Colorado lawmakers are set to censure the House’s third-ranking Republican, Rep. Ryan Armagost, following his decision to share a photo of Rep. Yara Zokaie, a Democratic legislator, in a private group chat. The image, which sparked mocking comments regarding Zokaie’s attire, has raised significant concerns about harassment within the legislative body.
During a Democratic caucus meeting on Thursday morning, Speaker Julie McCluskie announced the impending censure shortly after lawmakers reconvened for a special legislative session aimed at addressing a budget shortfall.
Armagost, who serves as the House Republican whip, allegedly took the photo of Zokaie while on the House floor and subsequently posted it in a private group chat for Republican lawmakers. According to a report by Colorado Public Radio, members of the GOP mocked Zokaie’s clothing, with one individual making a particularly offensive comparison. The photo soon found its way onto social media, prompting further ridicule from anonymous conservative accounts.
Zokaie, representing Fort Collins, stated that the incident has led to “never-ending harassment.” She described the comments exchanged among Republicans in the group chat as “vile,” and revealed that she received disturbing messages that disclosed her children’s school address and claimed knowledge of student release times.
In response to the harassment, Zokaie approached the House’s top Republican, Rose Pugliese, detailing the relentless nature of the situation. Zokaie mentioned that Pugliese indicated she would investigate the matter, although at that time, it was clear she knew the identity of the individual responsible for the photo.
McCluskie emphasized that Zokaie has endured sexual harassment and expressed the Democratic caucus’s commitment to ensuring such incidents do not reoccur. The announcement of the censure was met with applause from Democratic lawmakers present in the meeting.
Armagost was not present at the Capitol on Thursday morning. He declined to comment when approached by The Denver Post. Notably, he had already announced in late June his intention to resign from the legislature to relocate to Arizona, with his resignation taking effect on September 1, 2023.
The censure process in the Colorado House is a rare collective reprimand, requiring a simple majority to pass. Given the Democratic majority, it is expected that the resolution will be introduced on Thursday afternoon and voted on the following day.
The situation surrounding Zokaie has drawn attention not only for the nature of the comments but also for the irony that Armagost, in addition to his leadership role, had been chairing the House’s workplace harassment committee, which oversees investigations into legislative misconduct. Following the incident, he was removed from that position, although he remains a member of two other legislative committees.
Both McCluskie and Rep. Monica Duran, the Democratic majority leader, expressed that they have never encountered anything akin to the Armagost incident during their time in the legislature. Duran emphasized the importance of preventing similar occurrences in the future, stating, “We want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone ever again.”
The unfolding events in Colorado’s legislature highlight ongoing concerns regarding workplace behavior and accountability among elected officials. As the censure vote approaches, the focus remains on fostering a respectful and safe environment for all legislators.