SHOCK INTERVIEW: CO Sheriff Alleges Extortion By CO Dem Leadership Over The Gun BIlls

published March 10, 2013 04:29 MST

last edited: March 10, 2013 12:15 MST

Many Colorado Sheriffs have been outspoken in support of the Second Amendment and against the Democrat gun control bills, citing the legislation is not fact-based and will do nothing to improve public safety. On the Jeff Crank radio show (740 AM KVOR) Saturday morning, Sheriff Terry Maketa, suggested that Sheriffs of Colorado are beving threatened for speaking up for our 2nd amendment rights.

An email letter was sent to Sheriff Maketa from an unknown person indicating Colorado Democrat Leadership were behind suggestions that might equate to extortion and an attempt to influence public officials.  Because Sheriff Maketa is not accepting interviews at this time, further details are forthcoming.  The email also being withheld as possible evidence in a potential State and/or Federal investigation.

The podcast of the radio interview can be downloaded here

Details of the interview follow, along with several references to recent reports of CO Democrat lawmakers behaving badly during the gun debate.

Sheriff Maketa started off the interview by saying:

“I’ve been going to the Capitol… 12-13 years, and what I witnessed this year, on Monday, um was..was far from anything I have ever (emphasis) seen. The rules changed tree times from the Thursday before, right up until the hour before the hearings. They were changing the rules ..and I will tell you they were all changed to eliminate the opportunity for citizens to be heard. I think that, in itself, is an injustice; but it is also an example of the abuses that took place by our legislators.”

“Well, you know there is probably about 30 sheriffs that made the trip (to the Capitol to testify). There would have been a lot more if they didn’t have to come from all corners of the state…but those of us that came were there as a group and speaking on behalf of those who couldn’t be there. There is a vast majority that oppose these bills because these bills, simply, they are not going to accomplish what they claim to accomplish….”

“I had to leave the Capitol and fly out-of-town for a commitment I had in Columbus, OH, and when I returned on Wednesday, I was actually driving back Wednesday morning from DIA, and I received an email from a member of CSOC and basically in the email it said that the Senate Dem Leadership, um, is…is very upset with the Sheriffs and their opposition to the gun control bills.

And there is another bill, that has been put off and put off, and that is Salary Commission which makes recommendations to the legislature for the pay of Sheriffs and other county elected officials. As you know, Jeff, my pay is actually set by the legislature. Well, Governor Ritter, under his tenure, created a commission that would study these salaries and come forward with fact-backed recommendations. Now this salary bill has no effect on me. But the Dems have been dangling it out there and refusing to follow their own created commissions’ recommendations. They’ve put it off now for two years.

And basically in that email it said you Sheriffs, um the Senate Majority Leadership…, the Dems, are very upset over your testimony in opposition on the gun bills. And, um, they are stating that, um, basically, um, we should reconsider our position to gain a more favorable light for salary support from the Dems.  And it went on to say, I do not believe this would be sacrificing our principles or position on other gun bills if we choose to support SB13-197 (no firearms for Domestic Violence Offenders.)

Well, I was absolutely outraged by that.  Number one, the salary bill for elected officials is a mandate of the legislature. Creating gun control is not a mandate, and in this case, there is no factual basis for it.  And I made it very clear that I felt it was almost bordering extortion, attempted influence of a public official, but more so that we would be sacrificing our morals and principles in what we know is the right thing to do.

And I think that is the type antics that we are seeing out the leadership up there, and it starts right at the top with the President of the Senate and the Chairmen of those committees, and the same tactics they use that prevented sheriffs from having the opportunity to testify on factual basis towards these bills, as well as blockading the hundreds and hundreds of citizens that made the trip and never testified…”

It’s interesting that in the letter, that SB13-197, concerning preventing persons who have committed domestic violence from possessing firearms, was singled out.

Democratic Senate President John Morse was just quoted in a article saying,

“Cleansing a sickness from our souls doesn’t come easy. It’s gruesome,” Morse said in a short speech announcing the withdrawal of his assault-weapon liability measure.”

Don’t be mistaken. There is a reason the Democrats scheduled all 7 bills to be heard in two separate hearing last Monday during first reading in the Colorado Senate. They knew there was outrage and that there would be a large turnout, and they didn’t care.  They watched hundreds show up to testify against the bills when they went through the House.

During the House Judiciary Committee hearing on four of these gun bills, I heard a similar complaint from Freemont County Sheriff Jim Beicker. Sheriff Beicker said he had been active in the political process since being elected 10 years ago and he often testifies before committees. He admits his testimony was not always positive, but he had always been heard; that is until he tried to appear before the House Judiciary Committee Chair Daniel Kagan (D-Denver) on February 18th. Sheriff Beicker took great offense when his testimony was completely dismissed; he said there were constituents in the audience and at home that wanted him to be heard.  Sheriff Beicker said he had never felt so disrespected and embarrassed.  He was disappointed that he did not get to clarify the mis-information he heard being spewed by Democrats who claimed they worked with law enforcement. According to Sheriff Beicker, the information he heard presented by House sponsors Representatives Fields and McCann on HB13-1229 (universal background checks) was inaccurate and indicates they clearly did not work with law enforcement in drafting this piece of legislation.

Would elected officials lie? Ha! Consider the criminal record of Rep. Marsha Fields recently exposed by Spotlight On Corruption and reported by Mediatrackers.  What does it matter? Do our representatives even listen? It was recently reported that some Colorado Democrats are dodging their constituents and how constituents of another Democrat were even threatened at one townhall.

When not being lied to or yelled at these days by Colorado Democrats, it seems they are just plain ignoring the people who elected them into office. Just yesterday, I wrote about how freshman Senator (and Senate Judiciary Vice Chair) Jessie Ulibarri was on twitter during the hearing when he was supposed to be listening to testimony.  This past Friday night, during second reading, I also posted pictures of Senator Hudak reading a fashion magazine at her desk on the Senate Chamber floor during the magazine debate, and then another of her reading up on Obama on her computer screen.”  THE COLORADO DEMOCRATS DON’T CARE what the people, or the sheriff’s have to say. They know better than the rest of us, so that’s the theme carried by them so far this session… but back to Sheriff Maketa.

Sheriff Maketa’s allegations opens the door for both state and federal investigations into possible charges. On Facebook, some Colorado Republican Senators, Representatives, and activists are calling for Attorney John Suthers to investigate.

We have been told that Sheriff Maketa is not accepting interviews, but we put a request directly into him anyway.  Maketa is reportedly penning a statement for the Colorado Springs Gazette scheduled to be released either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Contact Attorney General John Suthers and let him know you want an immediate public and transparent investigation into this matter.

John W. Suthers:
attorney.general@state.co.us
FAX 720-508-6030
PHONE 303-866-4500

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