{{Short description|American politician (born 1948)}} {{BLP sources|date=June 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Bob Beauprez | image = Rep Bob Beauprez.jpg | state = [[Colorado]] | district = {{ushr|CO|7|7th}} | term_start = January 3, 2003 | term_end = January 3, 2007 | predecessor = Constituency established | successor = [[Ed Perlmutter]] | birth_name = Robert Louis Beauprez | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|9|22}} | birth_place = [[Lafayette, Colorado]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] (1970s–present) | other_party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] (before 1970s) | spouse = Claudia Paul<ref>{{cite web |last=June 29, 2018 |first=Nov 1, 1945-|title=Gregory Howard Paul |url=https://www.aspentimes.com/obituaries/gregory-howard-paul |access-date=2020-06-20 |work=[[The Aspen Times]] |date=19 July 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2017-10-19 |title=Seen: Western Fantasy XXIV is a winter wonderland |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2017/10/19/seen-western-fantasy-xxiv |access-date=2020-06-20 |work=[[The Denver Post]] |language=en-US}}</ref> | children = 4 | education = [[University of Colorado, Boulder]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]]) }} '''Robert Louis Beauprez''' ({{IPAc-en|b|oʊ|p|r|eɪ}};<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.denverpost.com/2016/11/22/bob-beauprez-trump-interior/|title = Colorado's Bob Beauprez mentioned as possible Trump pick for Interior secretary|work = [[The Denver Post]]|last = Frank|first = John|date = November 22, 2016|access-date = July 25, 2019}}</ref> born September 22, 1948) is an American politician and member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] from the state of [[Colorado]].
Beauprez is a Colorado native and graduate of the [[University of Colorado Boulder]]. He worked as a dairy farmer and community banker before serving as chair of the [[Colorado Republican Party]] from 1999 to 2002. He was then elected to represent [[Colorado's 7th congressional district]] in the [[United States House of Representatives]], where he served from 2003 to 2007. He gave up his seat to run for [[governor of Colorado]] in [[Colorado gubernatorial election, 2006|2006]] but lost to [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee [[Bill Ritter]]. He was the Republican nominee for governor again in the [[Colorado gubernatorial election, 2014|2014 election]], losing to incumbent Democratic Governor [[John Hickenlooper]]. Beauprez is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of [[Issue One]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.issueone.org/reformers/|title=Issue One – ReFormers Caucus|language=en|access-date=2019-11-07}}</ref>
==Early life== Beauprez was born in [[Lafayette, Colorado]]. He grew up on his family's dairy farm, which had been purchased by his grandparents, outside of [[Boulder, Colorado]]. He is the son of Marie (née Stengel) and Joseph C. Beauprez. His paternal grandparents had emigrated from [[Belgium]] to Colorado and raised draft horses on the family's land. His mother's family was of German descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/reps/beauprez.htm |title=1 |publisher=Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com |access-date=2015-04-01}}</ref> His parents raised both Hereford and dairy cattle on the farm. Beauprez often cites his father's example as a major influence on his life. Like his father and the majority of blue collar Catholics in the area he originally registered as a Democrat before switching parties in the 1970s. He attributes this to his frustration with prominent Colorado Democrats at that time.
Beauprez attended Fairview High School where he played football and was named all-conference offensive tackle. He went on to study physical education at the University of Colorado, and received his [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] in 1970.
==Republican Party chairmanship== While Beauprez had been involved in the Republican Party for some time, his first leadership role came in 1997 as the chairman of the [[Boulder County, Colorado|Boulder County]] Republican Party.
In 1999, with the backing of Senator [[Wayne Allard]], Beauprez became chairman of the Colorado Republican Party. His tenure as state party chairman was marked by an aggressive attempts to use redistricting to get more Republican candidates elected in Colorado. The Republican Party lost control of the Colorado State Senate for the first time in four decades while Beauprez was chairman.
==U.S. House of Representatives== In 2002, Beauprez ran to represent [[Colorado's 7th congressional district]] in the U.S. House of Representatives, regarded as a "swing" district. In beating Democrat Mike Feeley by only 121 votes he won the closest race in the nation. As a freshman, Beauprez served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Veterans Affairs Committee, and the Small Business Committee. He was re-elected in 2004 and subsequently obtained a position on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.
