5 Colorado Lawmakers Accused Of Sexual Misconduct Since 2017

DENVER, CO — Five Colorado lawmakers are among more than 100 across the country now accused of sexual misconduct in the four years since the onset of the national “#MeToo” reckoning in 2017, according to data collected by The Associated Press.

The state lawmakers are among other politicians, entertainers and business leaders exposed in the social justice movement to end sexual abuse and sexual harassment. The movement began in 2017 when movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, now a convicted sex offender, was accused by more than 80 women of sexual misconduct allegations dating back to the late 1970s.

The movement that inspired the #MeToo hashtag also prompted new legislation, training requirements for legislators and investigative guidelines in statehouses across America, including in Colorado.

The AP compiled the database as part of its ongoing coverage of how politicians are responding to sexual misconduct claims. It includes state lawmakers only.

It doesn’t include members of Congress or other elected officials investigated regarding sexual misconduct claims — notably New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is embroiled in a sexual harassment investigation, or Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, who was initially investigated in connection with sex trafficking and now faces a larger review into public corruption.

Some of the allegations against state lawmakers are no less serious.

Nationally, more than 40 of the accused state lawmakers have resigned or were expelled from office, and at least as many others faced other repercussions, including the loss of committee leadership positions, The AP reported. A handful were cleared.

The lawmakers included in the database are predominantly men, but a couple of women also have been accused of sexual misconduct. Both Democrats and Republicans are the subjects of what could be career-ending investigations.

In Colorado:

Rep. Steve Lebstock (D) represented District 34 from 2013 to 2018, when he was expelled by an overwhelming House vote after an independent investigator determined there were credible claims he had harassed five women, including a fellow lawmaker. Elected as a Democrat, Lebsock changed his party affiliation to Republican on the day he was expelled.

Sen. Randy Baumgardner (R) represented the 8th District from 2013 to 2019. He resigned Jan. 21, 2019, after surviving a vote to expel him from office in April 2018. Baumgardner was removed from committee posts May 3, 2018, after an independent investigator found credible claims that he had created a hostile work environment during the 2016 session. Baumgardner had stepped down as chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 13, 2018, and agreed to undergo sensitivity training after media reports alleged that he groped a legislative aide in 2016.

Rep. Paul Rosenthal (D) represented House District 9 from 2013 to 2019. He was suspended as vice chair of a legislative committee in November 2017 after he was accused of groping a political activist during his first campaign for a House seat in 2012. A complaint was dismissed Jan. 4, 2018, apparently because the alleged incident took place before he was elected, but Rosenthal was subsequently permanently removed from his committee leadership post.

Sen. Jack Tate (R) represents Senate District 27. Tate was determined by an independent investigator to have likely made inappropriate comments and flirtatiously touched an intern in 2017 as alleged in a complaint. But Senate President Kevin Grantham closed the investigation March, 2018, after determining the alleged actions didn't reach the level of sexual misconduct.

Sen. Larry Crowder (R) represented Senate District 35 from 2013 to January 2021. Crowder was accused by state Rep. Susan Lontine of pinching her buttocks in 2015 and making an inappropriate sexual comment to her in August 2017. Lontine went public with her allegations on Feb. 8, 2018, while noting that she had filed a confidential complaint against Crowder in November 2017.

About three-fourths of the states have passed some 75 laws and resolutions over the past two years that target sexual harassment, abuse or assault in government or in private business. About half the states renewed or extended deadlines to pursue criminal charges or civil lawsuits over childhood sexual abuse.

In Colorado, legislation includes SB 244, signed in 2019, which created the Office of Legislative Workplace Relations to handle harassment complaints, hire third-party investigators, conduct training and issue an annual statistical report on the number of complaints made and their resolution. However, none of the records drafted in the office will be made public, unless a legislative committee finds that the facts of an investigation show a lawmaker likely violated harassment policies — then the lawmaker's name and an executive summary of the investigation will be made public unless the committee decides by a two-thirds vote not to release the information.

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States also updated their sexual harassment policies and required training of lawmakers on appropriate workplace conduct. At least 45 House chambers and 43 Senate chambers now require legislators to receive training on appropriate workplace conduct and on preventing, identifying and reporting sexual misconduct.

About half of state legislative chambers have turned to independent investigators to look into complaints of sexual misconduct and harassment by lawmakers.

Colorado requires training for House and Senate lawmakers. All accusations of sexual misconduct require an external investigation.