Dem. Colorado state senator says she’s seeking treatment for alcoholism after showing up DRUNK to heated public meeting about controversial plans for sex offender halfway-house

A Democratic Colorado state senator announced she is receiving substance abuse treatment after she showed up late to a public hearing, appeared drunk, slurred her words and scrolled on her phone while community members talked.

Faith Winter, the Senate’s assistant majority leader, was nearly 10 minutes late Wednesday to a community hearing in Northglenn on a plan to open a sex offender shelter near an elementary school.

When she entered during the opening remarks, Winter — one of the sponsors of the bill that proposed the housing — seemed unaware that she would be joining the panelist.

Once she took her seat, the top Democrat made short and stumbling remarks. ‘Most people who go to prison also come out of prison. And we have to decide how, when and where we deal with the fact that each local community has problems,” Winter said.

At one point during the meeting, a member of the audience yelled at Winter for scrolling on her phone while people shared their concerns about the facility. She replied with a garbled speech that she was using it to look up statistics.

She came in ten minutes late and seemed unaware that she was supposed to be sitting with the panelist

At one point during the meeting, a member of the audience shouted at Winter for scrolling on her phone while people shared their concerns

Lissette Loya, an audience member, posted a video on Facebook of Winter looking at her phone during the meeting.

“This was Faith Winter yesterday at our meeting as people spoke about their own experiences with sexual abuse. She was so disrespectful while on the phone, claiming her faces were due to her ‘reliving her own trauma,'” Loya said.

Winter announced on Thursday The Colorado sun she sought medical treatment for substance abuse and resigned from her role as chair of the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee.

‘I deeply regret my behavior last night. I made a mistake and I am truly sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused. “I take full responsibility for my actions and am committed to making things right,” she said.

“I especially apologize to the city of Northglenn and the citizens who came out – I care deeply about your thoughts and community. I am now under the care of medical professionals and receiving treatment for my addiction.”

Sources told The Colorado Sun that her Senate colleagues were concerned about her drinking and encouraged her to seek help.

Senate President Steve Fenberg said The Denver Post he was “encouraged to see” Winter getting help for alcoholism.

‘Sen. Winter is an important and valued leader in the Senate Democratic Caucus and I know that, with the support of her friends and family, she will overcome this challenge,” Fenberg said.

Winter said Thursday she is seeking medical treatment for substance abuse and is resigning as chair of the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee.

Winter suffered a head injury after a cycling accident that required her to undergo brain surgery in September

Winter suffered a head injury after a cycling accident that required her to undergo brain surgery in September.

In a rack On Twitter, the senator said she crashed into a curb while trying to avoid a large truck. Although she was wearing a helmet, she suffered a head injury and had to undergo surgery to relieve pressure on her brain.

She revealed in August 2022 that she discovered she had an autoimmune disease that led to pulmonary hypertension after she fainted while trying to board a plane.

Winter was elected state senator from District 25 in 2018, representing Adams, Broomfield and Weld counties. She was re-elected in 2022 and her term ends in January 2027.

She previously served as a Westminster councilor and was elected to the State House in 2014.