==2006 Colorado gubernatorial election== {{see also|2006 Colorado gubernatorial election}} Beauprez won the Republican Party nomination for governor in August 2006, running to succeed two-term governor Bill Owens, who was ineligible for a third consecutive term. Beauprez ended up winning the nomination uncontested; he was briefly opposed by [[Marc Holtzman]], who dropped out of the race and endorsed Beauprez several months before the primary.
===Military service controversy=== [[Image:BEAUPREZ.JPG|right|thumb|300px|Bob Beauprez, third from left, following a flight in an F-16 over Colorado.]] On February 2, 2006, veterans called on Beauprez to apologize for appearing at a photo-op in a military-issued uniform, even though he had never served in the military. He had requested and received three [[conscription|draft]] deferments and then a medical release during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>[https://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2006_01_29_patriotboy_archive.html#113894918619211141] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060205055917/http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2006_01_29_patriotboy_archive.html#113894918619211141|date=February 5, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://coloradopols.com/diary/58487/draft-dodging-bob-beauprez-scores-big-name-veteran-support |title=Draft-Dodging Bob Beauprez Scores Big Name Veteran Support |publisher=ColoradoPols.com |access-date=2015-04-01}}</ref> In May 2006, [[ProgressNow]], a [[Liberalism|liberal]] advocacy group, produced an Internet-based ad that again focused on Beauprez's draft status during Vietnam. The Beauprez campaign dismissed the ad as done by a "well-financed attack machine."
===NCIC database=== In October, Beauprez started running ads that attacked Ritter's performance as Denver district attorney, citing a [[plea bargain|plea-bargain]]ed case against [[illegal immigration|illegal immigrant]] and alleged heroin dealer [[Carlos Estrada Medina]]. Under the plea bargain, the dealer was given probation. Later, he was arrested in California, under an alias, on suspicion of sexual abuse on a child. But the fact that that information couldn't be verified in public court records prompted inquiries to Beauprez's campaign as to where it got its facts. Beauprez's campaign manager, John Marshall told a local news station, "In federal criminal databases, the guy's information matches up." That comment set off alarms in Ritter's campaign because federal criminal databases are off-limits to anyone but law enforcement and can be used only for law enforcement purposes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Duel over database vote: Beauprez backed stiffer rules; Ritter camp questions memory|author1=Lynn Bartels|author2=M.E. Sprengelmeyer|author2-link=M.E. Sprengelmeyer|publisher=Rocky Mountain News|date=2006-10-23|url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5087049,00.html|access-date=2015-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011011640/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5087049,00.html|archive-date=2008-10-11|url-status=dead}}</ref>
As the subsequent arrest was under an alias, Ritter's supporters argued that the information could only have been obtained by accessing the [[National Crime Information Center|National Crime Information Center (NCIC)]] database, which access is restricted by federal law. The [[Colorado Bureau of Investigation]] initiated an investigation, and found enough evidence to then ask FBI to join its probe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4511706|title=FBI asked to look into Beauprez ad|author=Chris Frates|publisher=Denver Post|date=2006-10-19|access-date=2015-04-01}}</ref>
Beauprez denied anything improper had occurred, and that he had never heard of the NCIC database. The ''Denver Post'' noted that, as a Congressman, Beauprez had cosponsored a bill relating to the database.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_4534274|title=Beauprez cosponsored bill on database|author=Karen E. Crummy|publisher=Denver Post|date=2006-10-22|access-date=2015-04-01}}</ref> When charges were brought against the ICE agent who provided the information to John Marshall, he was acquitted in a jury trial.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/Apr/09/ice-agent-not-guilty-data-base-case|title=ICE agent found not guilty in political data base case|author=Ann Imse|publisher=Rocky Mountain News|date=2008-04-09|access-date=2015-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531144850/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/09/ice-agent-not-guilty-data-base-case/|archive-date=2009-05-31|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Criticism and praise regarding Cory Voorhis=== [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement|Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] Senior [[Special agent|Special Agent]] [[Cory Voorhis]] was prosecuted for retrieving Medina's rap sheet from the NCIC database and sharing it with Beauprez' staff. Beauprez defended the action as "whistleblowing," citing a pattern of lenient plea bargains during Ritter's term as district attorney. Many questioned why a Denver District Attorney employee, who accessed the same information and shared it with the Ritter campaign, was not also prosecuted. Voorhis was found not guilty on April 9, 2008. One of the jurors in the case said the jury didn't think Voorhis had "done anything intentionally wrong" and there were "some feelings" that Voorhis had been unfairly "singled out" for prosecution.<ref>{{cite web|last=Crummy|first=Karen E.|url=http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8865612|title=ICE agent not guilty of charges in governors race|date=9 April 2008 |publisher=Denverpost.com|access-date=2015-04-01}}</ref>
During the investigation, Beauprez received criticism for appearing to be unsupportive of Voorhis. But following Voorhis' acquittal, it became public that Beauprez did offer assistance to Voorhis, which was turned down by Voorhis' attorneys in order to avoid the appearance of a partisan political relationship. In an open letter to Beauprez,<ref>[http://www.alineofsight.com/a-letter-from-cory-voorhis] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080425084345/http://www.alineofsight.com/a-letter-from-cory-voorhis|date=April 25, 2008}}</ref> Voorhis wrote "You are indeed an honorable gentleman, and a great American." At least one media figure, [[Peter Boyles]], apologized to Beauprez and retracted his criticism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rossputin.com/blog/index.php/a/2008/04/18/beauprez_offered_voorhis_help_18_months_ |title=Beauprez offered Voorhis help 18 months ago|publisher=Rossputin.com|access-date=2015-04-01}}</ref>
===Results=== On November 7, Beauprez lost the gubernatorial election to [[Colorado Democratic Party|Democratic]] former Denver District Attorney [[Bill Ritter]] by 262,100 votes. [https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/2000-2099/2006AbsractBook.pdf]
==2014 Colorado gubernatorial election== {{Main|2014 Colorado gubernatorial election}} [[File:Bob Beauprez by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|Beauprez speaking at the [[Conservative Political Action Conference]] in Washington, D.C.]] In March 2014, Beauprez announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for governor to challenge incumbent Democratic Governor [[John Hickenlooper]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_25250713/bob-beauprez-expected-announce-gop-gubernatorial-run|title=Bob Beauprez expected to announce GOP gubernatorial run|date=February 28, 2014|access-date=March 3, 2014|work=The Denver Post}}</ref> Beauprez did not contest the Republican state assembly on April 12, instead petitioning his way onto the ballot.<ref name=gardner-nominated>{{cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_25553402/u-s-rep-cory-gardner-clear-favorite-become|title=Rep. Cory Gardner wins big at assembly, will challenge Sen. Mark Udall|date=April 12, 2014|access-date=April 13, 2014|work=[[The Denver Post]]|first=Kurtis|last=Lee}}</ref>
The primary election was held on June 24 and Beauprez triumphed with a plurality, taking 116,333 votes (30.24%) to [[Tom Tancredo]]'s 102,830 (26.73%), [[Scott Gessler]]'s 89,213 (23.19%) and Mike Kopp's 76,373 (19.85%).{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}
On 1 July, Beauprez announced [[Douglas County, Colorado|Douglas County]] [[County commission|Commissioner]] Jill Repella as his running mate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/07/01/bob-beauprezs-running-mate-is-a-single-mother-colorado-native/|title=Bob Beauprez's Running Mate Is A Single Mother, Colorado Native|date=July 1, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=CBS Denver}}</ref>
On July 3, video footage surfaced of Beauprez speaking in 2010, where he made remarks [[47%|similar to those]] made by [[Mitt Romney]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalwire.com/archives/2014/07/03/beauprez_has_his_own_47_moment.html|title=Beauprez Has His Own 47% Moment|date=July 3, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=PoliticalWire|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905070046/http://politicalwire.com/archives/2014/07/03/beauprez_has_his_own_47_moment.html|archive-date=September 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/07/colorado_republican_bob_beauprez_47_percent_gaffe_conservatives_think_the.html|title=Conservatives Say the Poor Have It Easy|date=July 3, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=Salon}}</ref> Speaking to the Denver [[Rotary International|Rotary Club]], said Beauprez:
{{blockquote|47% of all Americans pay no federal income tax. I'm guessing that most of you in this room are not in that 47% -- God bless you -- but what that tells me is that we've got almost half the population perfectly happy that somebody else is paying the bill, and most of that half is you all. I submit to you that there is a political strategy [by Democrats] to get slightly over half [of the vote] and have a permanent ruling political majority by keeping over half of the population dependent on the largesse of government that somebody else is paying for.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_26078290/video-shows-beauprez-saying-47-percent-dependent-government|title=Democrats decry Beauprez's "47 percent" comments recorded on video|date=July 2, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=The Denver Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.9news.com/story/news/politics/2014/07/02/beauprez-47-percent-dependent-government/12122515/|title=Beauprez: 47% of America "perfectly happy" to be dependent on government|date=July 2, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=9news.com}}</ref>}}
Democrats responded that Beauprez, who was in the middle of a "Unity Tour" with his running mate and former primary opponents, had a "funny way" of showing unity with Coloradans and called him "out of touch" and "elitist" for "[accusing] half of the population of being freeloaders." Beauprez's campaign stood behind the comments and said that "in full context, [he's] saying that it's sad more people are not doing well enough to pay federal income tax."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kdvr.com/2014/07/02/democrats-dump-video-of-beauprez-echoing-romneys-47-percent-comments/|title=Democrats dump video of Beauprez echoing Romney's '47 percent' comments|date=July 2, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=Fox31 Denver}}</ref>
In August, Beauprez said that he would send [[Colorado Army National Guard]] troops to the Mexico border: "If Rick Perry or another governor requested it, I would certainly step up and do my part." Beauprez was criticised as doing so would be against the law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/election2014/ci_26419124/bob-beauprez-draws-criticism-border-remarks|title=Bob Beauprez draws criticism for border remarks|date=August 27, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=The Denver Post}}</ref> He later clarified his comments, saying that he meant he would send them on a humanitarian effort, not a military one.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/beauprez-clarifies-remark-about-sending-colorado-national-guard-troops-to-border08272014|title=Beauprez clarifies remark about sending Colorado National Guard troops to border|date=August 27, 2014|access-date=September 2, 2014|work=The Denver Channel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140902175345/http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/beauprez-clarifies-remark-about-sending-colorado-national-guard-troops-to-border08272014|archive-date=September 2, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On November 4, 2014, Hickenlooper defeated Beauprez by 68,238 votes;<ref>{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Wayne W.|title=2014 Abstract of Votes Cast|url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/2000-2099/2014AbstractBook.pdf|date=2014|location=[[Denver, Colorado]]|publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}}</ref> on November 5, Beauprez officially conceded to Hickenlooper.
==2016 election activity== In the 2015-2016 election cycle, Beauprez founded Colorado Pioneer Action,<ref>{{cite web|title=Colorado Pioneer Action|url=http://pioneeraction.org|website=Colorado Pioneer Action}}</ref> which sponsored a number of communications (including websites and mailers) promoting and supporting certain candidates for (primarily state legislative) office and opposing others.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} In late June 2016, a watchdog organization ([http://campaignintegritywatchdog.org Campaign Integrity Watchdog])<ref>{{cite web|title=Campaign Integrity Watchdog|url=http://campaignintegritywatchdog.org|website=Campaign Integrity Watchdog}}</ref> filed a campaign finance complaint<ref>{{cite web|title=CPA Campaign Finance Complaint|url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/ComplaintDetail.aspx?ID=401|website=TRACER}}</ref> alleging that Beauprez's '''Colorado Pioneer Action''' organization was in reality an unregistered political committee operating in violation of Colorado campaign finance disclosure laws. After nearly a year of pre-trial motions, including multiple attempts by Beauprez to have the complaint dismissed,<ref>{{cite web|title=CPA fails to dismiss complaint|url=http://campaignintegritywatchdog.org/?p=184|website=Campaign Integrity Watchdog}}</ref> the case went to trial at the end of March 2017.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
[http://pioneeraction.org/ Colorado Pioneer Action] was found to have committed multiple violations of Colorado campaign finance law,<ref>{{cite web|title=CPA Guilty|url=http://campaignintegritywatchdog.org/?p=201|website=Campaign Integrity Watchdog}}</ref> fined $17,735 and ordered to register and disclose its contributors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Final Agency Decision|url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/ComplaintDetail.aspx?ID=401|website=TRACER|access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CPA Appeals|url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/ComplaintDetail.aspx?ID=401|website=TRACER}}</ref><ref>[http://www.coloradopols.com/diary/94145/breaking-beauprez-group-guilty-of-violating-campaign-law#sthash.HQ0qH5fB.sOWUTPdg.dpbs Beauprez Group Guilty of Violating Campaign Law], coloradopols.com; accessed May 3, 2018.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Beauprez Group Guilty of Violating Campaign Law|url=http://www.coloradopols.com/diary/94145/breaking-beauprez-group-guilty-of-violating-campaign-law#sthash.HQ0qH5fB.zOcNhmdH.dpbs|agency=Colorado Pols|date=April 27, 2017|access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>[http://www.coloradoindependent.com/165093/bob-beauprez-matt-arnold-fine-colorado-dark-money Judge says ex-Congressman Bob Beauprez's group must pay $17,000 in campaign finance fines], coloradoindependent.com; accessed May 3, 2018.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Judge says ex-Congressman Bob Beauprez's group must pay $17,000 in campaign finance fines|url=http://www.coloradoindependent.com/165093/bob-beauprez-matt-arnold-fine-colorado-dark-money|agency=Colorado Independent|publisher=Colorado Independent|date=April 26, 2017|access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Watchdog takes down Both-Ways|url=http://glendalecherrycreek.com/2017/04/watchdog-takes-ways|agency=Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle|publisher=Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle|date=April 28, 2017|access-date=May 3, 2018}}</ref> Beauprez and Colorado Pioneer Action appealed the ruling to the Colorado Court of Appeals, where a decision is pending.
== Treasurer for the American Conservative Union == Beauprez served as the treasurer for the [[American Conservative Union]], the organization that hosts the annual [[Conservative Political Action Conference]]. He abruptly resigned his position on May 25, 2023, citing lack of transparency in the compensation given to the organization's president [[Matt Schlapp]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/05/bob-beauprez-resigns-from-cpac-blasting-matt-schlapp.html| title= CPAC Is Rocked by a Resignation| date=May 25, 2023| first= Ben| last= Jacobs| publisher= [[New York Magazine]]}}</ref>
==Personal life== Beauprez is married and has four children and six grandchildren.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== *{{CongBio|B001240}} *[https://www.denverpost.com/?s=Bob+Beauprez&post_type=&orderby=&order=&sp%5Bf%5D=&sp%5Bt%5D= Articles about Beauprez in ''The Denver Post''], denverpost.com, June 11, 2006. *{{C-SPAN}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{s-new|constituency}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Colorado|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Colorado's 7th congressional district]]|years=2003–2007}} {{s-aft|after=[[Ed Perlmutter]]}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=[[Bill Owens (Colorado politician)|Bill Owens]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[Governor of Colorado]]|years=[[2006 Colorado gubernatorial election|2006]]}} {{s-aft|after=Dan Maes}} |- {{s-bef|before=Dan Maes}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[Governor of Colorado]]|years=[[2014 Colorado gubernatorial election|2014]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Walker Stapleton]]}} |- {{s-prec|usa}} {{s-bef|before=[[Jon L. Christensen]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former U.S. Representative}}''|years=}} {{s-aft|after=[[Rick Hill]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}} {{s-end}}
{{ColoradoUSRepresentatives}} {{USCongRep-start |congresses=108th–109th [[United States Congress]]es |state=[[Colorado's congressional delegations|Colorado]]}} {{USCongRep/CO/108}} {{USCongRep/CO/109}} {{USCongRep-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beauprez, Bob}} [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:2000 United States presidential electors]] [[Category:2006 Colorado gubernatorial election]] [[Category:21st-century Colorado politicians]] [[Category:21st-century United States representatives]] [[Category:Bankers from Colorado]] [[Category:American people of Belgian descent]] [[Category:American people of German descent]] [[Category:Colorado Republican Party chairs]] [[Category:Farmers from Colorado]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Lafayette, Colorado]] [[Category:Republican Party United States representatives from Colorado]] [[Category:University of Colorado Boulder alumni]]