April 22, 2019 11:50 AM UTC

Gardner Aggressively Promotes his Private Meetings With Colo Groups--After They Take Place

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• by: Jason Salzman

(Catch him if you can! – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) plans to speak Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Colorado Chamber of Commerce in Colorado Springs.

Why’s that news? Because Gardner hasn’t held a public town hall meeting in over a year, instead meeting regularly with private groups, like the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.

But if you want to go see Gardner at one of his private meetings, or stand out front with a sign, don’t get your hopes up. It’s usually impossible to find out about his private meetings. No press releases. No tweets Gardner.

That is, until after the private events occur, when Gardner promotes his private meetings in a big way, as if the create the perception that meeting with Gardner is easy, constant, and fun.

Here’s a sample after-his-meeting tweets from last week. when Gardner was apparently touring Colorado:

GARDNER: “While in Boulder this week I toured @archerdxinc and @MentalHealthCO’s Ryan Wellness Center and met with staff to discuss the innovative research being done at these facilities.”

GARDNER: I enjoyed visiting local Main Street businesses with Greeley Mayor John Gates yesterday. Check out this video from @GreeleyTribune to learn more about my meetings with local business owners on the growth of the local economy [No article appeared in the newspaper prior to his meetings]

GARDNER: Impressed touring @coschoolofmines this week to learn more about their ADAPT center and research related to PFAS exposure and contamination. I’ll continue my work in Congress to ensure Coloradans have clean and safe drinking water.

GARDNER: It was great to hear from staff and veterans at the Western Region One Source Center while in Grand Junction yesterday and see first-hand the resources being provided to our veterans to ensure they receive the care and support they have earned.

GARDNER: Today I hosted a business forum in Loveland alongside the Northern Colorado Manufacturing Partnership & small business leaders. Thx to all those who joined to give feedback on ways the federal government can better support workforce development & protect against cyber threats.

A call to Gardner’s office to find out when his next private meeting in Colorado was–or if he planned to host a town hall meeting–was not returned.

In 2017, Gardner held a private meeting and confronted protesters. A Colorado Springs Gazette article read:

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, who has been criticized for his aversion to holding town halls, was ambushed Wednesday by a mariachi band at what was supposed to be a small, members-only meeting with the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and EDC at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

Fear of this type of protest might explain Gardner’s pattern of promoting his events after the fact.