LAKEWOOD, Colo — Migrants from Denver will not be housed in Lakewood, leaders from both cities say, but that isn’t dissuading a group opposed to the idea from claiming otherwise and rallying residents to an “emergency citizens’ town hall.”
Organizers of the anonymous group “Concerned Citizens In Lakewood” have taken steps to conceal their identities.
A Jefferson County Public Schools facility use request form, obtained by 9NEWS through the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), showed that a failed attempt to reserve a school cafeteria for the town hall was made by the county's Republican Party Chairwoman Nancy Pallozzi.
When reached by 9NEWS, Pallozzi declined to provide evidence to support any of the group’s claims.
The group’s online flyer claims without evidence that “Denver is looking to transport thousands of migrants into the City of Lakewood.”
City of Denver spokeswoman Jordan Fuja, Lakewood Mayor Wendi Strom, and Lakewood City Manager Kathy Hodgson all said the claim was false.
Hodgson, who recently met with Denver leaders at the direction of city council to discuss cooperation on the migrant crisis, said Denver leaders did not ask Lakewood to house migrants.
The City of Lakewood released a briefing on the meeting Monday in an effort to “address misinformation.”
“Lakewood is not being solicited for hotel/motel or congregate housing support,” the briefing read, in part. The briefing said Denver leaders asked Lakewood to refer people needing services and potential volunteers to existing resources in Denver.
Misinformation had reached a “fever pitch,” Strom said.
“It’s really stirred up a lot of frustration and anger that is not necessary,” Strom said. “This kind of misinformation effort really hinders the ability for us as our elected officials to be able to do a good job of meeting the needs of our community.”
The "Concerned Citizens In Lakewood" flyer claimed the city’s mayor and city council are “actively discussing designating Lakewood as a ‘sanctuary city’ and housing migrants in the vacant Jeffco Public Schools facilities in our city.”
A recent city council discussion of the topic directed Lakewood’s city manager to meet with Denver officials but did not touch on a “sanctuary city” designation. Strom and Hodgson said no such discussion has taken place.
The City of Lakewood does not control Jeffco Public Schools facilities. Jeffco Schools spokeswoman Kimberly Mahugh says there have been no discussions about using district property to assist with the migrant crisis.
Mahugh said GOP chair Pallozzi’s request to use the Dunston Middle School cafeteria for the “emergency citizens’ town hall,” made Friday, was denied Monday due to other events in the building and staffing issues.
Reached by phone Monday, Pallozzi declined to offer evidence of any claim made on the "Concerned Citizens In Lakewood" flyer. Pallozzi would not identify other organizers of the group.
Pallozzi said the town hall would still be held Tuesday at a location to be determined.
Former GOP state legislator, Lakewood city councilwoman, and twice-defeated mayoral candidate Ramey Johnson, who circulated the flyer through her mailing list, said she was not an organizer of the event and did not know the organizers’ identities.
“There’s been a great deal of concern about the immigration problem in Lakewood,” Johnson said.
In a January newsletter to supporters, Johnson claimed without evidence that migrants could swing elections through voter fraud.
“If gamed, sanctuary city status has the potential to change elections,” Johnson wrote.
Johnson told 9NEWS she had no evidence to support her claim.
“It’s asking a question,” Johnson said. “It’s just putting a thought out.”
Johnson said she was hesitant to discuss her claim about migrant voter fraud because 9NEWS had previously reported when Johnston, then a mayoral candidate, shared a climate change article written by someone posing as a fictional character from the movie “Fight Club.”
“I’m not interested in looking stupid,” Johnson said.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Next with Kyle Clark
