WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.720 I am very pleased to have one of what I 2 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:06.440 think is one of the top candidates. We have a 3 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:10.800 big GOP primary, but most of the candidates that are 4 00:00:10.919 --> 00:00:14.279 registered with the Secretary of State, they're not really candidates. 5 00:00:14.279 --> 00:00:16.519 They have no fundraising, they have no websites, they are 6 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:19.600 not serious people. So a couple of weeks ago, Ryan 7 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:23.480 Schuling and I had the privilege of moderating a Republican forum. 8 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:25.160 It was originally going to be a debate, but then 9 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:28.559 when we realized we had three candidates because Victor Marks 10 00:00:28.839 --> 00:00:31.879 couldn't make it, we decided to go in a kind 11 00:00:31.879 --> 00:00:35.119 of a bigger direction and Sheriff Jason Mixel was there. 12 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:37.240 He did a great I think all the candidates did 13 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:40.119 a really good job representing themselves and sort of giving 14 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:42.880 the people that were there a better feel of who 15 00:00:42.920 --> 00:00:45.520 they were and what their priorities were. And I'm happy 16 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:47.359 to have Sheriff Jason Mixel in the studio with me 17 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:48.880 right now to continue that conversation. 18 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:51.280 Welcome to the show, Thanks, Manda. I appreciate being here. 19 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:53.280 Well, I appreciate you driving up from Teller County where 20 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:54.079 you are Sheriff. 21 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:55.000 Absolutely. 22 00:00:55.079 --> 00:00:57.039 Let's start with your background. For people who are not 23 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:57.880 familiar with you. 24 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:00.359 Well, a couple of things people don't realize. I do 25 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:03.240 own businesses. I started a small company, grew it to 26 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:06.280 a large company. We my and my wife diversified down 27 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.480 to small businesses. So we own several restaurants. We own 28 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:11.640 some parking frants for those, so we own two in 29 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:13.959 Woodland Park. We own one that's called the Ute Lodge 30 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:16.719 Barn Grill, which is actually a steakhouse. And we own 31 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:19.519 another place called One ten Reserve. It's more of a 32 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:22.200 summer business type right now. And then we own some 33 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:24.079 commercial rentals and some different things. 34 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:27.120 Okay, I'm a big fan of the Hungry Bear. On on occasion, 35 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:29.200 I will drive to Woodland Park just to get pancakes there. 36 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:32.519 But that's the story for another time. Married. Obviously, you 37 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:33.000 got kids. 38 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:35.560 I do. I've got three boys. I have one that's 39 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:40.079 in law enforcement, I have one that's security technologies in California. 40 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.120 And I have one the one seventy third Airborne who's 41 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.200 just been brought back to the US to serve at 42 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:46.319 the hundred first Airborne or airsol Wing. 43 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:48.760 Well, thank him for his service for me. I appreciate that. 44 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:51.519 So they're all grown and gone and is that one 45 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:53.560 of the reasons that you decided now to jump in 46 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:55.760 a race for governor Because you've got a long tenure 47 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:59.200 in law enforcement. Why now, why try to go from 48 00:01:59.239 --> 00:01:59.920 sheriff to gov. 49 00:02:00.760 --> 00:02:03.319 Well, I think here's the issue. I was going to 50 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:06.560 the state capitol. I'm fighting things like the Second Amendment 51 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:10.039 rights for people throughout Colorado. We're fighting things for businesses 52 00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:12.400 on my private site. We're fighting things that have to 53 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:16.280 deal with safe injection sites throughout Colorado. And the problem was, 54 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:18.639 I'm dealing with a lot of politicians every day and 55 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:21.759 I'm not getting anywhere right. So We've had so many 56 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:24.319 different governor's candidates come through the mix over the years, 57 00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:26.800 and I remember watching all of them and going, they 58 00:02:26.840 --> 00:02:29.759 can't win. They're just not that people that can understand 59 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:33.080 the issues they want to do those things. So and 60 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:35.280 I'd always told my boys, if you're going to complain 61 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:39.360 about something, fix it. So I decided one morning, because 62 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:41.439 I had been complaining so much about the way things 63 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:43.439 were going, that I've got to fix it because we've 64 00:02:43.479 --> 00:02:45.479 got to bring back love for law enforcement. We've got 65 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.560 to get the state back into control fiscally. And I 66 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:50.759 felt like someone that was out of the box thinking 67 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:55.400 I'm not an age old Republican or the fact that 68 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:58.520 I'm not a politician, but I have run companies and 69 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:01.159 I understand how to bring back economies and look at 70 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:04.080 those things. I understood the crime issues in Colorado is 71 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:06.360 one of the most unsafe states in the United States, 72 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:09.280 and how do you bring that back? Well, I'm a sheriff. 