Donovan defends against GOP attack as state’s black, Latino lawmakers speak on death of George Floyd

State Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, fired back at Republican critics who accused Democrats of siding with violent protesters Sunday. And on Monday, black and Latino lawmakers issued a lengthy statement on the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25.

“Come on friends. Call me and let’s talk through what I saw yesterday. Or better yet, call one of your colleagues that is black or brown,” Donovan tweeted Sunday. “Even your photo montage shows a flaw — it’s the work of anarchists and not the BLM movement. We stand w/those calling for justice.”

Donovan’s tweet came in response to this from the Colorado Senate GOP: “Further, @COSenDem claimed solidarity with the protests AFTER violence had erupted, the Capitol vandalized, and property destroyed. We ask today, for what and with whom do our Democrat colleagues stand? Is it unity and free speech? Violence and destruction? Both?”

In fact, Donovan on Saturday, as detailed in this article about a peaceful protest in Vail on Sunday, had tweeted: “The Denver #BlackLivesMatter protest today was peaceful and powerful …” She also drew a distinction between people vandalizing property later in the evening and peaceful protesters from #BLM movement outraged by the police killing of Floyd.

As the Colorado Legislature reconvened Monday morning in Denver, the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus and Colorado Latino Democratic Caucus issued the following joint statement on Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police and the protests in Denver and across Colorado:

Black Democratic Legislative Caucus and Colorado Latino Democratic Caucus Joint Statement on the Police Killing of George Floyd

For generations, Black Americans are harassed and killed by racist police officers and vigilantes, and every year communities cry out and voice concerns about the unjust treatment of people of color. When it comes to seeking justice, the motives of Black people are questioned, even during simple activities like taking a jog, watching TV in their own homes, or picking up trash around their front yard. Our criminal justice system gives the benefit of the doubt to those who have committed hate crimes, stolen lives and robbed families of their children, spouses, parents, and loved ones.

The lack of accountability for the vast majority of perpetrators is rooted in the racist history of our country, including slavery, Jim Crow laws, and the suppression of voting and other civil rights. This legacy has had lingering and devastating impacts on Black communities and continues to cast Black individuals as not worthy of justice, of full protection by the law, or of basic civil rights. 

his has been seen once again in our nation through the brutal killing of George Floyd by an officer of the Minneapolis Police Department that knelt on his neck while Mr. Floyd gasps that he could not breathe. Witnesses called for the Officer to stop, but the officer ignored their pleas. The officer was then able to walk about freely and live his life for four days before he was charged and arrested. This is not what justice looks like.

We the members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado and the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus jointly condemn the tragic killing of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement, and the slow response for justice in the arrest of the officer that took his life. This is a continuation of the systematic racism that has plagued our nation since its inception. This must come to an end. We continue to commit ourselves towards working together on solutions that bring equality and stops the fear, hurt, pain, and loss of life that minorities experience everyday because of the color of their skin.

While this took place hundreds of miles away in another state, we recognize that hate takes place here too. In the most recent hate crimes report of statistics released by the FBI, there were “123 reported hate crimes in Colorado [in 2018] compared to 106 in 2017. Of those 123 incidents, 78 were based on race, ethnicity or national origin” (Westword). And with hate crimes on the rise, we also mourn all of the deaths of minority Coloradoans who lost their lives from the inexcusable actions of law enforcement like Elijah McClain, Marvin Booker, Michael Marshall, Jessie Hernandez, and De’Von Bailey to name a few. Our respective caucuses are deeply concerned by the increase in bigotry and racism not only across our country, but across Colorado. 

Just as Latinos and immigrants ask for support from all Coloradans against an increase in xenophobic and racist hate crimes, as the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, we call on Latinos and allies to show collective support and solidarity for the survivors of hate crimes and of police brutality. We mourn the senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless other Black individuals who do not feel safe simply being Black in public or at home. We applaud the recent arrests and investigations of alleged perpetrators of these hateful acts, but rue the fact that arrests and investigations only take place after gruesome video footage is released. A person’s murder should not have to be broadcast in order to achieve some semblance of justice. 

Furthermore we the members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado call on the support of African Americans throughout Colorado to stand together for the multitude of families of those that have lost loved ones due to police brutality and hate crimes across this nation. They are our sons and daughters, they are brothers and sisters. Our lives and our liberties must not be stolen from us. We will not accept a double standard. We demand justice and equality. And in our call for justice we remind those that demonstrate their grief to do so in a manner that uplifts our united cause peacefully; our demands for justice must be justifiable in their own right. 

Our caucuses together ask that all Coloradans stand up against racism, speak up and report hate crimes in your communities, and support each other as neighbors, as communities, and as Coloradans to build a brighter, less fearful Colorado for our increasingly diverse children and future generations. Join us in putting in the effort to make Colorado more inclusive and welcoming for all people: the effort we put in today will save lives tomorrow. 

Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado

State Representative Leslie Herod

State Senator Rhonda Fields 

State Representative Janet Buckner

State Representative James Coleman

State Representative Tony Exum

State Representative Dominique Jackson

State Representative Jovan Melton

State Senator Angela Williams

Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus

State Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez

State Representative Monica Duran

State Representative Adrienne Benavidez

State Representative Alex Valdez

State Representative Bri Buentello

State Representative Yadira Caraveo

State Representative Sonya Jaquez Lewis

State Representative Donald Valdez

State Representative Kerry Tipper

State Senator Robert Rodriguez

State Senator Julie Gonzales

State Senator Leroy Garcia

State Senator Dominick Moreno