Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s office is facing more turmoil after yet another staff departure.
Deputy Secretary of State Ian Rayder recently announced he will leave his job in February.
Rayder’s departure brings total staff turnover to a staggering 200% since Griswold assumed office in 2019.
According to the Colorado Sun, at least seven top aides in the office have left in the last two years.
EVEN MORE: The departure is part of the “turnover and turmoil” in the office of Secretary of State Jena Griswold. At least seven top aides in the office have now left in two years time, including the five senior officials who departed before the election. This legislative session, the secretary will have her third legislative liaison in as many years, John Magnino, a former official at the State Innovation Exchange, a liberal group.
Writing on LinkedIn, Griswold’s former Director of Government and Public Affairs Reese Edwards took a dim view of his former boss’s competency and leadership.
Given the overwhelmingly positive nature of LinkedIn I will keep to the platform’s general ethos by only pointing out that this office has over 200% turnover within its executive team in less than two years under current leadership. There are other opportunities that are better suited for talented individuals looking to make an impact in Colorado.
Griswold’s rank incompetence appears to have earned a national reputation. An appointee of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Maral Farsi affirmed Edwards’ criticism in a reply to his post.
In light of these developments, KNUS host Jimmy Sengenberger published a column along with a helpful graphic explaining just how alarming Griswold’s staff turmoil is.
Here is a visual breakdown of @COSecofState @JenaGriswold's HISTORIC turnover in political appointee positions – in just her first 2 years – per my @DenverGazette column. SOS!
P.S. Vacancies in-between officeholders, not noted below, have often lasted months. #copolitics https://t.co/7TZUtrKnut pic.twitter.com/JbE1185tUz
— Jimmy Sengenberger at the Crossroads (@SengCenter) January 22, 2021
As Sengenberger noted, Griswold’s third deputy Secretary of State is one more than Colorado has seen in the previous two decades.
The turnover could have severe consequences for Colorado. The deputy secretary “decides campaign finance cases and chairs the title-setting committee for ballot initiatives.”
If it wasn’t already apparent, Griswold lacks any semblance of managerial competency.
Under her leadership, the Secretary of State’s office has earned a bipartisan reputation for being historically dysfunctional and impossible to work with.
Thanks, @SengCenter, for pointing out the unbelievable revolving door under @COSecofState @JenaGriswold. @Hickenlooper's gubernatorial staff said she was a nightmare to work with and that has proved true. #copolitics #coleg https://t.co/lxxE3gBDYp pic.twitter.com/EqYs6Offyf
— Lynn Bartels (@lynn_bartels) January 22, 2021
A record this pitiful could only be a political bonus for Griswold, given she is just as likely to levy absurd sexism charges any time someone calls her out for being incompetent.
That will come in handy if she were to primary a certain senator up for reelection next year.