Forty Years Ago This Week: Democratic Party infighting erupted over the appointment of a new Denver district attorney when former Denver state Rep. Miller Hudson, who was a candidate for chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party, called out former state party chair David Fogel for his public criticism of Norm Early.

Early had recently been appointed as Denver district attorney after Dale Tooley resigned from the office to run for Denver mayor. Hudson called Fogel’s remarks “unfounded and just plain dumb” for a former party chairman to make public.

“Fogel’s decision to publicly criticize Norm Early and the other candidates for district attorney as ‘politically unsophisticated’ only points to the fact that the lack of political sophistication resides in the chairman’s office, not at the district attorney’s,” Hudson said. “David is such a political neophyte himself that he doesn’t appreciate the brilliant political campaign Norm waged to secure the governor’s endorsement. Norm was an active, effective Democratic captain long before most of us knew who Dave Fogel was.”

Hudson pointed out that it was not the district attorney’s job to get himself elected but rather the Democratic Party’s responsibility.

“Dave may think that the public wants the slickest politician in the D.A.’s office, but I doubt it,” Hudson said. “I think most people want the best possible attorney in the office.”

But Fogel pushed back, telling The Colorado Statesman that not only were his remarks misconstrued but they were also outdated.

“I had nothing but kind things to say about Norm Early,” Fogel said. “What I told the governor was that he couldn’t go wrong with either of the two finalists.”

Fogel also clarified that his comment about Early being a political neophyte was made before Early was appointed and he was just “trying to come up with the ideal candidate – one more politically involved.”

Regarding Hudson’s comments, Fogel said that he was not running against Hudson for the chairmanship but rather Denver Democratic vice chairman Bill DeGroot. He said that if Hudson managed to fulfill his prediction of gaining 75-80% of the vote, “it would represent the biggest victory margin in the history off the party. It would be astounding. I’d be dazzled.”

Thirty Years Ago: In the East Hall of Denver’s Union Station, members of several Native American tribes performed a feather blessing ceremony and burned sweetgrass to celebrate the elevation of the first Native American to the United States Senate in 60 years.

Chris Mulick of Kogovsek Associates put together the event in honor of U.S. Sen.-elect Ben Nighthorse Campbell. Union Station saw nearly 700 well-wishers convene to congratulate Campbell.

Most of the members of Colorado’s Congressional Delegation attended, including retiring Sen. Tim Worth, who acted as master of ceremonies, and Colorado Supreme Court Justice Byron White, who administered the oath of office.

Several representatives from the Utes, Southern Utes, Mountain Utes and the Navajo-Hopi attended as well.

In other news, one of the first items on the El Paso County Republican Party’s meeting agenda was the eventual purging of several precinct leaders who had promoted or supported non-GOP candidates in the previous election, like Independent presidential candidate Ross Perot, U.S. Sen.-elect Ben Nighthorse Campbell – who two years later would switch his registration to Republican – and state Rep. Daphne Greenwood, D-Colorado Springs.

According to party rules, office holders were required to support the slate of GOP candidates or risk being removed. Although no names were publicly mentioned, they were rumored to consist of several party “heavy-weights” who’d supported Campbell over Terry Considine and Greenwood in favor of Vitor Motte.

Meeting attendees were encouraged to submit names of defectors who would then be entitled to a hearing in 30 days or had the opportunity to resign. Two El Paso County Republicans who’d supported Perot quietly resigned but no party members ever took the opportunity to anonymously report any other names.

Rachael Wright is the author of the Captain Savva Mystery series, with degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics and The Gazette.