Faith Winter violated Colorado Senate ethics rules, panel rules

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Democratic state Sen. Faith Winter violated Colorado Senate ethics rules when she appeared to be intoxicated while attending a community meeting earlier this year in Northglenn, a legislative committee convened to investigate her conduct ruled Monday.

The Colorado Senate Ethics Committee voted 4-1 to find that Winter, the chamber’s deputy majority leader, failed to meet Senate ethics standards that require her to promote public integrity and public trust. Democrats have a 3-2 majority on the panel, which has been meeting for weeks to consider the ethics complaint against Winter.

The lone “no” vote came from Sen. James Coleman, a Denver Democrat who is likely to ask his colleagues in the coming months to elect him as Senate president. Coleman is currently the chamber’s speaker pro tempore.

The Democrats on the committee who voted to find that Winter, of Broomfield, violated Senate ethics rules were Sens. Julie Gonzales of Denver and Dylan Roberts of Avon. Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, and Senate Assistant Minority Leader Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, also found that Winter violated the rules.

“The evidence we received indicated that this was part of a larger pattern and that it was not the first time this had happened,” Gardner said.

The committee also voted Monday to send a formal report to Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, to decide how to proceed. It also decided to invite Winter to address her conduct before the full Senate and warned her that future alleged ethics violations involving alcohol could result in sanctions.

The committee could recommend a reprimand or expulsion.

In May, the Northglenn City Council filed an ethics complaint against Winter over her conduct during an April 3 city hearing on the state’s plan to open a controversial halfway house for people convicted of sex crimes.

Winter’s speech was slurred and halting, and she seemed to be having difficulty collecting her thoughts.

Northglenn police officers were at the scene and encouraged Winter not to drive home after the party.

The day after the meeting, Winter announced she was seeking treatment for substance abuse. She also resigned as chairwoman of the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee.

Winter was then temporarily excused from his seat in Parliament, before returning a few weeks before the end of the term on 8 May.

As part of a Senate Ethics Committee investigation into Winter’s conduct, she admitted to drinking alcohol before the Northglenn event, but not to excess.

“I expected the meeting to be emotionally charged, so I had a drink before going in,” she said in a written statement to the ethics commission last month seeking dismissal of the complaint.

In her response, Winter addressed the drinking culture at the Capitol, stating that it “is used in many ways, including to promote camaraderie and as a coping mechanism.”

“While I regret having a drink before entering the community meeting on April 3rd and would take that decision back if I could, I can confidently say I have fulfilled my duties and responsibilities as senator,” she wrote. “Northglenn claims that I drank alcohol while serving as senator, but drinking while serving as senator is common in this state, so much so that it is widely publicized.”

Winter sent a letter from her doctor saying she was receiving treatment for drug addiction and taking medication to curb her cravings, “and that she has demonstrated a strong commitment to her treatment goals.”

Committee members seemed skeptical about some parts of Winter’s letter.

Many dismissed Winter’s connection between her actions at the Northglenn meeting and the drinking culture at the Capitol.

“I’m incredibly concerned about this,” Gardner said. “We create this culture, we are the culture.” Roberts said he categorically disagrees that the culture of the Capitol is to blame for Winter’s behavior.

Winter wrote in her letter that she was never invited to speak at the April 3 meeting in Northglenn. Committee members raised questions about that claim.

“I think at least those who organized the meeting expected her to not only be there but to speak on the panel,” Roberts said.

Winter also wrote that she has not received any letters from voters saying they have lost confidence in her.

Still, Gonzales said many people have expressed concerns. “There are numerous emails from constituents to the Northglenn City Council,” said Gonzales, the committee chairman. “Not one, but two public bodies (Northglenn and Westminster city councils) have discussed this behavior.”

Winter’s Senate colleagues have been concerned about her drinking for years, with some trying to confront her and encourage her to seek treatment before the April meeting.

Winter had the opportunity to ask the Senate Ethics Committee for an evidentiary hearing after the committee found probable cause that she had violated chamber ethics rules. She waived that right.

A former Westminster city councilor, Winter has been a state legislator since 2015, after being elected in 2014 to represent a Colorado House district. She was elected to the Senate in 2018 and reelected in 2022. Her term ends in January 2027.

Story Type: News

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