73 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.280 I know how to work with other law enforcement. He's 74 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:14.319 he's across the state to do that with minimal costs 75 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:17.360 and really to have an ability to decrease crime within 76 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:18.960 forty percent within for six months. 77 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:22.840 So you have been pretty outspoken about the way your 78 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:26.039 department has figured out a way to sort of either 79 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:27.919 I don't want to say get around, because I think 80 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:31.719 that that is a misstatement to say get around, but 81 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:35.719 how are you able to work with federal law enforcement 82 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.199 where other sheriffs And we have a story on the 83 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:41.240 blog today where the governor is like, oh, yeah, you 84 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:43.639 guys can work with federal law enforcement all you want. 85 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.919 But the reality is the perception still exists that if 86 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:49.240 you do cooperate with law enforcement when it comes to. 87 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:51.560 Immigration, you're going to be you could be fined. 88 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.080 Fifty thousand dollars because that's what the law says in Colorado, 89 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:57.080 and our Attorney General will most certainly prosecute. 90 00:03:57.199 --> 00:03:59.520 Well, he's done it, and he's doing it, and he's 91 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:01.759 threatening people. That's the guy that wants to be a governor. 92 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:04.680 Now here's the other side of it. Though Governor Paulis 93 00:04:04.759 --> 00:04:07.599 is wrong. I've said he's wrong for the last eight years. 94 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:10.000 I've fought the ACLU on these issues. We've sent letters 95 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.479 to him. He's never wanted to sit down personally and 96 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:14.280 have this discussion, even though I'm the one they're going 97 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:15.199 after for the programs. 98 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:17.639 He just offered to sit down and make that happen 99 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:19.240 with law enforcement, So you should take. 100 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:19.680 Him up on it. 101 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:23.079 Well, here's the thing. He will with his people right, right. 102 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:24.879 He won't come down and meet with those of us 103 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:29.120 that understand the real issues. And that's been across the board. 104 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:30.800 We've attempted to meet with him for years, and he'll 105 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:33.920 only go to certain sheriffs or certain policed agencies that 106 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.759 work with him, right and do pretty much what he 107 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:38.399 wants in the state of Colorida, which is a yes. 108 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:41.959 So the problem is there is no yes to this right. 109 00:04:42.040 --> 00:04:44.600 There is a whole set of circumstances that are killing 110 00:04:44.680 --> 00:04:47.839 us here in Colorado with these issues. But it's across 111 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:49.720 the board with county commissioners wanting to meet with them, 112 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:52.759 all kinds of folks that have better ideas than what's 113 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:55.839 being forced on them. That's what's not coming across because 114 00:04:55.879 --> 00:04:59.600 really it's a localized Denver government that's pushing out throughout 115 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:01.480 the whole state with all kinds of issues. 116 00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:04.759 Oh that's true. Let's talk about your battle with the ACLU. 117 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:08.920 How did it start? Well, it started. I became a sheriff. 118 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:12.000 I actually was asked to come back because the sheriff 119 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:15.879 pro formed me had left early. So I took ownership 120 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:18.120 of the sheriff's office. Could you actually sign ownership to it? 121 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:22.480 My first day back, the ACLU calls me, the head 122 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:24.680 of the ACLU, and he says, hey, listen, are you 123 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:26.279 going to play ball with us? Or are we going 124 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:28.360 to have to sue you? So you're going to have 125 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.240 to play ball like all the other sheriffs in Colorado. 126 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:32.839 And I said, give me five minutes. I don't even 127 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:34.800 know what you're talking about, right, So I called over 128 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:36.800 my jail because when I left, we were working with ice. 129 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:39.360 When I came back. I found out that there had 130 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:41.560 been letters given to the ACLU saying that we weren't 131 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:43.680 going to work with ICE, that we wouldn't support ICE. 132 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:46.519 Then I talked to my staff and that we had 133 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:50.199 a huge issue going on with cartel's illegal marijuana. The 134 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:53.199 logistics line we're coming into Colorado was destroying our community. 