Colorado Democrat targeted for recall resigns amid reports of sexual-misconduct allegation

A Democratic state legislator in Colorado facing a recall effort over her anti-fracking vote announced Sunday that she has resigned following allegations reportedly stemming from a sexual-misconduct complaint.

State Rep. Rochelle Galindo, who was elected in November, posted a statement denying the allegations without providing details, but House Speaker K.C. Becker said they were related to accusations of sexual misconduct outside the state legislature, according to 9News in Denver.

Colorado Public Radio said that the Greeley police confirmed that a report “was filed against Galindo last week by a woman who worked on Galindo’s campaign. The contents of the report are sealed.”

“The allegations against me are false. That said, they will make our fight against the pending recall effort untenable,” said Ms. Galindo in a statement. “I will not put my constituents through what will surely be a recall campaign based on political smear tactics and false allegations. Instead, I will resign my seat as the elected representative of House District 50, effective immediately.”

Since April 4, organizers have been circulating petitions to force a recall election against Ms. Galindo in response to her vote in favor of Senate Bill 181, signed last month by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, a measure aimed at reining in the state’s oil-and-gas industry.

Ms. Galindo, described by her supporters at EmergeColorado as “the first Latina LGBTQ millennial to serve in the State House,” represents a district in Weld County, the heart of Colorado’s booming fossil-fuel business.

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/12/rochelle-galindo-resigns-amid-sexual-misconduct-al/