The radical animal rights activist whom Gov. Polis appointed two years ago has finally apologized for her controversial words and actions and resigned her position from the State Board of Veterinary Medicine.
Ellen Kessler wrote in her resignation letter to Polis:
“I realize that some of my actions have caused anger and discomfort and that I was unprofessional in my judgment.”
“I apologize to you and the citizens of our great state and wish you the best of luck as you continue to make Colorado the best in the nation.”
Kessler’s resignation came just hours after Peak Politics reported on the nasty tweet she posted on First Gentleman Marlon Reis Twitter account accusing Colorado ranchers of faking recent wolf attacks on their cattle to make money.
The governor’s spokesflack said it’s the Republicans fault the ranching and agriculture communities are mad, because they repeated Kessler’s insulting comments while condemning her.
Polis was confronted about the tweet on Friday at a meeting of Voices of Rural Colorado, a gathering of rural representatives that included Club 20, Pro 15, and Action 22, which was reported by the Sterling Journal-Advocate.
Polis initially told the angry audience to complain to someone who cared file a complaint with the Department of Regulatory Agencies if they had a problem with how Kessler did her job.
That didn’t go over well.
Kessler calls ranchers nasty and lazy, accuses them of faking wolf attacks – https://t.co/50H75HSs2l #coleg #copolitics #cattlemen pic.twitter.com/7m2je0rLfq
— CO Peak Politics (@COpeakpolitics) January 24, 2022
Today I’m joining Colorado’s farmers and ranchers in demanding that @jaredpolis remove Ellen Kessler as his appointee on the Veterinary Board. Her comments about our agricultural community are disgraceful & unacceptable. Sign our petition here: https://t.co/LI2DtUDVOz #copolitics pic.twitter.com/2VxeLQye9M
— Kristi Burton Brown (@ColoradoKbb) January 24, 2022
Colorado Republican Party Chair Kristi Burton Brown demanded Polis take responsibility for the appointment and apologize for “furthering the war on rural Colorado.”
Polis has been pissing off the ranching and ag community on a regular basis since he was elected.
One might think he would just cut Kessler loose without doing any more political damage, what with this being an election year.
But then the governor’s spokesman had the audacity to blame Republicans.
From Colorado Politics:
In a statement Monday, Polis spokesman Conor Cahill shifted the blame to the GOP instead of Kessler, saying he is “deeply offended by Republican leaders rebroadcasting offensive remarks against ranchers.”
“The governor has appointed many rural Coloradans to important boards and commissions based on their professional and life background, not their social media engagement, to ensure that diversity of voices are represented and he certainly does not monitor the personal lives of his appointments,” Cahill said. “Governor Polis is focused on delivering real results for our farmers and ranchers, unifying our state and its people and we are not going to engage in partisan politics or mudslinging that Coloradans are sick and tired of.”
So it’s okay for Polis’s radical appointees to engage in partisan politics and mudslinging, but not okay to criticize them for doing so.
What Polis is really delivering for farmers and ranchers is a double standard and zero respect.