A group of abortion-rights supporters delivered a petition with almost 63,000 signatures from around the world to the state Capitol on Tuesday calling for the resignation of Rep. JoAnn Windholz over her Facebook post condemning Planned Parenthood.
She made the remarks three days after the Nov. 27 shooting at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic.
“I can’t think of many things that would be more irresponsible and more outrageous than blaming Planned Parenthood for being shot,” said Christopher Burley of Denver, senior campaigns manager for , the liberal online site that collected the signatures.
Burley said about 2,000 petition signers were from Colorado, and of those, it’s not clear how many live in Windholz’s Adams County district.
The signatures were Republican office.
“I never once blamed the victims and as a supporter of life I am deeply saddened by the loss of any life,” Windholz said in a statement. “I will continue to support life and the values of my constituents.”
Three days after a five-hour standoff , Windholz, a Republican from Commerce City, posted on her Facebook page comments critical of Planned Parenthood’s abortion services, saying: “The true instigator of this violence and all violence at any Planned Parenthood facility is Planned Parenthood themselves.”
The post has been removed.
Her remarks drew a and Colorado Democratic operatives who see Windholz as vulnerable in this year’s election. Democrats cling to just a three-seat majority in the 65-member chamber.
Windholz by just 106 votes in 2014.
A Facebook page called Recall State Representative JoAnn Windholz had 2,828 likes. The Colorado secretary of state’s office, however, has no record of anyone collecting signatures from voters for a recall in her district. Windholz will face re-election this year.
She has no Republican primary opposition yet. Two Democrats are , Dafna Michaelson Jenet and John Myers, both of Commerce City.
Robert Lewis Dear, who is being held without bail, because it was “murdering little babies.”
