Colorado’s House Democrats have initiated a move to censure Rep. Ryan Armagost, the House Republican whip, following his sharing of a photo depicting Rep. Yara Zokaie, a Democratic legislator. This incident took place within a private group chat and has since elicited widespread condemnation for the mocking comments made about Zokaie’s attire.
Incident Details and Response
The decision to pursue censure was announced by Speaker Julie McCluskie during a Democratic caucus meeting on the morning of August 31, 2023, shortly after lawmakers reconvened for a special legislative session aimed at addressing a significant budget shortfall. Armagost had reportedly taken the photograph of Zokaie while on the House floor and subsequently shared it in the Republican group chat. GOP members then made derogatory remarks regarding her clothing, with one member making an inappropriate comparison.
According to a report from Colorado Public Radio, the image was later circulated on social media platforms, further amplifying the mockery directed at Zokaie. The young lawmaker voiced her distress, stating that the incident led to “never-ending harassment” and described the comments as “vile.” She revealed that she received a threatening message that included her children’s school address, indicating that the sender was aware of their schedule.
Zokaie expressed her frustration to her colleagues, stating that the minority leadership had not taken adequate action regarding the harassment. She approached Rose Pugliese, the top Republican in the House, about the situation, noting that Pugliese had prior knowledge of who was responsible for the photograph.
Democratic Caucus Reaction
During the caucus meeting, McCluskie emphasized that Zokaie had endured sexual harassment. The announcement of the censure proposal was met with applause from Democratic lawmakers, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
As of now, Armagost was absent from the Capitol and did not respond to inquiries from The Denver Post. Notably, he had previously announced his intention to resign from the legislature and relocate to Arizona, with his resignation set to take effect on September 1, 2023.
A spokesperson for Pugliese did not provide a comment following the announcement of the censure.
Implications and Legislative Actions
The censure vote represents a formal reprimand that requires a simple majority to pass, an outcome that appears likely given the Democratic majority in the House. Leaders plan to introduce the resolution later today, with a vote scheduled for the following day.
Following the circulation of the photo, it was further disseminated on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, where anonymous conservative accounts continued to mock Zokaie, often using explicit language. Armagost, in addition to his leadership role, had also chaired the House’s workplace harassment committee, responsible for overseeing investigations into complaints of legislative misconduct. He has since been removed from that position.
Both McCluskie and Rep. Monica Duran, the Democratic majority leader, expressed that they had never witnessed anything comparable to the Armagost incident during their tenure at the Capitol. Duran stated, “We want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone ever again.”
As the legislative session unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all lawmakers, particularly as incidents of harassment come to light.