135 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:56.000 Knowing to taking on a fight like that, I was 136 00:05:56.040 --> 00:05:58.560 going to have to work with ICE. I called ICE. 137 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:01.519 I said, hey, listen, you send me the first flight 138 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:04.160 in and I'll start taking them today. I called the 139 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:04.879 Aco you. 140 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:06.519 Back, What do you mean by that? What does that mean? 141 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:10.199 Well, because they the Aco you did not want us 142 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:14.000 to house for ICE criminals in Colorado, same thing we're 143 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:17.439 doing now. At that time, you could though you knew 144 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:19.680 you were gonna be sued, but nobody had jumped into that. 145 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:22.040 They just were trying to push it away and say, oh, well, 146 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:25.279 you know in theory we're gonna lose, right, So, and 147 00:06:25.319 --> 00:06:27.279 I don't like being threatened. I'm not good like that. 148 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:29.439 I just I just don't do well with it. So 149 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:32.439 we immediately got the phone call back from the Aco 150 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:34.319 you saying what's your what are you gonna do? And 151 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:37.480 I go here's the thing. I'm landing them. They're gonna 152 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:41.160 fill my jail today, sue me. I go, I'll take 153 00:06:41.160 --> 00:06:44.319 that battle on. So that's what happened. Three days later, 154 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:46.360 I think I got my first lawsuit and we were 155 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:49.600 embroiled for eight years. And through that eight years we won. 156 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:53.240 I had a great attorney through the county, and we 157 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:56.120 had a great strategic direction on how I wanted to 158 00:06:56.160 --> 00:06:58.600 make sure how we could win, and we won because 159 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:01.920 we were saying, to serve the public and to protect 160 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:04.600 public peace, we need to be able to work with ice. 161 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:06.720 What does that look like in practice in Teller County 162 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:07.519 where you're a sheriff. 163 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:10.439 Well, now it's changed, right. They finally were able to 164 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.959 get a legislation passed that would stop me from being 165 00:07:13.959 --> 00:07:16.560 able to use my two eighty seven G program at 166 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:16.959 this point. 167 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:18.959 And the two eighty seven G program is a federal 168 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:22.279 program that you could partner and actually have a dedicated 169 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.759 person who serves a dual purpose of working for the 170 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:29.519 sheriff's office and immigration and customers enforcement right inside my jail, 171 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:32.879 right right, So you actually have a person that was fulfilling. 172 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:35.879 That role, yep. And we're dealing with people inside the jail, right, 173 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:37.560 So they're not going back into the community, they're not 174 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:39.759 going back on the streets. You're not having those issues. 175 00:07:40.279 --> 00:07:44.959 So that's how it all started. Now it's if there's 176 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:48.040 a major investigation or they need us to investigate something, 177 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:51.279 we can assist with an investigation, but only an investigation. 178 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.800 So that's where it's sits I has to initiate. 179 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:57.680 ICE has to initiate by sending me a memo saying, hey, 180 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:00.160 we need your assistance with an investigation. 181 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.319 Are there still law enforcement officials that believe that even 182 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:07.160 that level of cooperation on an active investigation couldn't at 183 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:08.439 them a fifty thousand dollars fine? 184 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:09.839 Oh absolutely, Yeah. 185 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:11.160 Well, I mean I don't know why they wouldn't. 186 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:14.560 Phil Weiser has been very aggressive, yeah, in you know, 187 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:19.160 in making sure that this law is balanced, is passed, 188 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:22.519 or what am I trying to say, enforced? So, I 189 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:24.879 mean he's and he's running for governor, right, I Mean, 190 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:30.800 that's that's the thing. When you are thinking about Colorado 191 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:33.159 overall and not just Teller County, what is the biggest 192 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:34.240 issue in your mind? 193 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:36.519 I think the economy right now and what we're doing 194 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.960 to businesses. You know, between twenty three twenty four fiscal year, 195 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:44.120 we lost over thirty thousand businesses in Colorado. Some of 196 00:08:44.120 --> 00:08:46.879 those were grocery stores. Some of those had over six 197 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:51.120 hundred some employees, so you figure that's a minimum. If 198 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.440 they only have one person each for each business, that's 199 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:57.039 thirty thousand people laid off from work. In quarter one 200 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:00.480 of twenty twenty five, we lost another nineteen percent of 201 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.840 businesses in Colorado because of the way we're doing our 202 00:09:03.879 --> 00:09:07.000 overreach in Colorado from Denver and the legislatures on the 203 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.120 different fees, that the way that we are handling businesses, 204 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:16.320 on the regulations, it is killing businesses across Colorado. You 205 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:18.679 had a thousand mom and pop gun shops that closed 206 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:22.080 up early last year just based on the three bill. Right, So, 207 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:27.240 how can we bring back an economy in Colorado when 208 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:30.200 we are driving businesses out, we're driving oil and gas out, 209 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:34.039 we're driving local farmers out. It's just across the board. 210 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:37.080 I don't disagree with anything you just said, but there 211 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:39.720 is a big old elephant in the room, and that 212 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:44.279 is a democratic legislature. Now, even if Republicans somehow managed 213 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:46.759 to peel off a few seats here and there, I 214 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:50.200 think unless something catastrophic happens, like we all find out 215 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:52.759 that there are aliens from another planet. The Democrats are 216 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:54.559 going to maintain control of the House in the Senate, 217 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:58.440 how do you begin to walk back the over regulatory 218 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:00.919 burden that you were just talking about with people who 219 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:04.120 are trying in this legislative session to add more to it. 220 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:07.480 Well, I think you have to educate people. Why right 221 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:09.840 right now you have a governor in office who's not 222 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:12.559 educating people as to what the impacts are of Colorado 223 00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:15.360 like you should be. There's no clear leadership throughout Colorado. 224 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:19.559 I think a lot of your Democrats that are in 225 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:23.240 office right now, I think if they understood exactly what 226 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:26.720 was the circumstances are going to happen after they put 227 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:30.279 something into a bill, would understand that hurts even the 228 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.919 direction they want to go with things. The problem is 229 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:36.600 there's no education done at the Capitol unless it's in committee. 230 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:39.600 And the problem with the committees are you have a 231 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:43.440 Democrats side that are taking positions that have been left 232 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:46.480 and their offices that they left office, and they're appointing 233 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:49.559 people to those committees. So the rest of the Senate 234 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:52.159 and the rest of the House Democrats may not even 235 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:55.919 know what the impacts were coming out of those committees 236 00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:59.480 because things are moving so quickly over six hundred to 237 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:02.360 seven hundred bills a year, they don't even know when 238 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:04.559 it hits the floor with the full impacts are because 239 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:08.080 they're not talking about it. You have a budgetary committee 240 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:11.440 between Democrats and Republicans that are in battle over these things, 241 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:15.519 and the problem is there's no parent going wait a second, 242 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:18.000 If you do that and you pass a budget at 243 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:22.200 that level without looking at the impacts, well we've just 244 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:24.200 lost our budgeting for the next few years and we've 245 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:26.519 put ourselves in more debt. We're now at threat of 246 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:29.720 losing other programs, other things, and I think that that 247 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:31.600 is something that has to be done across Colorado. 248 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:35.120 So you would consider yourself more for lack of a 249 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:39.480 better word, and activist governor when it comes to the legislature. 250 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:41.559 I think you have to be right because we're not 251 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:43.279 going to win in the Republican Party. And I hear 252 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:44.559 this all the time, We're gonna win back all these 253 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:46.399 seats now now, I just don't think that's gonna happen 254 00:11:46.440 --> 00:11:50.159 because it's been sway too many to Democratic districts, right yep. 255 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:54.000 But even Democrats are not happy with progressive Democrats. That's 256 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:57.440 a split that is actually happening, right, So I think 257 00:11:57.480 --> 00:12:00.039 that you need to push more towards those folks that 258 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:04.200 was a logical understanding of things rather than a progressive 259 00:12:04.279 --> 00:12:07.639 side that is just advocating total destruction in Colorado. 260 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:10.440 And I think the you know, John Caldera had a 261 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:15.039 great column about the brewing Democrat civil war. But you know, ultimately, 262 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:17.120 however that plays out, you're still going to be dealing 263 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.240 with people in the legislature that don't agree with you 264 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:21.559 know that we're overregulated. 265 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:21.799 Now. 266 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:24.480 One of the things that I think Governor Jared Poulis 267 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.879 has done a really bad job is exactly what you're 268 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:30.279 talking about, and that is leading during the legislative session. 269 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:31.960 And I'm not asking him to go in and write 270 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:34.159 bills and I'm not asking him to do that, but 271 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:37.720 he's been very happy to let the progressives take over 272 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:42.039 the legislative process in Colorado and then selectively vetoing a 273 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.720 few bills here or there, in my mind, to shore 274 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:46.759 up his libertarian, fake libertarian credentials. 275 00:12:46.759 --> 00:12:48.919 But that's another story for another time. Let me ask 276 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:50.279 you about energy because. 277 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:52.120 You mentioned the fact that Colorado is pushing oil and 278 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.559 gas out of Colorado. 279 00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:55.039 How would you reverse out? 280 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:57.639 What would you do like day one when it comes 281 00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:59.440 to energy policy, What would be the first things that 282 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:00.080 you would take. 283 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:01.840 Well, the first thing I'm going to take care of 284 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:03.879 is I need to sit down with those executives and 285 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:07.039 understand the oil and gas industry enough to know where 286 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:09.480 where our shortcomings are in Colorado on how we fix those. 287 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:14.879 Because here's the problem. By twenty six, twenty eight, we 288 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:17.399 have to shut down one of our last coal producing 289 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:20.440 energy plants in the state of Colorado because of a legislation. 290 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:24.200 We're going to go to strictly wind and solar. Here's 291 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:28.240 a problem with wind and solar. If you want to 292 00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:32.080 turn on a an extra heater in your house or 293 00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:35.799 something as such, if it draws more energy that wind 294 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:39.159 and solar can't jump up its production, right it can't. 295 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:41.080 We talked a lot about this on the show, so 296 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:42.600 my audience is very up to speed. 297 00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:45.679 That makes it easey. So because you can't scale, what 298 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:49.440 do you do? I have in my county major snowstorms 299 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:52.879 right I'm in the mountains. Several years ago we had 300 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:56.320 a major snowstorm that came through because we can't have 301 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:59.720 gas stoves, because you can't have fireplaces, you can't go 302 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:03.159 to any thing other than this type of electrical energy. 303 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:06.919 I had homes that could not get heat because you 304 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:09.200 don't have a secondary source. Now that wasn't the sole 305 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:11.120 cause that they'm not having sex a source yet, but 306 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:13.039 that's what we're talking about doing the Colorado. Look at 307 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:16.840 what happened in Texas when they had mostly all solar 308 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:20.879 and wind and their energy process is broke during windstorms 309 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:23.320 and snowstorms, and then all of a sudden they had 310 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:26.360 a loss of energy across the state. We don't need 311 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:29.840 to create people's deaths because we're too limited to what 312 00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:32.720 we want in Colorado. You have to bring back oil 313 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:35.039 and gas, and you have to sit down as grownups. 314 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:37.039 But we also have to look at nuclear energy. I 315 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:38.879 think you have to bring in nuclear energy because the 316 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:40.600 thing is is we want to create all these jobs 317 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:44.399 with data centers and all these these big types of corporations. 318 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:48.000 You can't do that without electricity reserves. You can't do it. 319 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:49.919 So practically, what does that look like? 320 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:54.240 Would you unseat the current Public Utilities Commission because they've 321 00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:57.519 adopted rules in December that have sent us down a 322 00:14:57.559 --> 00:15:01.000 path that is number one technolo logically impossible. 323 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:01.279 Yeah. 324 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:03.799 One of the PUC members actually said, well, we don't 325 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:05.679 know what the technology is going to be between twenty 326 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:06.960 thirty and twenty thirty five. 327 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:08.919 Are you freaking kidding me with that? 328 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:12.519 You have the Chancellor of Germany coming out two days 329 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:16.960 ago saying we are undergoing the most expensive energy transition 330 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:20.039 in the world and we've destroyed our economy. It's the 331 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.799 exact same thing we're doing here in Colorado. How do 332 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:24.960 you begin to undo that framework? 333 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:27.360 Well, there's two things, and I've done it in my career 334 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.399 as a sheriff and or a CEO of an organization. 335 00:15:29.559 --> 00:15:31.600 You have to remove hurdles. And if you have an 336 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:33.919 energy commission, that is being the hurdle because they will 337 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:36.559 not understand, they will not listen because they don't have 338 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:39.320 an understanding of the energy issues in Colorado. They have 339 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:41.759 to be removed or you have to change it to 340 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:45.360 where you have multiple types of energy systems in Colorado. 341 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:48.000 Maybe the PUC needs to come to the table more 342 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:50.480 with a governor actually standing there talking about these things. 343 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.080 I think that's the thing is, where have you seen 344 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:55.480 a governor in this state or any of those those 345 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:58.000 civic leaders, mean leaders to go sit down with them 346 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:00.000 and talk about it. 347 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:03.679 I think that Jared Poulis probably has had long conversations 348 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:04.240 with the PUC. 349 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:05.399 We just don't know about them. 350 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.600 I mean, he appointed people from the green energy industry. 351 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:12.320 He has stacked the deck. Every board, the Colorado Parks 352 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.759 and Wildlife board is full of animal rights advocates and 353 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.519 people who don't actually hunt or do any of those things. 354 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:21.879 I mean, well, you make it great because here's the thing. 355 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:23.960 And I talked to the Western Sportsman of Colorado and 356 00:16:23.960 --> 00:16:27.480 the different sportsman's groups. I've been a hunter my whole life. 357 00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:29.759 I grew up here in Colorado. It's part of what 358 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:34.519 my grandchildren do. You're right that commission was put together 359 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:38.600 as Colorado CPW Corondo Parks and Wildlife. Here's the issue 360 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.279 with that. It needs to be separated again. Coronto Parks 361 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:43.919 need to be different than divisional Wildlife. We used to 362 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:47.600 have divisional Wildlife. Their job was to protect animals in Colorado. 363 00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:51.080 That's not being done anymore. And I think you're right. 364 00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:54.159 All those committees need to be researched, looked at, and 365 00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:56.600 had a discussion over what direction we have and they 366 00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:58.320 need to do as strategically as that. Is this a 367 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:00.440 five year plan, ten your plan. There's no cur planning 368 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:01.279 Colorado in place. 369 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:06.559 So for me and I loft at this at the forum, 370 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:08.240 I'm like, would you be in favor of an elected 371 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:12.079 PUC because in my mind, the Public Utilities Commission should 372 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:14.279 be more on the side of the ratepayer than they 373 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:15.480 are the energy companies. 374 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:17.680 And right now from where I'm sitting. 375 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:20.920 You have the PUC absolutely rubber stamping whatever Excel says 376 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:23.839 it needs. But Xcel has cover because they're just doing 377 00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:26.920 what the State of Colorado's PUC requires. We've created this 378 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:30.759 closed loop where everybody's in the loop except the rate payers. 379 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:34.000 Yeah, I think Also, I think there's another model to 380 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:36.160 look at as it's you have sixty four counties in 381 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:39.880 the state of Colorado. Those counties, through their commissioners, should 382 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:42.759 have buy in to whom's on these or who is 383 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:45.720 on these committees, right, it's their impacts. The problem in 384 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:48.640 Colorado is that all the control in Colorado's been placed 385 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:51.319 at the state capitol instead of back into local governments 386 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:55.640 in Colorado. Truly, if a local government has the ability 387 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:59.160 to vote on different people to place into those positions. 388 00:17:59.480 --> 00:18:02.480 It allows every county to have a discussion for their voters. 389 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:06.519 If you have an elected position that's across Colorado, then 390 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:08.480 a lot of it's based on money and push and 391 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:11.599 just like every other election we have in Colorado, maybe 392 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:13.400 instead of a governor being able to put those people 393 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:16.240 in office, it needs to be counties with equal votes 394 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:17.799 throughout the state of Colorado. 395 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:20.599 I'm speaking with Sheriff Jason Mike Sool. He is sheriff 396 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:22.880 of Teller County. He's also running for governor on the 397 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:25.920 Republican side. If you have questions for him, now's the 398 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:27.039 time to get him in and you can you stick 399 00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:30.480 around absolutely, Okay, We're going to stick around have him. 400 00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:32.440 Like I said, guys, I'm going along with these candidates 401 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:33.759