{{short description|American politician}} {{about||the New Zealand rugby player|Kent Lambert (rugby)|the American football player and coach|Kent Lambert (American football)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name=Kent Lambert | image= Colorado-Rep-Kent-Lambert.jpg | state_senate= Colorado | state=Colorado | district=9th | term_start= January 2011 | term_end = January 4, 2019 | preceded=David Schultheis | succeeded=Paul Lundeen | image name2= | state_house2=Colorado | state2=Colorado | district2=59th | term_start2= January 2007 | term_end2= January 2011 | preceded2= | succeeded2= Janak Joshi | birth_date= | birth_place= | death_date= | death_place= | spouse=Gretchen | profession=retired Air Force Colonel | party=Republican }}
'''Kent Douglas Lambert''' is a former legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. A United States Air Force veteran, Lambert was elected to the Colorado General Assembly as a Republican in 2006. Most recently, he represented Senate District 9, which encompasses northwest Colorado Springs, the United States Air Force Academy, Monument and Black Forest.
==Biography and early career==
Lambert attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he served on the Cadet Wing Staff and was chairman of the Cadet Professional Ethics Committee.<ref name="bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.kentlambert.com/AboutKent/Index.html |title=About Kent |accessdate=2007-12-23 |work=Colorado State Representative Kent Lambert |archive-date=2008-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080101035142/http://www.kentlambert.com/AboutKent/Index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was commissioned from the academy in 1974, earning a B.S. in military history.<ref name="votesmart">{{cite web |url=http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=29791 |title=Representative Lambert |accessdate=2007-12-23 |work=Project Vote Smart }}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Lambert served as a B-52 instructor pilot, and was director of battle staff for a B-52 wing. He rose from scientific analyst to division chief within the Air Force Studies and Analyses Agency at The Pentagon and worked on policy studies for major military systems, including bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile forces. He was deputy defense intelligence officer for Europe in the Defense Intelligence Agency.<ref name="bio"/> Lambert worked as an attaché at several international postings, serving as the air attaché and deputy chief of military assistance program, in Amman, Jordan, and as the defense attaché and chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation, Stockholm, Sweden.<ref name="rocky"/> He was assigned to Air Force Space Command in 2001 as deputy director of the Space Analysis Division, where his duties included support for investigation of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.<ref name="bio"/>
While in the military, Lambert graduated from the Air War College, earned a master's degree in international relations from the University of Southern California<ref name="bio"/> in 1981,<ref name="rocky"/> a master's in strategic and tactical sciences from the Air Force Institute of Technology<ref name="bio"/> in 1983,<ref name="rocky"/> and a graduate studies certification in command, control, and communications from Air Force Institute of Technology.<ref name="bio"/> His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with star, and the Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster.<ref name="rocky">{{cite web |url=http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=11898&qa=1 |title=Kent Douglas Lambert - Colorado - State House District 14 candidate |accessdate=2007-12-23 |work=RockyMountainNews.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070729091241/http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=11898&qa=1 |archive-date=2007-07-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He is also a lieutenant colonel with the Colorado Civil Air Patrol.<ref name="cap">{{cite news |first=Lynn |last=Bartels |title=Citizen Legislator, March 14 |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/mar/14/citizen-legislator-march-14/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=15 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-17 }}</ref>
Lambert and his wife, Gretchen, have three children and six grandchildren. He has served as a leader in several churches and was an Eagle Scout and scoutmaster.<ref name="bio"/>
==Political career==
===Early campaigns===
After retiring from the Air Force at the rank of colonel in 2004,<ref name="bio"/> Lambert entered Colorado politics, challenging Michael Merrifield for the 18th house district seat in central Colorado Springs, losing with 42 percent of the vote.<ref name="map2">{{cite web |url=http://comaps.org/district18h.html |title=State House District 18 |accessdate=2007-12-23 |work=COMaps |archive-date=2008-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304221040/http://www.comaps.org/district18h.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He served as legislative assistant to representatives Dave Schultheis and Keith King<ref name="votesmart"/> and helped found the Republican Study Committee of Colorado, serving as its executive director until 2005.<ref name="bio"/>
In 2006, Lambert ran to succeed Rep. David Schultheis, who was elected to the Colorado Senate that same year. Lambert faced Colin Mullaney in the Republican primary, in which he garnered the endorsements of the Minutemen PAC, the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, and a homeschoolers PAC.<ref name="stump">{{cite news |author=Staff report |title=One The Stump |url=https://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20060805/ai_n16663591 |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=5 August 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-23 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In the general election, he defeated Democrat Karen Teja with over 68 percent of the popular vote.
