy?
  
  Enjoy your Measles.
  
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  1. unnamed says:
    
    January 9, 2020 at 1:50 pm
    
    Yeah. But keep your goobers away from the rest of us. We did our due dillegence.
    
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RepealAndReplace says:

January 9, 2020 at 2:01 pm

I see Patrick finally shaved. Is that his daddy I see on the far right (no pun intended) sporting the American flag tie? I also see the bat shit crazy Lori Saine and Vicky Marbles in the photo.

I encourage these screwballs to double down and continue their outreach to the most loony people in their base. Twelve years ago, they had Bill Owens, Wayne Allard and Nighthorse Campbell who were conservative but not crazy conservative. What did that get them? Well, they held four (soon to be five) U.S. House seats, two U.S. Senate seats, one legislative chamber, the governorship, and nearly all of the other constitutional offices.

Because of what they are peddling now, they have a rump caucus in the state House, a somewhat stronger minority in the state Senate (briefly enhanced by Lois Court's illness/retirement and Brittany Petersen's approaching delivery date), three U.S. House seats (one of which is in jeopardy), and Cory Gardner (until January, that is).

Yeah, CO GOP, stay the course and voters will reward you.

And BTW, this is a warning to the Dems. If you want to end up like the GOP, just go off, pander to the fringe left and see where that gets you.

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