January 31, 2023
By Marie Watkins

Hello Elected Officers of the COGOP,
My name is Marie Watkins. I am a precinct leader in precinct 523. I am new to politics as are many of El Paso County’s GOP precinct leaders. It should be something wonderful for the Republican party to see such a rise in participation, but apparently, it’s not. I was compelled to get into politics when I observed the many wrongs that the Democrats were committing in Colorado. When 2020 came I noticed many Republicans behaving the same as Democrats. As I have gone on engaging in Colorado politics, I have learned this to be the root cause of the demise of the Republican party. The establishment seeks to disqualify all of us new, grassroots, patriot, precinct leaders.

We are not fighting Democrats, we are fighting the establishment RINOs who want full control for their own profit.
They do not want the party to grow. The Democrats don’t have to do anything but sit back and laugh.

On or about the 16th of January it came to my attention that State Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown put out a call to meeting ahead of our County Central Committee Meeting. This call to meeting is based on fabrications, exaggerations, and invented authorities. It is unprecedented and serves to take away the autonomy of all of Colorado’s County parties. It is very clear that it is being conducted on behalf of the establishment portion of our County GOP, i.e. “The Peak Republicans” which includes several elected representatives and elected members of the party, including Michael Burton, KBB’s dad.

Now that the grassroots are overwhelmingly involved in the party, the power of the establishment is under threat. They have lost control of El Paso County Headquarters and they are furious because this is where they earn their living. This is why the establishment is attacking Vickie Tonkins and the grassroots Republicans. This is not just known to me, it is known far and wide across the state. I have attached a message put out by Chuck Broerman, who is one of “The Peak Republicans” soliciting support for removal of our County Chairwoman as an example of the ceaseless attacks that she and our county GOP members endure from the establishment. It also exemplifies a desperate attempt to co-opt the State CRC in order to bully us out which did not succeed. Now they curry biased favor from the state chair.
I urge you to do the right thing and call off this meeting which has been called for illegal purposes and to KBB, resign your seat with some dignity.
Marie Watkins

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