Colorado State Rep. Tim Hernández (D-Denver) received heated backlash after appearing to support Hamas’ mass murder and hostage-taking of Israelis on Oct. 7. at a pro-Palestinian rally.
Hernández has now backtracked on his stance, apparently in an attempt to quell the criticism aimed at him.
The IJN attempted to contact Hernández to give him the opportunity to state his views on Hamas’ mass murder and hostage-taking, but the repeated messages were unreturned.
Hernández, a former teacher and activist, was appointed to the General Assembly in August to fill the vacancy left by Selena Gonzales-Gutierrez when she was elected to the Denver City Council.
The district he represents, HD-4, includes the West Colfax neighborhood, long associated with the Jewish community and home to a synagogue, a mikveh, two Jewish schools and a kollel.
The controversy surrounding Hernandez stemmed from his appearance at The Palestine Solidarity Rally, organized by the Colorado Palestinian Coalition at the Capitol on the day of the attack.
A bystander, a Jewish man from Denver, approached Hernandez, who identified himself as a state representative. Hernández was asked if he denounces Hamas, which he did not do.
That video went viral on social media.
“I condemn any form of colonial violence,” Hernández said on the post. “I believe in the liberation of Palestine.”
Immediately after Hernández’ initial views were made public, colleagues and other officials criticized the new legislator.
“We’ve had several conversations with Representative Hernández over the last few days and are deeply disappointed that when there was doubt, he chose not to explicitly condemn the violent Hamas terrorist attacks on innocent Israelis,” said Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge) in a joint statement with House Speaker Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon).
“Serving as a state representative means bearing the weight of responsibility for how our actions and words impact others, and we are called upon to lead with compassion, sensitivity and humility in the most painful of moments.
“The murder of nearly 1,000 innocent people so far is an atrocity that demands unequivocal condemnation.
“We should be denouncing, not promoting, hateful rhetoric on social media.
“We stand with the people of Israel and the Jewish community in Colorado as we continue to mourn the loss of life and reel from the shock of the still unfolding horrors of this violent terrorist attack on innocent Israelis.”
US Rep. Diana DeGette (District 1), who on Oct. 9 appeared at the community vigil at Temple Emanuel, reacted to Hernández’ statements last week through her spokesperson, Sam Satterfield:
“The Congresswoman has forcefully condemned the attacks by Hamas and signed on to a bipartisan resolution with the vast majority of her colleagues supporting Israel,” Satterwhite said.
Former Denver Mayor and US Secretary of Transportation and Energy Federico Peña sharply criticized Hernandez.
“Representative Hernandez has a responsibility to clarify his views, specifically,” Peña told the IJN. “He must publicly declare his opposition to the attacks by Hamas.
“As an elected official, and having participated in the rally, he has an ethical obligation to his constituents to clarify his values and the terroristic actions by Hamas.
“If he chooses to declare that better treatment of Palestinians, or Palestinian citizens, should be supported, that is a different issue from the attacks by the terrorist organization, Hamas.”
In a message posted on X on Oct. 13, Hernández said: “I condemn Hamas, and I condemn — in the strongest ways possible — all violence against civilians,” Hernández said. “My heart is heavy for the innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives lost.
“And I am sorry for the harm I have caused to many in the Jewish community and the Israeli community this week.”
Rep. Dafna Michaelson-Jenet (D-Commerce City) told the IJN:
“After an attack on human beings, like we saw take place in Israel, to not be able to come up with the words to condemn that action seems unfathomable to me. It’s overwhelming.
“I’ve experienced anti-Semitism in the House of Representatives, which I’ve spoken about in the past, and I’ve spoken with others about in the past. But this felt like a very intense, very personal, anti-Semitic statement.”
On Oct. 15, at a pro-Israel rally in front of the State Capitol, State Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet said she had a subsequent conversation with Hernández. The congresswoman said Hernández apologized to her.
Copyright © 2023 by the Intermountain Jewish News
Correction: An earlier version of this story identified Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet as a Representative. She is now serving as a senator.
