Voters Deceived by Voting for the Mijares Recall

Open Letter to:

• Montrose County Voters

• Montrose County Sheriff’s Department

• Montrose County District Attorney

• Colorado Bureau of Investigation

• U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado

Many who promoted the recall of Montrose County Commissioner Scott Mijares made false statements during the campaign and were supported by a small group of Democrats in Republican clothing (RINOs). Those who voted to recall Commissioner Mijares were misled by these parties.

Many voters disliked Commissioner Mijares’ personality or handling of certain issues and therefore overlooked broader problems affecting the county. By focusing on Mijares’ perceived shortcomings (e.g., abrupt behavior), voters effectively condoned alleged corruption, unethical conduct, lies, and violations of state and federal law, including potential First Amendment violations.

Several individuals who promoted the recall are alleged to have committed serious violations, including:

• Misappropriation of taxpayer funds

• Violations of the right to peacefully assemble

• Violations of state ethics laws

• Campaign-finance violations

• Violations of state law regarding children

These individuals should be investigated by the law-enforcement agencies and prosecutors listed above.

Recall Campaign’s Principal False Accusations (Refuted)

1. Mijares is not a true fiscal conservative and is fiscally irresponsible Opponents claimed that stopping the North Campus project could have cost taxpayers up to $3 million in legal fees. They omitted that the previous commissioners (Roger Rash, Keith Caddy, and sitting Commissioner Sue Hansen) rushed approval of the $25 million project weeks before leaving office, despite the county finance department reporting insufficient funds. Mijares asked them to delay so the newly elected commissioners could review it; they refused. The project cost has since risen toward $30 million. The county courthouse, budgeted at $17 million, has also ballooned to $25 million. Approving both projects despite known funding shortages exemplifies fiscal irresponsibility.

2. Mijares cost taxpayers $500,000 in severance packages False. The county attorney and county manager resigned voluntarily, and the total severance was under $300,000.

3. Mijares created a toxic environment and mistreated Commissioner Sue Hansen

• “Toxic” because Mijares challenged the county manager’s illegal hiring of the public-health director (state law requires commissioners to make the selection)? Commissioner Hansen called it a “clerical error.”

• “Toxic” because Mijares asked the prior board to let the new commissioners select the county manager (they instead rushed the hire and lowered qualifications)?

• “Toxic” because Mijares questioned questionable or potentially illegal legal advice from the county attorney?

4. Mijares mistreated Hansen In reality, Hansen and the prior board mistreated Mijares both before and after his election:

• Violated their own resolution against endorsing primary candidates by supporting Mijares’ opponent (who had multiple federal tax liens) over Mijares, a successful business owner.

• Attempted to marginalize him once in office.

• Hansen has aligned herself with a disgraced former Montrose County GOP chair who engaged in verbal assaults (including against women), violent outbursts that disrupted citizens’ right to peacefully assemble, and alleged misuse of party and campaign funds. This individual was a key figure in the recall effort while recall promoters simultaneously labeled Mijares “toxic.”

5. Commissioner Hansen and former Commissioner Rash supported the recall Their accusations of Mijares’ fiscal irresponsibility appear designed to deflect from their own decisions and from allegations that thousands (if not millions) of dollars in Public Safety Sales Tax (PSST) funds, approved by voters in 2007, were transferred or used in violation of the ordinance (which requires at least 70% be allocated to the sheriff’s department). These actions may constitute theft or statutory violation. Hansen, Rash, and Caddy should themselves face investigation and possible recall.

6. The recall did not reflect the will of the people Approximately 18,000 voters elected Mijares in November 2024; fewer than half that number voted to recall him. The recall was driven by Hansen, elements of the local media, a few establishment Republicans, and (according to reports) outside dark-money sources. Days before the election, the Colorado DOGE Report and the Montrose Mirror (10/27/25 and 10/28/25 editions) exposed funding from radical leftist organizations, characterizing the effort as election interference.