‘You want a war, we’ll gladly give you one,’ note warns; CBI, State Patrol seeking author

By Lynn Bartels
Denver Rocky Mountain News Capitol Bureau

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State police are investigating an e-mail that threatens eight legislators the anonymous author perceives as wanting tighter gun laws.

The missive is one of thousands of e-mails, letters, faxes and phone calls lawmakers have received on gun control but one of the few deemed threatening enough to pass on to police.

“We will NOT tolerate the passage of these bills, we will NOT honor them, we will NOT obey them,” the e-mail says. “You cowards and traitors want a war, we’ll gladly give you one.”

The author goes on to ridicule bills that would tighten gun laws and singles out the eight lawmakers. “We hold them personally responsible … and will go looking for them FIRST,” the e-mail concludes.

“That’s real overt,” J.R. Rodrigue, the House chief clerk, said Wednesday. “I turned it over to the State Patrol.”

Sgt. Don Smith said his agency is working with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to track down the author.

Lawmakers said the person who sent the e-mail isn’t too informed. Singled out among the mostly Democratic lawmakers who favor tighter gun controls was Rep. Bill Swenson, R-Longmont, a member of the National Rifle Association.

“This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Swenson said.

Most lawmakers were sent the missives through their Capitol e-mail addresses. Rep. Nancy Spence, R-Aurora gave it to Rodrigue.

The e-mail mentioned six Democrats — Sue Windels of Arvada, Bob Bacon of Fort Collins, Fran Coleman and Ken Gordon of Denver, and Ron Tupa and Tom Plant, both of Boulder. It also mentions two Republicans, Swenson and Ken Kester of Las Animas.

“I was shocked,” said Kester, who supports Gov. Bill Owens’ middle-of-the road gun package.

But it’s no surprise to lawmakers how impassioned their constituents are on the gun issue, and they’re struggling to respond to all their messages.

“It’s like drinking from a fire hydrant,” said Rep. Gary McPherson, R-Aurora, who got 300 e-mails last week, about a third to a half of which involved gun issues.

McPherson said Columbine has made people more attentive to Internet threats because gunman Eric Harris had threatened violence a year before the April 20 shootings but few took him seriously.

House Majority Leader Doug Dean, a strong gun-rights advocate, has been bombarded on gun issues. Dean said he is limited in responding because of a legislative rule that limits lawmakers to mailing only 200 letters per issue per session.

The Colorado Springs Republican is shocked that a chunk of his mail this this year is coming from what he considers gun-rights extremists.

“They’re hurting their cause,” Dean said. “You shouldn’t be attacking your best friend down here.”

Dean has been flooded with so many postcards and letters that his staff has had to take boxes home to sort it.

January 27, 2000