Asked by KOA radio’s Marty Lenz this morning for his “thoughts on pardoning the J6 folks,” Colorado Congressman Gabe Evans said that “you shouldn’t assault law enforcement officers.”
But Evans refused to answer the direct follow-up question of whether he agrees with Trump’s pardons of rioters who assaulted police on Jan. 6, 2021, during their attempted takeover of the U.S. Capitol.
“I think the American people sent us here to be forward-looking and to solve the big problems like securing the border and getting the cost of living under control,” Evans responded on KOA’s Morning News today. “But since you brought that one up, I think, you know, I’ve always been very consistent in saying, ‘You shouldn’t assault law enforcement officers.’ … no, we should not assault police officers.”
Lenz followed up with, “But do you agree with the pardons then, or should there have been a more serious, deeper look at them versus sweeping ones?”
“Well, like I said, I don’t think that we should assault police officers,” replied Evans, not answering the question. “And I also think that, again, the American people want us to be able to focus on looking forward, to be able to solve the big issues like border security, fixing the affordability, fixing the price of eggs, fixing our energy economy so that we actually have the ability to live and work in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, Colorado, and America.”
It’s become a pattern for Evans, when asked about hot-button issues, to require multiple follow-up questions from reporters before eventually answering — or not answering at all after several follow-up questions.
For example, during his election campaign, he told reporters that he supported Trump’s mass deportation plan, but he only confirmed this if reporters asked him multiple follow-up questions.
During his winning campaign over Democrat Yadira Caraveo, Evans was pressed by CBS Colorado political specialist Shaun Boyd on what he thinks Colorado’s abortion policy should be — allowed early in pregnancy or banned completely — and he flat-out refused to answer.
Boyd: So Representative Evans, you do support exceptions, as you’ve said repeatedly, for rape, incest, and a mother’s life. Any other exceptions early — in pregnancy perhaps or before viability?
Evans: Yeah, so I’ve been very clear on my position. I do not support a national abortion ban, I support exceptions for rape, incest, for life of the mother, and my voting record since day one has borne this out. Every year at the state legislature we’ve had Republican bills that would have infringed upon those exceptions, and I bucked my own party. I was one of only five Republican legislators that did not sign on to or support those bills. So since day one, my position has been absolutely clear. I support exceptions for rape, incest, life of the mother. I do not support a national abortion ban. …
Boyd: But my question was, do you support other exceptions, like I said, early in a pregnancy, before viability?
Evans: I think the Supreme Court was very clear when it ruled on this. It sent the issue back to the states, and so that’s going to be something that the states are left to figure out. Here in Colorado again per the legislation that my opponent passed, up to the moment of birth abortion abortion is legal.
Boyd: So you won’t say whether you support an exception at some point along the line. I mean, we’ve had three personhood measures in this state, so I would think you’ve given it some thought.
Evans: Yeah, like I said, the Supreme Court sent this one back to the states; it’s up to the states to decide. In Colorado abortion is legal up to the moment of birth.
In another October debate, Evans brazenly refused to answer 9News anchor Kyle Clark’s questions about hitting children.
Clark: “A brief answer, please, when do you believe that it is acceptable to hit a child at home and at school?”
Evans: “That answer is already in the law right now. It’s in title 181703. So you can go refer to the law where it talks about the special exception that parents and guardians have when they’re tasked with the upbringing for a minor. But I want to address something you mentioned —
Clark: “How about public school? When is it appropriate for a child to be hit in public school?”
Evans: “We need to ensure that we are providing a safe place for our kids to be able to learn in our public schools. I was a part-time school resource —
Clark: “There was a security exception. This went beyond the security exception when people needed to control children for safety reasons. When should children be hit in school?”
Evans: “I was a part-time school resource officer for about two years at my law enforcement agency and so one of the biggest things that I hear from teachers is —
Clark: “I apologize, sir, if you’re not going to answer the question, we’re going to use the time.”
It’s likely that Evans will continue with this pattern.
He was endorsed by Trump and faces the task of not alienating voters in his swing district by aligning too closely with the president on issues, such as the pardons, that may not be popular in his district — while at the same time, working with Trump and fellow Republicans in Congress.
