When he ran for Congress in 2024, U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) promised repeatedly to be civil toward Democrats, saying, for example, “I fight hard, but I fight fair, and I fight respectful.”
Now, a year later, Evans is saying Democrats are “literally” the “pro-bubonic plague” party because they are holding hearings at the state Capitol over concerns that rat poisons are leading to the illnesses and deaths in wildlife, pets, and even humans.
Evans’ office didn’t respond to an email asking whether it’s a safe assumption that his belief that the Democrats are pro-bubonic plague means he doesn’t want to work with them anymore — much less be civil.
On a right-wing KNUS radio show Feb. 23, Evans expressed alarm that Democrats had “hearings this week around banning rat traps, like for rats, the things that carry bubonic plague that killed millions of human beings. … They don’t think you should be able go out and buy certain types of rat traps.”
“They’re literally like the party that’s pro-bubonic plague now,” Evans went on to say. “And so that, it just shows how out of touch they are in Colorado and the Democrats in Colorado are, and the citizens, the residents of this state, are paying the price.”
The summary of the legislation, titled “Rodenticide Use Restrictions,” states, in part, that the measure would prohibit a “person from selling, distributing, applying, or using certain types of rodenticide and rodent glue traps in the state except as authorized for restricted and limited use in a public health emergency and in accordance with certain use requirements and time periods.”
“I’m honestly not sure why there is such hyperbole around limiting the use of highly toxic poisons that are a threat to children, pets, wildlife and the environment,” said state Sen. Lisa Cutter (D-Littleton) via email to the Colorado Times Recorder. “There are many safer, more humane, and most importantly, effective ways to prevent and deal with a rodent infestation. If we don’t begin to shift to new methods, we will never move past our reliance on the deadly toxins that harm our planet and enrich chemical companies.”
Bill sponsors point to studies that the chemicals have sickened — and even contributed to the death — of humans and companion animals in Colorado and nationally. This is partly because the chemicals lead to the death of animals that feed on rodents. Studies show that the chemicals have been found in mountain lions, birds of prey, coyotes, and other wildlife, according to the legislation.
While it’s true that rats can carry bubonic plague, there’s no evidence that the bill would increase the chances of the spread of plague or any sickness, because alternative rodent-control measures exist and are cited in the legislation.
In addition, a Google search turns up no Democrats voicing support for the bubonic plague.
So there appears to be nothing to back up Evans’s statement that Democrats are “literally like the party that’s pro-bubonic plague.”
Evans’ office didn’t return an email seeking such evidence — and to know if he thinks that accusing Democrats of being “pro-bubonic plague” squares with his intention to be respectful.
“We can have passionate conversations with each other,” said Evans on KNUS radio in 2024. “There’s a lot of things that I disagree about that are going on right now. And so I fight hard, but I fight fair, and I fight respectful. And that’s just always my plea to everyone that’s going to listen to this is, you don’t have to sacrifice your principles. You don’t have to sacrifice your beliefs, but be respectful about how we passionately disagree about these things.”
“Whether it’s securing the border, cracking down on fentanyl, or lowering costs, there is plenty that we all can agree on no matter our political preferences,” Evans stated in a news release just after he entered Congress.
Evans represents a congressional district north of Denver, which is expected to be the battleground for one of the closest U.S. House races in the nation during this year’s midterm elections.
