Editor’s note: Each week during the legislative session, Denver Post political reporters will sit down with Capitol newsmakers. This Q&A was edited for length.
Republican Rep. Cheri Gerou was elected in 2008 to represent House District 25. The 54-year-old Republican and her husband, Phil, are architects and live in Evergreen. Their children, Greg and Sara, are University of Colorado graduates.
Q: How did you become an architect?
A: I started out as an interior designer and then found out I was more and more involved in the process. Someone said to me, ‘You’re sounding more like an architect than an interior designer.’ I took the (licensing) exam, and I passed, and I’ve been a practicing architect ever since.
Q: You’ve complained throughout the session about Democrats being uncivil. Could you clarify what you mean?
A: It’s a very scary thing for people to come down (before legislative committees) and voice their opinions and exercise their free speech. When we were going through the (bills to cut) tax exemptions, the way a chair and a bill sponsor treated the witnesses was very critical. On several of those bills, when the bill sponsor would listen to the testimony of a witness and tell them their testimony was not credible, that’s akin to telling them they’re lying. We have no right to do that.
Q: Some Democrats say that your questions toward witnesses that hold an opposing view to yours have been equally sharp but that you don’t seem to notice the tone of your own questions. Do you think that’s a fair criticism?
A: I am very direct. I admit that. We’re supposed to tell the truth when we testify. If there are witnesses I feel are not being completely frank and honest about it — I don’t think I’ve ever said someone wasn’t credible or that they were a liar, and I don’t think I’ve ever baited them. But I’ll disagree with them.
