By Jim Spencer
SpencerSpeaks.com
I was wrong.
Colorado Rep. Doug Bruce’s apparent inability to utter those three words after kicking a newspaper photographer could cost him most of his influence in the General Assembly.
Bruce’s fellow Republicans are annoyed with Bruce’s behavior. They are as annoyed as the
Bruce kicked the photographer and now the legislature will return the favor.
The GOP members of a House panel investigating Bruce’s assault were his stiffest critics during a three-hour fact-finding hearing Friday afternoon.
The panel recommended censure and a demand of apology from Bruce, the fiscally conservative author of
Now, because of his own arrogance, the newly seated representative can expect to be little more than a punch line in bad jokes, even within his own party.
At Friday’s hearing, Bruce droned on about a “Triple Play” media conspiracy forged by the Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News and
Bruce made a big deal about the lack of force he had applied with his foot to the knee of the Rocky photographer kneeling in front of him.
“The force might cause a football to fall off a tee,” Bruce wanted his brethren to understand. “This wasn’t a field goal kick.”
Bruce hoped to demonstrate, but wasn’t allowed to since sane people of any political persuasion understood it doesn’t make a difference.
Bruce’s conspiracy theory, his rationalization of obviously inappropriate behavior, his rambling dodges offered as a self-professed paragon of moral values and law and order grew not only absurd, but offensive.
“Would keeping your hands and feet to yourself be an option in this situation?” wondered the investigative panel’s co-chair, Republican Steve King of
When Bruce answered no, there was no place left to go, save where you might take a petulant 4-year-old.
So Bruce’s committee assignments may be in jeopardy from the House’s minority leadership. But whether or not House Republican leader Mike May does what he should and strips Bruce of committee assignments, Mr. TABOR’s credibility with his party caucus is shot. And Bruce pulled the trigger.
At Friday’s hearing King asked Bruce if he was “angry” when he kicked the photographer.
Bruce said he was “annoyed.”
“You indicated it was acceptable to kick a photographer because you were annoyed,” Republican Rep. Ray Rose then asked. “Would you consider it OK for me to kick you if I’m annoyed with you?”
Instead of answering, Bruce launched into a bizarre explanation that though he applied his foot to someone else’s knee, it was not a kick, but a “nudge.”
This came after a sergeant-at-arms who witnessed the whole incident had testified that he told his boss that Bruce “kicked” the photographer.
While insisting that he was no “wild man” and didn’t “lose it,” Bruce gave his enemies all the ammunition they need to blow him off as a nut job. But the real damage came from his disarming any potential allies.
“I find it appalling that Rep. Bruce tries to cloak himself in prayer and patriotism,” Republican panel member Frank McNulty told the hearing. “It’s not OK to physically assault another person on the floor of the Colorado House unless you’re threatened.”
Even if you’re threatened, the best course of action still might be to call a sergeant-at-arms.
Still, McNulty’s point was a no-brainer that showed just how little wisdom or grasp of political reality Bruce exhibited.
That likely will come back to haunt him with his constituents, but it will surely come back to haunt him with his Republican colleagues.
“I can’t justify that you have more power than the pope or Billy Graham to decree that you won’t be photographed during public prayer,” an openly peeved King told Bruce. “Rather than show spirituality, you showed violence. Republican or Democrat, I will show you no quarter.”
Copyright 2008 by Jim Spencer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
14 users commented in " State Rep Kicks Himself Out of Legislative Clout "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackIt couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy.
Even though local media are doing their best to build a mountain from this particular molehill (Really, is anyone surprised that Bruce has behaved boorishly - again?), Bruce has enhanced the opportunity by going out of his way to model the “jerk” personality type for at least the past decade. Jim’s reference to a “petulant 4-year-old” is too kind. A 4-year-old may not understand grown-up behavior, but someone of Bruce’s age can’t use that excuse.
Couln’t have said it better myself. Altough, I did send a comment to 9news. I guess I should email Mr. King and let him know a “leftie old hippie” actually agrees with the Republican comments on the panel! I am disappointed, however, that he was not completely removed from office. He is inept, and too intelectually-challenged for the job. Thank heavens Bruce was only appointed and not elected, I was beginning to think El Paso county HAD lost what little sense they seem to possess. Having worked for a Member of the Florida House, I understand how important it is to build allies, not enemies. It seems Mr. Tabor (love that name) lost what little allies he had, along with what little grey matter remains in his cranium. Again, it is too bad he was only censured, his mere presence on the Senate floor brings the stink of insult to all the people of Colorado.
Terri in Sterling CO
Key word here being “appointed.” I don’t see why the party doesn’t expel him and appoint someone else. He will be impotent to properly represent his probably embarrassed constituency (who cannot be other than dismayed at the party for choosing him). How can they not dump him, when he still maintains he was right to strike out? Sometimes a person reveals his true self in a rare flash of light. This is such an occasion. Sharp cookies learn to act on those rare flashes. Let’s see if there are any in the R. Party this term.
Douglas Bruce will never be able to get along
with anyone down at the State Capital because
counselors and psychiatrists usually reach individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder(BPD) to help them in their 30s and 40s. Bruce is past that age level!
