The pinnacle of the Libertarian Occasion of Colorado repeatedly used anti-gay slurs final week in an trade with an individual who criticized the occasion’s social media presence, in line with copies of the messages reviewed by The Denver Publish.
The occasion’s chairwoman, Hannah Goodman, despatched the slurs Friday after a commenter privately messaged the occasion’s Fb account to criticize what he noticed as its “asinine” postings. After an preliminary trade that included the commenter sarcastically highlighting the occasion’s lack of electoral success, Goodman — replying by means of the occasion’s official account — defended her occasion’s achievements and repeatedly referred to the commenter utilizing an anti-gay slur.
She additionally repeatedly referred to him utilizing a slur for individuals with mental disabilities.
Goodman continued utilizing the slurs after the commenter mentioned he deliberate to take the messages to the media. The occasion confirmed in an announcement Saturday that Goodman, a congressional candidate final yr, despatched the messages. In a subsequent electronic mail trade through which the commenter requested occasion management for an apology, Goodman advised the commenter that she had authored the messages by means of the occasion’s Fb account.
“There is no such thing as a such factor as unhealthy press,” Goodman wrote within the Fb trade, in line with copies of the messages offered to The Publish by the occasion. “Additionally, I’m the chair of the occasion. So … no (expletive) given.”
The commenter, who’s homosexual and requested anonymity to share the trade out of a concern of harassment, mentioned he had by no means spoken with Goodman or the occasion beforehand.
He mentioned Goodman’s preliminary responses have been nice, given the “sassy” nature of his preliminary message to the occasion. However he mentioned he was shocked by how “grossly homophobic” her subsequent responses have been since he was simply “some rando who tried to get good with them.”
Goodman didn’t return a message in search of remark Friday. On Saturday, the occasion’s govt director, James Wiley, despatched The Publish a seven-page assertion that defended the occasion’s political relevance, touted the success of a current social media posting on the occasion’s Fb web page, and additional criticized the commenter.
Wiley referred to a meme produced by Goodman as an “inventive work product” that, Wiley wrote, had prompted the preliminary criticism from the commenter.
“These judgements have been rendered totally at (the commenter’s) personal suggestion with none prompting on the a part of the occasion or its representatives,” Wiley wrote.
Wiley confirmed that Goodman wrote the messages and mentioned he stood by them. He concluded the assertion by calling the commenter one other slur and quoting a personality from the animated present “South Park.”
The occasion, which was based in Colorado greater than 50 years in the past, has lengthy been a minor participant within the state’s elections. It has the third-most occasion affiliations amongst Colorado voters. Each Goodman and Wiley have run unsuccessfully for Congress.
However the occasion performed a extra substantive function in final yr’s contests — by not taking part in them.
In 2023, the occasion’s management reached an settlement with the Colorado Republican Occasion to maintain Libertarian candidates out of some races, as long as the Republican candidates in these contests signed a pledge to align with Libertarian values. That was thought to enhance the Republican candidates’ probabilities of successful, together with within the tight eighth Congressional District race later gained by now-U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans.
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