Moffat Tunnel lease approved; Gilpin officials continue pressure for train stop in Rollinsville

Boebert delivers a ﬁery earful to Gilpin GOP

She spoke about God, the Bible, family and liberal

Democrats ruining the state and nation. No matter the

subject, the often-controversial U.S. Congressperson

Lauren Boebert (R-District 4) seemed to say the right

thing when she addressed the crowd gathered for Gilpin

County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln Day

Dinner Friday night at the Central City Elks Lodge No.

557.

Boebert left few stones unturned during her impas-

sioned, 40-minute keynote speech that included a ques-

tion-and-answer section. She drew sustained applause

and a standing ovation following her address.

The five-foot grandmother, 38, didn’t mince words

when she called for Republicans to rally, retake control

of Colorado’s elected leadership, and turn the state red

again like it was a few decades ago. Boebert described

herself as coming from a family that was on welfare and

a “cycle of poverty.” She dropped out of high school two

years early because she became pregnant. Her first job

was at a McDonald’s, where, at age 15, she said she

learned that she could take care of her family “better

than the government could.”

“I started my family while young, on purpose, and

in love,” said Boebert, who later got her GED. “That

was my life, and I don’t regret a bit of it. I learned at

McDonald’s that life is about service. I went to work in

my polyester uniform and green visor. My smile was

part of my uniform. It was my job to ensure that every

person I came in contact with to have a great day.”

While Boebert said she was pleased President

Donald J. Trump returned to the White House in

January, she also paused to joke. “He’s bringing new

things now. We now have a Gulf of America. We’ll

probably have Greenland and maybe a 51

also mused about people who call her a carpetbagger

because she moved from the 3rd to the 4th Colorado

congressional district.

On a serious note, Boebert praised Trump’s lead-

ership, which is working to eliminate unnecessary

federal spending and to make foreign dictators aware

America is on a new course. Boebert said she is

pleased with Elon Musk’s efforts with DOGE (Depart-

ment of Government Efficiency), saying she’d like it

approved as a permanent department.

Here are the highlighted comments from Boebert’s

speech, which was delivered to the over 60 people who

attended the dinner:

• I’m fighting for all of Colorado – first of all be-

cause I’m a mother of four boys and was a business

owner. I’m tired of politicians promising one thing.

Then we trust to send them somewhere, and they do

something that’s completely different.

• I’m tired of the over-taxing, over-regulation, and

over-spending of everything we’ve worked for so hard

to create for our children and our children’s children.

• I know you think you’re pretty “country” here [in

Gilpin County], but I’m from Rifle, the only city in

America named after a gun.

• We have a generation that doesn’t talk about

God or government. I want those conversations to

happen. We don’t have to get nasty but our Found-

ing Fathers were men of faith. You can look through

the Constitution and Bill of Rights and see they were

men of faith. They declared independence while still

living under tyranny.

Our founding fathers

didn’t stop at speaking

and writing things out.

On July 4, 1776, they

celebrated their inde-

pendence – as if it had

already happened. They

celebrated with laughter

and even guns.

in this world.

won.

because of their faith, determination and grit. In this

room, I believe that same spirit of faith – that Ameri-

can patriotism – is alive, and I want to ignite that

tonight. I want to ignite that tonight in Central City,

Black Hawk, Gilpin and throughout all of Colorado.

In my years in government, I have represented 53 of

the 64 counties here. I know the people here and know

they’re not quitters. We’re more red and more consti-

tutional than people say we are.

• If you go back to the Constitution, those leaders’

ideas were radical or extreme. That is part of our DNA.

The Bill of Rights is not about what the government

can have; it’s about what you have and the govern-

ment cannot take from you.

• The Colorado Republican party is divided. If I

can work with our U.S. Senators [who are Democrats]

and Gov. [Jarod] Polis (D), we can work together as

Republicans without compromising anything we stand

for or believe in. It is up to us if Colorado survives.

• From 2020 to 2024, we’ve seen this country go

from blue to red. I believe we can see Colorado go red

in the upcoming mid-term elections.

• [Denver Mayor Mike] Johnson will be coming

to the oversight committee in Washington on March

5. He will be drilled about the open border policy,

the sanctuary policy and all of the tax dollars going to

Denver that are being squandered. Parts of the police

department are being defunded because of the losses

they’re incurring. They are spending tax dollars on

illegals.

• I cannot idly stand by and watch the state [GOP]

party chairman [Dave Williams] destroy the efforts of

counties and individuals and even try to lose congres-

sional seats. When it comes to primaries, I believe Re-

publicans should be electing Republican candidates.

Unfortunately, that’s not where we are.

• In the General Election, there is nothing better

for the Democrats to have Republicans at each other’s

throats. That is a time when we should rally around

and win. In Colorado, many Republicans have become

addicted to losing. I have four sons and a year-and-

a-half old grandson. If Colorado continues its path

under Democratic control, I don’t know if staying

here will be an option for them. You see what the

Democrats are doing with their sanctuary policies and

going away.

government.

to pay for it.

your help to get that.

I get to be part of the American

dream. Don’t think that what you

have to offer isn’t enough. We need

everyone to participate at every lev-

el. To this day, God has a reputation

of turning losers into champions.

We can’t count on any one person

to get this right – it has to be all of

us. It’s not just … Trump, although

I’m happy he’s back. … Trump isn’t

going to come and knock on your

neighbor’s door – that’s up to you.

It can’t be one person. It has to be

all of us. … Trump’s returning to the

White House is what we desperately

needed.

Corey Marshall, the Gilpin GOP’s

recently appointed chairman,

described Boebert as the voice of

Colorado’s conservative Republi-

cans. “I’m proud to have you here,”

Marshall told the congresswoman.

Rep. Lauren Boebert discussing issues with Jim Crawford

during the Gilpin County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert with Gilpin GOP party chair

Corey Marshall at the organization’s annual Lincoln

Day Dinner at the Central City Elks Lodge last Friday.

Photos by Gary King, Bob Sweeney

Boebert with Justine and Brian Watts of the Rick Thomas Distill-

ery, WR-C’s 2024 Business of the Year.

Moffat Tunnel lease approved; Gilpin officials continue pressure for train stop in Rollinsville

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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