The widow of slain state prisons chief Tom Clements made an appeal to gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez to stop using Clements’ death as part of his political campaign.
Beauprez cited the murders of Clements and pizza delivery driver Nathan Leon by prison parolee Evan Ebel last year that asked, “With John Hickenlooper as governor, is your family safe?”
Thursday afternoon, Lisa Clements distributed a letter she had send to Beauprez:
Mr. Beauprez, it is with great sadness and frustration that I am breaking my silence on matters involving the death of my husband. On several occasions this year, you have attempted to use our family’s tragic loss for your personal and political gain, and we are respectfully asking you to stop. We’re requesting you to please stop referencing our tragedy in your debate statements and in your campaign ads. Because every time you do, you re-open the wounds that our family continues to suffer from. We have not asked you to defend or publicize our experience, and we are not interested in accepting the support of anyone who chooses to do so with the expectation of something in return.
Sincerely,Lisa Clements
Beauprez’s campaign did not have an immediate response, but campaign spokesman Allen Fuller indicated a statement was forthcoming, so check back and this post will be updated with the response at the top of this blog.
Beauprez has alluded to Clements in at least two debates with Hickenlooper. Though he did not name Clements, he mentioned dangerous inmates released early, including those, like Ebel, who were released from solitary confinement.
At a debate in Pueblo on Oct. 2, Hickenlooper called it “reprehensible” for Beauprez to politicize Clements’ death. Beauprez scheduled a press availabilility with reporters on Thursday to talk about the new ad on public safety.
