Montrose County Commissioner Sean Pond called out a list of both Democrats and Republicans he feels are working against him in a now-deleted Facebook post last week. Pond claims the list was created based on reactions to a post by Dennis Anderson, the publisher of the Montrose Daily Press. Anderson regularly criticizes Pond on social media, taking particular issue with Pond’s absences from commission meetings.
Pond says that he has identified what he calls a “one cross-party establishment” made up of moderate Republicans, Democrats, liberal activists, members of the media, and administrators. The “moderate Republican” category includes various local, county, and state elected officials, including county treasurer Rosemary Murphy. She spoke about the post during public comment at Monday’s Montrose County Commission meeting, from which Pond was absent.
Murphy stated that Pond’s post promoted a comment that falsely claimed her office is responsible for deciding which properties in the county are placed in foreclosure. Murphy explained that she found the comment “disturbing” because of a foreclosure process in 2015 in which the property owner threatened Murphy and her staff, in a case that involved local police, the Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. Murphy also told Pond, “You do not have the authority to define what kind of Republican I am.”
On the other side of Pond’s chart is a list of individuals he calls “Democrats/Liberal activists” or “No Kings/Recall Organizers." The last label seemingly refers to the recall of former commissioner Scott Mijares.
Dennis Anderson reposted the photo, and said, “if you made this list, I’m proud to be your friend.”
Many individuals who were on the list found humor in it. One Montrose resident who was listed on the Democrat side commented, alongside five laughing emojis, “I had nothing to do with the recall or no kings and I am a registered Republican.” Alice Murphy, a former school board candidate, commented, “I’m not a liberal activist, and I didn’t work on the recall election committee.” She ended the post with a question: “Is Mr. Pond afraid of an elementary school teacher?”
Sean Pond’s wife, Danielle, also got involved. She wrote in a lengthy post that, “For three years, Dennis has used his newspaper and Facebook to create a political caricature of my husband. If Sean speaks, Dennis mocks him. If Sean remains silent, Dennis mocks that too. Whatever Sean does becomes another poke, another attack and another opportunity to make him the villain.”
Sean Pond has also previously criticized Anderson online, calling him a political activist obsessed with one commissioner.
The long-standing feud is unlikely to end in the immediate future. KVNF will continue to keep you updated.
