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DENVER (KDVR) — Weld County’s Sheriff is making headlines for comments he made about a state representative.

The sheriff told a room of people united against COVID-19 restrictions that state representative Leslie Herod is “a terrorist.” The Denver rep is hitting back tonight.

In the middle of a pandemic, a maskless crowd met with Weld County Sheriff Steve Seams to talk about COVID-19 restrictions.

Reams encouraged the crowd to question authority before making this statement about Herod:

“Leslie Herod down at the state capitol has made a name for herself. In my mind, she is a terrorist. She’s a terrorist against the citizens of Colorado,” Reams said. “If there is anybody that you should have a reason to get out of office, it’s Leslie Herod because she is absolutely running bills to strip law enforcement from your daily lives to prevent law enforcement from protecting you and she is turning the state upside down.”

Herod sponsored a sweeping law enforcement reform bill last year but she was not the only person standing behind the bill that passed with bipartisan support. So Herod wants to know why she was singled out. 

“To only call me out as a Black woman, I think also shows there is also an issue that we have with white supremacy,” said Herod. “You know? To be clear, there are other elected officials that have either taken the same vote as I have or led on criminal justice issues that were not supported by law enforcement and those white men are not being called out in the same way.”

Reams would not comment Friday, saying he is focused on the resolution of a 42-year-old cold case but with recent acts of violence still fresh on her mind, Herod said the comments left her feeling uneasy.

“I shouldn’t say that everyone was dangerous there, but it only takes one, putting thoughts into the mind of one person. I think on the heels of what we saw happen in Boulder, on the heels of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the words have become even more dangerous.”

Colorado House members from both parties have come to Herod’s defense.