Who knew Douglas County Commissioner George Teal could be such a sore loser? After his pet project, Home Rule, was soundly rejected by voters — by a staggering 71% to 29% — did he pause to consider that he and his fellow commissioners may have misjudged the will of the people or rushed a complicated initiative without adequately informing the public? Of course not.
Instead of engaging in any meaningful self-reflection, Teal offered a convenient scapegoat: shadowy “outside special interests” supposedly flooding the county with misinformation and lies. But rather than substantiating these claims, he doubled down with an even more outrageous accusation — that the opposition was funded by the Chinese Communist Party.
His target? A Douglas County physician, an American citizen of Japanese descent, who personally contributed $14,500 of her own money to oppose Home Rule. To insinuate that she — or anyone — was acting as an agent of a foreign adversary is not only baseless, it’s reckless and shameful.
As voters, we deserve leaders who accept responsibility, learn from defeat, and speak with integrity. When the next election comes around, let’s hope we can find someone more grounded, more thoughtful, and frankly, more grown-up to help lead Douglas County.
Douglas Willey
Highlands Ranch