A resolution opposing a state lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision to move Space Command from Colorado Springs passed city council recently on a 9-2 vote.
Those in favor of the resolution said the city and state should be working together with the federal government instead of suing.
Councilman Roland Rainey presented the resolution.
“While the city of Colorado Springs continues to advocate strongly for keeping US Space Command in Colorado Springs, the city council believes that suing the president of the United States is not the productive path forward,” Rainey said in last Tuesday's council meeting.
Rainey said U.S. Congressional leaders told him they are working with the Trump administration to bring new military ventures to the city.
“We would definitely hate that any type of litigation would hinder that process from coming to our great city,” Rainey said.
Councilman David Leinweber voted in favor of the resolution.
“We need to get out of this political divide and find better ways of working together, find ways to move the ball forward instead of just bickering. We end up just taking all these extreme positions, and we end up not moving forward as a city, as a state, as a country,” Leinweber said.
Councilors Nancy Henjum and Kimberly Gold voted against the resolution. Gold said she was not notified in advance about the resolution and only found out about it after seeing it on the agenda.
When the move to Huntsville, Alabama, was announced in September, President Donald Trump said he was motivated largely in part for non-military reasons.
“The problem I have with Colorado, one of the big problems, they do mail-in voting … so they have automatically crooked elections,” Trump said during a press conference announcing the move.
Audits have repeatedly confirmed the accuracy and security of Colorado's vote. Trump also said at the press conference that winning Alabama by 47 points didn't influence his decision.
As previously reported, Attorney General Phil Weiser's lawsuit alleges that the decision did not follow the process required for the move.
“It didn't follow the statutorily required evaluation process, didn't have any studies, reviews, or notice. It didn't offer validation or justification,” Weiser said in an October press conference announcing the lawsuit.
In an opinion piece published in the Colorado Springs Gazette, Mayor Yemi Mobolade said that while he is disappointed in the decision to move Space Command, it is ultimately up to the President.
“I respect the President’s authority to make that decision and the responsibility of state leaders; including the Attorney General; to pursue the strategies they believe are appropriate,” Mobolade wrote.
Mobolade said his team is focusing on the city.
“That means keeping our focus on what is within our control: delivering unmatched value, reliability, and support to the men and women who carry out the nation’s space and defense missions every day,” Mobolade said.
