EDITOR’S NOTE: Councilman Dave Gruber’s response to this letter is here.

EDITOR: On Monday, Sept. 23, Councilman Dave Gruber made comments about me, an Aurora resident and chairperson of the Arapahoe County Democratic Party, from the city council dais. Without regard for the truth, Gruber linked me personally to Aurora immigration protest actions last week, to terrorizing the wife and children of a local ICE warden, and to Antifa. None of that is true.

Here is what is true: I called on Aurora Chamber of Commerce to remove Aurora GEO-ICE warden Johnny Choate from their board of directors. I testified at City Council asking for more transparency and accountability from GEO Group. I attended the July vigil across from the GEO Facility in the public roadway. I take full accountability for those actions.

However, on Thursday night when protests happened in Southeast Aurora at Choate’s home, I was at the Aurora Municipal Center welcoming Beto O’Rouke’s staff and Martin O’Malley to our great city.

The response Gruber is hoping for by targeting me is a repudiation of direct action and the actions of other groups — I refuse to do so. I will not turn my back on folks who care enough to legally organize, march, and marshal protesters in our city. The beautiful thing about the First Amendment is that it allows for multiple types of direct action and different venues — whether it be on a bus, on public roadways and sidewalks, or in City Council Chambers.

Gruber and I do not see eye to eye on many issues — specifically, Gruber does not believe in maintaining human rights and dignity by holding GEO accountable for the poor conditions of the Aurora facility. I am comfortable with that disagreement. What I am not comfortable with is the blatant disregard for the truth and the targeting of women that he disagrees with.

In July, Gruber targeted three sitting councilwomen — attempting to skew the narrative of their involvement in the July vigil. Now, he is going one step lower and targeting his own constituent. Gruber’s words and actions show he reserves dignity only for people who look and believe exactly like him.

This is unacceptable and our city’s leadership must do better. I call on Mayor Bob LeGare and City Council to censure Gruber for behavior unbecoming of a councilperson and to stand against misogyny and racism, and to stand up for human dignity.

— Kristin Mallory, Chairperson of Arapahoe County Democratic Party, and a resident of Aurora, via letters@SentinelColorado.com