A Democratic Colorado state representative has resigned from her role as she battles criminal charges for allegedly lying about her residence in an effort to run for reelection in 2022.
Boulder County Democrat Tracey Bernett, who represented District 12, announced her resignation in a statement released by her attorneys on Jan. 9.
“I am proud of what I have accomplished in my time in office and want to thank all the people who have supported and worked with me in moving Colorado forward,” Bernett said in a separate statement, adding that she “intends to continue to engage in work addressing climate concerns.”
Bernett Arrested
The counts she faces include an attempt to influence a public servant, forgery, providing false information about a voting residence, perjury, and procuring false registration, according to local reports.The representative was subsequently arrested and posted a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, according to reports, which cite her office.
Bernett’s resignation went into effect the day before the 2023 legislative session began.
A month later in November 2021, Bernett reportedly rented an apartment and changed her car registration to a Louisville address in the newly-drawn House District 12, which leans heavily in Democrats’ favor, so that she could run for reelection in District 12.
Investigation Suggests Bernett Did Not Live at Residence
She then went on to win reelection for House District 12 on Nov. 8 after beating Republican opponent Anya Kirvan with 78.7 percent of votes.However, a resident filed a complaint with the District Attorney’s Office on Sept. 19 alleging Bernett did not actually live at the newly-registered address and the office launched an investigation, using search warrants and cellphone location information, according to reports.
Democratic Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty told multiple media outlets that the investigation had found that there was evidence that Bernett never actually lived in the Louisville apartment that she claimed was her primary residence and only rented it to qualify for elective office.
Colorado law states that representative candidates must be at least 25 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the district they wish to represent for at least 12 months before the election.
“The District Attorney’s Office has concluded a thorough investigation. I appreciate the efforts of the investigators assigned to this case, including using proper investigative tools such as the judicially authorized search warrants,” Dougherty told Denver7. “Based on the facts and the law, we will now move forward with a criminal prosecution. As in every case, our goal is to seek the right outcome—without fear or favor.”
A Democratic vacancy committee in Boulder County will now need to select Bernett’s replacement at the Legislature to carry out the next two years of what would have been Bernett’s term.
The Epoch Times has contacted Tracey Bernett for comment.
