Colorado’s 2022 Challenges: Disaster Response, Election Integrity, and Government Accountability

On January 3, 2022, Kim Monson kicked off the new year with an in-depth conversation featuring gubernatorial candidate Greg Lopez and his communications director Laura Hyatt. The episode examined the devastating Boulder County Marshall Fire, election integrity concerns, rising crime rates, and the impact of government regulations on Colorado families and businesses.

Boulder County Fire Response and Regulatory Reform

Start listening at 33:16 – Hour 1

Greg Lopez, former SBA Regional Administrator and mayor of Parker, offered a unique perspective on disaster response. Drawing on his federal experience coordinating disaster relief, Lopez urged fire victims to register with FEMA immediately, emphasizing that this single step initiates the entire rebuilding process. He praised Governor Polis’s handling of the immediate emergency while drawing a sharp contrast on regulatory policy.

Lopez argued that building permit delays and excessive regulations would compound the tragedy. He called on local officials to create special task forces that could issue permits within 48 hours. Beyond the immediate crisis, Lopez connected disaster response to his broader campaign platform, arguing that the same bureaucratic obstacles slowing reconstruction also stifle Colorado’s economy and discourage small business development.

“Look, I keep telling people the most powerful people in government are the bureaucrats, the regulators. They put in rules after rules after rules just to delay the process. And you don’t need those. If they would just get out of the way and allow people to be able to fulfill their dreams and build the way it’s supposed to, we would have a more robust economy.”

Greg Lopez, Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate

Election Integrity and Changing Rules

Start listening at 03:40 – Hour 1

Laura Hyatt, communications director for the Greg Lopez campaign, identified what she called a fundamental problem with American elections. A Texas forensic audit had just revealed over 11,000 potential non-citizens registered to vote, and Hyatt argued that such findings would always generate suspicion when election rules change mid-cycle.

Hyatt contended that COVID-19 served as justification for altering voting procedures just weeks before the 2020 election. She advocated for strict prohibitions against changing election rules during election years, regardless of the circumstances. The discussion touched on broader concerns about mainstream media dismissing legitimate questions about election security.

“I think there’s a root problem here that nobody’s really addressing, and that is that people aren’t seeming to be bothered by the fact, or at least they’re not focusing on the fact, that rules, the rules and the things that are making people very uncomfortable, a lot of these things change during the election year, and so when you move the goalposts on anything during an election year, no matter how the election turns out, the losing party is going to be suspicious and uncomfortable with the results.”

Laura Hyatt, Communications Director, Greg Lopez Campaign

Crime, Education, and Colorado’s Future

Start listening at 41:18 – Hour 1

Lopez addressed Colorado’s surge in carjackings, noting the state now leads the nation in this category. He traced the problem to policies that defund police and remove qualified immunity, creating what he described as an “emboldenedness of criminals.” Drawing on his experience as mayor during the 1993 “summer of violence,” Lopez recalled working with Denver Mayor Wellington Webb through the Metro Mayors Caucus to address teen violence.

The conversation shifted to education, where Lopez condemned what he called “porn” masquerading as sex education and criticized Critical Race Theory’s displacement of core academics. He pointed to dismal fourth-grade reading proficiency rates, with only 34 percent meeting standards, as evidence that schools have abandoned their fundamental mission. Lopez pledged to return curriculum authority to local school boards if elected governor.

“Look, the educational system has lost its focus. It’s lost its mission. It no longer truly understands that their job is to make sure that they educate our children to be good contributors to society, to be able to live in our society and contribute in a positive manner. They’re not there to become social advocates. They’re there to learn and to be able to solve problems.”

Greg Lopez, Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate

Building Resilient Teams in Challenging Times

Start listening at 26:02 – Hour 1

Keith Renninson, professional keynote speaker and facilitator, discussed the employee retention crisis facing American businesses. With the government becoming an increasingly dominant employer, private companies struggle to attract and retain talent. Renninson introduced his TRIP system, an acronym for tenacity, resilience, imagination, and purpose, which he uses to help organizations identify employees with the character traits necessary for long-term success.

Renninson also shared a personal story of resilience, revealing he had broken both ankles in a skiing accident just two weeks earlier. At 74 years old, he acknowledged the challenge while emphasizing the importance of practicing the very principles he teaches, walking the walk even when circumstances make it difficult.

“We’ve got a lot of problems across the country right now with employee retention, let alone attracting employees. And so I try to help corporations and companies keep those employees once they get them there through what I call my TRIP system, which is TRIP is an acronym that stands for tenacity, resilience, imagination, and purpose.”

Keith Renninson, Professional Keynote Speaker