Colorado senator accused of sexual misconduct won’t resign

DENVER (AP) — Garfield County’s state senator says he is stepping down as the chair of an influential committee but won’t resign his seat after being investigated for sexual misconduct.

Republican State Sen. Randy Baumgardner said Tuesday that he was voluntarily giving up the chairmanship of the Senate’s Transportation Committee and would attend sensitivity training.

But he also denied the misconduct allegations made by a legislative aide, which were first reported by Rocky Mountain Community Radio. He called the review “flawed, inaccurate, incomplete and biased.”

Baumgardner, whose Senate District 8 includes Garfield County, distributed a letter from Republican Senate leaders, echoing his criticism of the report as containing inaccuracies, bias, conflicts of interest and inconsistencies.

According to the same letter, the review found it “more likely than not” that the misconduct occurred.

Senate Democrats have called for Baumgardner to resign.