==Colorado House of Representatives==
===2007 legislative session===
During the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Lambert sat on the House Finance Committee and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.<ref name="cmtes">{{cite web |url=https://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2007-12-11 |work=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref>
In his first year in the legislature, Lambert was noted for his conservative stances on legislation. He was the primary house sponsor of a senate bill that would have criminalized abortion in Colorado —the bill died in the Colorado State Senate —<ref name="burn"> {{cite news |first=Naomi |last=Zeveloff |title=Better to burn out ... |url=http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/PrintFriendly?oid=oid%3A20156 |work=Colorado Springs Independent |date=15 February 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-23 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} </ref> and he spoke out against a measure that would have allowed adoption by homosexual couples.<ref name="story">{{cite news |first=Alan |last=Gathright |title=Boulder rep shares own story in 'second parent' adoption debate |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/mar/15/boulder-rep-shares-own-story-in-second-parent/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=15 March 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-24 }}</ref><ref name="OK">{{cite news |first=Hank |last=Lacey |title=House gives preliminary OK to adoption bill |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_20151___article.html/house_children.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=28 March 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123234035/http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_20151___article.html/house_children.html |archive-date=23 January 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> All five bills introduced by Lambert were defeated in House committees, including measures to make Colorado a right-to-work state and to prohibit labor unions from deducting fees from government employees' paychecks.<ref name="winlose">{{cite news |author=Staff report |title=Area lawmakers win and lose |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_21999___article.html/bills_colorado.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102185806/http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_21999___article.html/bills_colorado.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2013 |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=7 May 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 }}</ref>
During the legislative session, Lambert filed a formal ethics complaint against the Colorado Education Association, arguing that emails sent by the CEA lobbying in favor of a property tax freeze to bring in additional revenue for public schools included deceptive statements.<ref name="ethics">{{cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Lambert files ethics complaint against teachers union |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/tax_21599___article.html/lambert_complaint.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=25 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124083758/http://www.gazette.com/articles/tax_21599___article.html/lambert_complaint.html |archive-date=24 January 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The complaint was called "frivolous" by the CEA and was dismissed by the Colorado Legislative Council's executive committee on a vote that was boycotted by Republican leaders.<ref name="drops">{{cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Legislature drops Lamberts ethics complaint |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/committee_21638___article.html/complaint_lambert.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=26 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123222958/http://www.gazette.com/articles/committee_21638___article.html/complaint_lambert.html |archive-date=23 January 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="backs">{{cite news |first=Lynn |last=Bartels |title=State lawmaker backs out of ethics vote |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/apr/25/state-lawmaker-backs-out-of-ethics-vote/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=25 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 }}</ref><ref name="probe">{{cite news |first=Mark P. |last=Couch |title=No ethics probe over lobbying |url=https://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_5751194 |work=Denver Post |date=25 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 }}</ref>
For the session, the Colorado Union of Taxpayers gave Lambert its "Taxpayer Champion" award.<ref name="flunks">{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Barge |title=Union of Taxpayers flunks state Dems |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/sep/25/union-of-taxpayers-flunks-state-dems/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=25 September 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 }}</ref> Lambert, along with Rep. Douglas Bruce, was also noted for rarely supporting nonbinding resolutions in the legislature.<ref name="fools">{{cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Lawmakers get in on April Fools' Day action |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_34843___article.html/bill_colorado.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=1 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-02 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124102035/http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_34843___article.html/bill_colorado.html |archive-date=24 January 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
