This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at coloradosun.com.
Warning: This story contains detailed descriptions of sexual harassment allegations and contains language that may be offensive.
Two women say state Rep. Ron Weinberg made unwanted sexual advances toward them at a pair of conservative leadership events while he was head of the Larimer County GOP but before he was elected to the statehouse.
The women came forward after Weinberg, a Loveland Republican, announced he was running to be the House minority whip, the No. 3 GOP position in the chamber. Weinberg ended his bid after the allegations were emailed last week by one of his accusers to each of the 22 Republicans in the House. But he vehemently denies the accusations.
“Let me be clear: These claims are completely false and do not reflect who I am or how I have conducted myself in life or in public service,” Weinberg said in a written statement. “They have caused great pain to me, my family and those who truly know my heart and my character. It is hard to view this as anything but a politically motivated attempt to damage my name and prevent me from leading. But I will not be intimidated by falsehoods. I have retained legal counsel and will pursue every available legal avenue to defend my name, protect my family and hold accountable those who seek to weaponize false accusations.”
Jacqueline Anderson said she was with her husband at the Leadership Program of the Rockies conference at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs when Weinberg came up to the couple and proclaimed that he was going to have sex with her.
“I’m not a prude in any way or offended easily. But I was like ‘did I hear that correctly?’” said Anderson, who at the time was vice chair of the Mesa County GOP. “I was kind of like, ‘Um, no, I don’t think so.’ It was a very awkward moment. Definitely Ron had had some drinks.”
Anderson and her husband, Cory, said they remember the date clearly — June 4, 2021 — because it was their wedding anniversary.
The next day, Cory Anderson said he confronted Weinberg about his unwanted sexual advance.
“He apologized all over himself,” Cory Anderson said.
The Andersons said Weinberg told them he didn’t remember making the remark — which they said was something to the effect of “I’m going to **** your wife” — and blamed it on drinking too much alcohol.
They tried to move on from the situation until the next year, at the same conference, when the Andersons said Weinberg made the remark again.
It was at that same event, in February 2022, that Heather Booth, who at the time was a member of the Elizabeth school board, says Weinberg made unwanted sexual advances toward her.
Booth said she was joking with a friend about needing a facelift when Weinberg, who she barely knew, came “out of nowhere” and said she didn’t need the surgery.
Then, according to Booth, Weinberg doubled down.
“He told me, ‘No, I mean, I’d put my dick in your mouth,’” Heather wrote in a statement to House Republicans. “My friend and I were stunned — we didn’t even know how to react. Then Ron took it even further, saying, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, would you rather me put my dick in your vagina?’”
Booth declined to speak to The Sun about the experience, but confirmed that she sent the accusation to the House Republican caucus and said it was OK for her name to be published.
The Andersons told The Sun that they reported Weinberg to the people running the Leadership Program of the Rockies after the second unwanted sexual advance. Those people didn’t respond to multiple messages seeking comment.
Weinberg, when asked Monday about the accusations, first referred questions to his lawyer.
“My client absolutely denies all the allegations brought against him,” said Reid Elkus, Weinberg’s attorney. “In light of those allegations, our firm is looking at all legal options.”
Later, in a written statement, Weinberg questioned why the accusations were being made so long after he took office.
“If these concerns were genuine, why were they not raised when I was elected to represent House District 51?” he said. “Why did they suddenly surface now, at the very moment I announced my candidacy for Republican leadership in the House?”
Jacqueline Anderson said her decision to come forward had nothing to do with politics and that she doesn’t care who is the House Republican whip. She said she didn’t know about Booth’s allegations, nor did she know Booth, until they connected in recent days and decided to make their accusations public.
“Ron’s behavior disqualifies him from a role in leadership,” Jacqueline Anderson said. “He clearly feels it’s OK to say whatever he wants to women.”
On social media, House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, the top Republican in the House, said “we take these allegations seriously.”
“We are cooperating with the proper authorities to ensure all accusations are properly handled and have forwarded the information … for review,” Pugliese said.
Pugliese indicated the allegations were referred to the legislature’s Office of Legislative Workplace Relations.
The office, however, only has purview over situations involving state lawmakers. The alleged incidents involving Weinberg happened before he was a state representative.
Weinberg skipped the House GOP caucus meeting Monday where Republican representatives elected a new whip — state Rep. Carlos Barron of Fort Lupton.
Weinberg first entered the legislature in 2023 after being appointed to his seat following the death of House Minority Leader Hugh McKean while McKean was in office.
Weinberg was elected to his seat in 2024. His current term ends in early 2027.