Montrose County’s Double Standard:

Why Sue Hansen Remains Untouched

A Tale of Two Commissioners

Montrose County voters narrowly recalled Commissioner Scott Mijares for what recall supporters labeled “questionable behavior.” At the same time, Commissioner Sue Hansen continues to serve unscathed despite years of documented ethical violations that dwarf the trumped-up charges against Mijares. One official loses his seat over minor controversies. Another collects citizen awards while openly flouting Colorado law. The hypocrisy is impossible to ignore. 

The Information Has Been Public

This is not a case of hidden facts. Local reporting over the past year has repeatedly exposed Hansen’s conduct. Residents who claim ignorance simply have not been paying attention. We can no longer plead lack of evidence, only a lack of wanting to accept facts.  Which is understandable as nobody wants to believe they have been misled or worse, lied to for the past seven years.

Seven Years of Calculated Influence

For seven years, Sue Hansen has embedded herself into every corner of Montrose County politics with ruthless efficiency. She attends every ribbon-cutting, poses for every photo, and stacks plaque upon plaque. The strategy has worked brilliantly. The fatal flaw: she has done it all while systematically violating the Colorado Code of Ethics.

Violation One: Breach of Public Trust (C.R.S. § 24-18-103)

Colorado law declares that holding public office is a public trust. Officials must act only in the public interest and avoid any conduct that erodes confidence in government integrity. Hansen shattered this standard when she used her personal Facebook page to actively support the recall campaign against Commissioner Mijares. A sitting commissioner campaigning to remove another commissioner is not protected speech; it is a direct assault on the public trust the statute exists to protect.

Violation Two: Improper Use of Position (C.R.S. § 24-18-104)

State law forbids public officers from using their position for private political gain or even creating the appearance of such use. Hansen’s public posts, made while identifying herself as a county commissioner, gave the clear impression that she was weaponizing her office against a colleague. Partisan warfare trumped impartial service.

Violation Three: Creating Conflicts of Interest (C.R.S. § 24-18-105)

Officials may not take actions that could result in private gain or impair independent judgment. By inserting herself into a divisive recall fight, Hansen turned county government into a factional battleground. That choice harmed the economic and political interests of every resident she swore to serve.

Violation Four: Breach of Fiduciary Duty for Local Officials (C.R.S. § 24-18-109)

The statute aimed directly at county commissioners lists specific acts that constitute a breach of fiduciary duty. Publicly working to unseat a fellow elected official while serving in the same body fits the definition perfectly. It undermines collaborative governance and serves no legitimate public purpose.

The “Private Citizen” Excuse Collapses

Some will argue her Facebook posts were private opinion. The claim is laughable. She lists her title on the page. She tags county business. She trades on her elected status daily. In the eyes of ethics law, perception is reality when the public’s faith in government hangs in the balance.

We Rejected Dysfunction Once, Why Not Again?

On November 4, Montrose voters put children above politics and cleaned house on the school board. We proved we can set bias aside when the stakes are high. The county commission is no less important. Applauding Hansen while recalling Mijares reveals a standard that changes depending on whose team is winning.

What Is She Hiding?

When an elected official works this aggressively to destroy a colleague while wrapping herself in awards and praise, honest citizens must ask the obvious question: what else has Sue Hansen buried behind the polished image? 

A Possible Political Coup?

There are whispers that Hansen and her leftist allies are staging a "coup" of the Montrose County Republican Party, whom she stealthily left back in March of 2025 to become "unaffiliated".  Mobilizing unaffiliated and democrat party operatives change their affiliation to “Republican” for the caucus in an effort to overtake the party to upend it.  This is yet another unethical political power move in the making if true.  A move I would not put past someone as unethical as Sue Hansen has demonstrated herself to be given the examples above. 

It is truly sad that someone can be so hungry to hold onto political power that they stoop to such levels.  Word has it that Hansen and her allies want to see the Montrose GOP become a "lighter shade of Red" in the months leading up to the '26 mid-terms.  A slap in the face to all who believe in traditional values and who voted to keep Montrose Conservative during this past election where we saw a clean sweep of conservative value wins take center stage.   

Montrose County deserves leaders who obey the same ethics laws they expect from everyone else. Awards do not erase violations. They only expose how effectively the game has been played. It is time to end the double standard. Sue Hansen’s seven-year pattern of ethical breaches demands real investigation, not another certificate on the wall.

Michael J Badagliacco, “MJB”

Michael is a father of five, grandfather of three, United States Air Force veteran, international recording artist, and Editor-in-Chief of the Colorado DOGE Report. He is passionate about the United States of America and the founders’ genius in crafting the Constitution.