No, I am not one of those who qualify as a counselor or psychiatrist, however, I have a
close relative who is just like Douglas Bruce
and she and Bruce both have all the personality traits of BPD individuals.
I was sent a book that explains BPD to family members who have to live with and deal with BPD
family loved ones: STOP WALKING ON EGGSHELLS, written by Paul T. Mason, M.S. and Randi
Kreger who are professional counselors that counsel those who have to deal with BPD people.
By the time that Doughlas Bruce leaves public office, I’m sure that all of us will be very familiar with the personality traits of BPD!
Thank for your column, Jim! ~ GP
Douglas Bruce’s contempt for the world was evident in this action. Steve King’s comment regarding the Pope and Billy Graham were perfect in disarming Bruce’s defense. I know the photojournalists can be annoying but when you’ve opted to be in the public light you must accept the exposure. There is no peace in the mind of Douglas Bruce, consequently, he cannot find peace in a moment of prayer. You can find peace in any space if you have peace in your heart and mind.
Why do Colorado taxpayers have to pay for legislators to pray in public anyway? Didn’t Jesus warn against praying in public in the Gospel according to Matthew?
Our government is supposed to be secular, and here is a good example of why it should be that way.
Oh boy! We haven’t had so much fun over the lunacy of a legislator since Fanne Foxe jumped into the Tidal Basin in Washington when caught riding with a powerful member of Congress.
Doug Bruce is Doug Bruce. No one gets to say we didn’t know what he was. To the El Paso County GOP officials who “selected” him to fill a vacancy, it is fair to ask: What were you thinking? Or didn’t you think at all? Remember, Bruce wasn’t elected by anyone; he was appointed.
Bruce insists on behaving worse than most of us ever would allow our children or grandchildren to behave. Therefore, he should be treated exactly like the ill-mannered, boorish child that he chooses to be.
As for Bruce’s insistance on his “privacy” while praying or reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, permit me to remind him that he is a public office-holder. If he values his privacy that much, he is free to return to private life where no photographer will have any interest in taking his picture - ever again. Bah, humbug!
“It is easy to kick someone when they are down.”
The true test if Douglas Bruce “got it” will be when his party decides not to endorse him during the next election cycle.
Opps, these are the same people who appointed him to the Assembly. In politics he may be a SOB, but he is our SOB.
I suspect that recent events may have derailed Bruce’s campaign for the governorship.
I think I figured it out. The Republicans in El Paso county wanted to get Douglas Bruce out of their hair, so they appointed him to the State legislature, getting him out of his local political office. They probably expected he would do something really stupid and get expelled, solving their problem as well. Mr. Bruce blames the paparazzi for this assault on his privacy. A news paper photographer is not paparazzi, and as has been clearly stated, it wasn’t a private moment. On his good days, Douglas Bruce is merely a buffoon. On his bad days, he puts the Colorado Legislature in the comedic mono-logs of late night TV (or will when the writers strike is over)
Bruce maybe the “Repub’s SOB” - but it’s obvious the Repubs don’t quite think he’s “our SOB” much like Rush is for the neo-cons. For the Repubs, you can fall from PC grace over and over, even from hypocritical grace as Rush and others have, but the spin always gets back their grace. The Repubs in the legislature, oddly aren’t finding the typical excuses for “their SOB.” Maybe he’s too much of an embarassment, and they know the media is going to hound him and provoke him more into more outburst to deflect the media attention they so desperately need? Maybe it’s better to cut their losses. Seems simple wisdom to simply replace him with someone who can actually be effective, and not a distraction. We’ll see if the talk matches the walk.
But pointing out he has BPD is just giving people like this an excuse. “I’m mean and nasty, because I have a medical problem.” Rush used this for his drug use. So-called liberal Jay Marvin uses his bi-polar disorder to go postal on even liberal callers, then explains he’s “off his meds.” What ever. We don’t need to enable these people.
I don’t know Bruce’s history, other than his Reagan-worship-like TABOR bill, but even the Repubs were smart enough to move Reagan off the podium when his dementia started to raise it’s ugly head. Meanwhile it’s entertaining, at best, and the Repubs would like to see the entertainment change parties.
This arrogant jerk isn’t in the legislature because he received the popular vote of the people. He was “appointed”, most likely to get him out of town and out of their hair.
What he really did to the photographer was physically assault him. Our prisons are full of
people who have emotional illness, but they still must pay for their crimes against other persons.Even a preschool would punish this behavior.
They appointed him because they expect Gov. Ritter and the legislature will be suggesting reform of our state constitution this term, and TABOR will be part of that. They figure if Bruce could get people to vote for TABOR the first time, he can defend it and rally the troops this time. Good luck on that one. I wouldn’t follow him to the parking lot.
[…] State Rep Kicks Himself Out of Legislative Clout […]
Well, Doug Bruce has been censured and continues his posture of being adamantly unapologetic. No one who has followed Bruce over the years is surprised at his inability to admit error. This buffoon is what he is — a buffoon. The citizens of Colorado can expect more of his boorish behavior. The good news, however, is that except for the hard care of people who think Bruce is a swell fellow, Coloradans will have a good opportunity to see what he really is. Democracy will triumph.
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