===2008 legislative session=== In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Lambert sat on the House Finance Committee, and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. <ref name="cmte2008">{{cite web |url=https://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2008-01-19 |work=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> One piece of legislation he introduced created a specialty license plate commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.<ref name="glance">{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Davidson |author2=Ed Sealover |title=Assembly glance |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_32621___article.html/house_state.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=1 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-02-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524010947/http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_32621___article.html/house_state.html |archivedate=24 May 2011 }}</ref>
In April 2008, Lambert filed a campaign finance complaint against Gov. Bill Ritter, alleging that Ritter's 2006 campaign manager, Greg Kolomitz, improperly used inaugural committee funds to pay himself and pay off campaign debts.<ref name="lodges">{{cite news |first=John |last=Ingold |author2=Tim Hoover |title=GOP lawmaker lodges complaint against Ritter |url=https://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_9007655 |work=Denver Post |date=21 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-22 }}</ref><ref name="filed">{{cite news |first=John C. |last=Ensslin |title=Complaint filed against inaugural committee |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/22/complaint-filed-against-inaugural-committee/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=22 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-22 }}</ref> In August, Lambert's complaint was dismissed by an administrative law judge, and he was ordered to pay Ritter's legal fees.<ref name="nocharge">{{cite news |first=John C. |last=Ensslin |title=No charges filed against Ritter's former campaign chief |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/sep/10/no-charges-filed-against-ritters-former-campaign/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=10 September 2008 |accessdate=2008-10-23 }}</ref> The ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeals, and Ritter eventually admitted the charges against him after his announcement not to run for a second term.
===2008 election===
In 2008, Lambert won a second term in the Colorado House of Representatives. He was opposed by Democratic nominee Chyrese Exline.<ref name="wave">{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Lane |title=The blue wave |url=http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A23781 |work=Colorado Springs Independent |date=28 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-02 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> Lambert's re-election bid was endorsed by the ''Denver Post'',<ref name="dphouse">{{cite news |author=Editorial Board |title=Post's picks in Colorado's House of Representatives |url=https://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_10741559 |work=Denver Post |date=17 October 2008 |accessdate=2008-11-01 }} </ref> while the ''Colorado Springs Independent'' endorsed his opponent.<ref name="ciend">{{cite news |first=Wendy |last=Norris |author2=Bob Spencer |title=State candidate endorsement watch |url=https://coloradoindependent.com/11911/state-candidate-endorsement-watch |work=Colorado Independent |date=3 November 2008 |accessdate=2008-11-07 }}</ref> Lambert won re-election with 71 percent of the popular vote.<ref name="gen08">{{cite web|url=http://coreports.ezvotetally.com/Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd?ReportSession=jexpso55dlbays450fyzrmb4&ControlID=3a1b317069f040849b2b689d78addfc9&Culture=1033&UICulture=1033&ReportStack=1&OpType=ReportArea&Controller=dnn_ctr376_ViewRS2005_ReportViewer1&PageNumber=1&ZoomMode=Percent&ZoomPct=100&ReloadDocMap=true&SearchStartPage=0&LinkTarget=_top |title=Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 General Election |accessdate=2008-12-04 |work=Colorado Secretary of State }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Lambert was also a delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, alongside El Paso County Commissioner Wayne Williams and Colorado's Attorney General John Suthers.<ref name="delegate">{{cite news |first=Cara |last=DeGette |title=Colorado AG John Suthers reports from the RNC – everyone's fired up |url=https://coloradoindependent.com/6850/colorado-ag-john-suthers-reports-from-the-rnc-–-everyones-fired-up |work=The Colorado Independent |date=3 September 2008 |accessdate=2008-10-14 }}</ref>
===2009 legislative session===
For the 2009 legislative session, Lambert was named to seats on the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee and the House Finance Committee, where he was the ranking Republican.<ref name="cmte09"> {{cite press release |title=House Republican Committee Assignments Announced |date=18 November 2008 |publisher=Colorado House Democrats |url=http://www.coloradohousegop.com/?q=node/92 |access-date=29 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231125753/http://www.coloradohousegop.com/?q=node%2F92 |archive-date=31 December 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} </ref>
In August 2009, Lambert was appointed to the Joint Budget Committee to replace departing member Rep. Dan Marostica.<ref name="JBC">{{cite news |first=Tim |last=Hoover |title=TABOR backer joins Joint Budget Committee |date=17 August 2009 |work=Denver Post |url=https://www.denverpost.com/ci_13141315}}</ref>
===2010 legislative session===
For the 2010 legislative session, Lambert was on the House Appropriations Committee and the Joint Budget Committee.
