Democratic Congresswoman Diana DeGette defended her turf Wednesday, telling her Republican colleague Tom Tancredo to quit using Denver as “a punching bag” and focus on the problems of his own constituents.
“With the massive federal deficit, serious and growing problems with the war in Iraq and a national health care crisis, members of Congress have their hands full without nosing around others’ congressional districts to investigate the decisions of a local library system,” the Denver congresswoman wrote.
DeGette castigated Tancredo a day after he fired off a letter to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper questioning whether the Denver Public Library was focusing too heavily on Spanish-language books and services.
“I really don’t think she should be surprised that residents of Denver would come to me on an issue like this,” said Tancredo, whose political platform is centered on illegal immigration.
It is the second time in recent weeks that Tancredo has injected himself into Denver policies and politics, though he doesn’t represent Denver. His 6th Congressional District is in Douglas, Jefferson and Arapahoe counties.
Tancredo accused Hickenlooper last month of running a “sanctuary city” after an undocumented worker was accused in the fatal shooting of a police officer.
His letter Tuesday said that “Denver Public Library’s apparent shift towards a Spanish-language- only library, Spanish-language book quotas and coercion of librarians to learn Spanish is of great concern. Denver does not need further cultural balkanization.”
Hickenlooper responded with a five-page letter denying Tancredo’s assertions and telling him that he “misplaced” his trust in sources who had given him bad information.
“Whether it was an innocent lack of knowledge on their part, or outright deception, it does not help you do your difficult job,” he wrote.
The letter offered a point- by-point response to Tancredo’s 12 questions.
“Because more than 20 percent of all Denver residents speak Spanish at home, the Library is interested in providing additional Spanish-language materials and services, but it is not considering any ‘conversion’ plan along the lines suggested in your question,” Hickenlooper wrote. “English is and will remain the primary language of the Denver Public Library.”
DeGette said she was dismayed by Tancredo’s latest letter to Hickenlooper.
“Denver is the most diverse city in Colorado,” she said. “…It is also the economic and cultural capital of the Rocky Mountain West. What it is not is a punching bag for members of Congress to use to highlight their own agendas.”
Tancredo’s focus on immigration has earned him a national profile virtually unrivaled in Colorado’s congressional delegation.
Staff writer Karen Crummy can be reached at kcrummy@denverpost.com or 303-820-1594.