Lambert produced a bill that focused on establishing an income tax credit for nonpublic education in the state of Colorado. HB10-1295 would have set forth, as a future tax credit, for families who either pay private school tuition or home-school their children. The bill was introduced to the House Finance Committee, where it was postponed indefinitely.
==Colorado Senate==
===2010 election=== In the 2010, Lambert ran for election to the 9th District Senate seat. He ran unopposed in both the primary and the general election, and won a 4-year term to the Colorado Senate.
===2011 legislative session===
Following Lambert's election in 2010, he was elected by the Republican caucus to continue service on the Joint Budget Committee, as well as join the Senate Appropriations Committee.
During the 2011 legislative session, Lambert sought to remove unnecessary use of state vehicles for personal commuting with SB11-023, a measure he also ran previously as a representative in the Colorado House. In 2010 when the bill (HB10-1287) was initially run, it successfully made it through both chambers before eventually being vetoed by Governor Bill Ritter. The bill limits the use of state vehicles by private persons for personal business, and would have required an employee to reimburse the state for commuting with a state-owned vehicle for such use and openly labeled appropriate terms of use. The bill was assigned to the Senate Transportation Committee, but failed and was postponed indefinitely on a 5–2 vote.<ref name="SB11-023">{{cite news |author=OPEN STATES|title=SB11-023|url =http://openstates.org/co/votes/COV00000041/ |accessdate=10 Oct 2012 }}</ref> Lambert also sponsored several major bills pertaining to illegal aliens: SB11-054 and HB11-1088.
Lambert was elected as a delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay, Florida. He had been a committed delegate to Senator Rick Santorum before he dropped out of the presidential race.
===2012 legislative session===
In 2012, Lambert brought forth a major piece of legislation regarding PERA transparency, SB12-084, which would have required PERA records of elected officials and cabinet-level appointees to be publicly disclosed and available for review.<ref name="SB12-084">{{cite news|author=Secure PERA|title=SB12-084|url=http://www.securepera.org/2012/01/senate-bill-84-pera-transparency-opposed/|accessdate=10 Oct 2012|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215253/http://www.securepera.org/2012/01/senate-bill-84-pera-transparency-opposed/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lambert's bill was assigned to the Senate Finance Committee, where it was defeated in a committee vote and postponed indefinitely.
===2013 legislative session===
In 2013, Lambert was re-elected by the Senate Republican Caucus to serve on the Joint Budget Committee for the Colorado General Assembly. He was also appointed to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
===2017 legislative session===
In the 2017 legislative session, Lambert served as the chairman of the Joint Budget Committee and vice-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He chairs the Legislative Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Committee and serves as vice-chair of the Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Interim Study Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/kent-d-lambert|title = Kent D. Lambert | Colorado General Assembly}}</ref>
In addition to his responsibilities as the chair of the JBC, he ran a wide variety of bills, including Senate Bill 82 concerning the regulation of methadone clinics;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb17-082|title = Regulation of Methadone Treatment Facilities | Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Senate Bill 96, which created a grant program for the reserve peace officer academy program;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb17-096|title = Reserve Peace Officer Academy Grant Program | Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Senate Bill 300 which would have created a high risk pool for impoverished citizens to obtain medical insurance through the state;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb17-300|title=High-risk Health Care Coverage Program | Colorado General Assembly|access-date=2017-07-26|archive-date=2017-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520120454/http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb17-300|url-status=live}}</ref> and Senate Bill 297 that revised the requirements for higher education performance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb17-297|title = Revising Higher Education Performance Requirements | Colorado General Assembly}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * [http://www.kentlambert.com/ Campaign website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228162818/http://www.kentlambert.com/ |date=2007-12-28 }} *[http://www.coloradosenatenews.com/?q=content/senator-kent-lambert Colorado GOP Website] *[https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/kent-d-lambert Colorado General Assembly Website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lambert, Kent}} Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Republican Party Colorado state senators Category:Republican Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives Category:Politicians from Colorado Springs, Colorado Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:United States Air Force Academy alumni Category:United States Air Force officers Category:United States air attachés Category:Military personnel from Colorado Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly