Loveland City Council member Erin Black fires back at critics - Reporter-Herald
Thomas Clayton
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Loveland City Council member Erin Black fires back at critics
Black: The recall effort is ‘nothing more than another politically motivated smear campaign’
Loveland City Council member Erin Black took an opportunity at Tuesday’s meeting to respond to critics as a campaign to recall her heats up.
Appearing remotely, the Ward 3 representative didn’t mince words as she addressed subjects ranging from her political opponents, the behavior of her fellow council members and a dispute with Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran.
“This recall effort began the day after I was elected in 2023,” she said during the councilor comment period at the beginning of the meeting. “It is nothing more than another politically motivated smear campaign by a small conservative, disgruntled group calling themselves RULE, who created a battle plan to take me and other councilors out by any means necessary, essentially overturning the will of the voters.”
Black was thrust into the spotlight just over two weeks ago when a video surfaced showing her and eight supporters in a heated confrontation with Loveland resident Dillon Kaiser at Dwayne Webster Park. The video quickly spread on social media, leading to calls for her resignation, including from seven of her fellow council members.
Last week, a group of five Ward 3 residents filed a formal intent to circulate recall petitions with the Loveland City Clerk’s office, using a pattern of “poor judgement, unprofessional behavior and conduct unbecoming of an elected official,” as stated grounds for the process.
In her remarks on Tuesday, Black characterized the March 29 confrontation as “exaggerated” and said it was being used as a political weapon against her.
“It’s a tactic, not the truth,” she said.
Continuing, Black denied that she has engaged in a “pattern of conduct,” and said that her actions held to a higher standard than those of her “male” colleagues on the council, who she said also have a history of disruptive behavior during City Council meetings and disrespectful interactions with city staff and the public, but haven’t faced a vocal backlash.
However, it was Doran who took the brunt of Black’s comments. Repeatedly referring to him by his last name only — a move that drew rebuke from the public and other councilors last year — she said the chief had launched a campaign to silence her calls for accountability and transparency shortly after she assumed office.
“He then launched a discrimination and harassment complaint against me out of retaliation for asking for the release of internal affairs investigation reports,” she said. “All accusations made by Doran regarding me are false and therefore should not be used to show a pattern of behavior.”
The councilor then went on to say she had evidence of “gross misconduct” by Doran during the investigation of his harassment complaint and accused him and the department of using “suppression” techniques to prevent the release of “LGBT” related internal investigations.
After a brief interruption by a point of order from another councilor, Black ended her remarks by saying that Doran’s actions have put her safety in jeopardy.
“It has incited hatred toward me from fellow councilors, current and former law enforcement and a lot of nasty, vulgar, homophobic and misogynistic men that want to put me in my place,” she said.
Speaking next, Black’s Ward 3 counterpart Steve Olson challenged Black to produce the evidence of Doran’s misconduct and said that, until it emerges, her statements are nothing more than “opinion.” He also said that her statements fail to demonstrate accountability for her actions.
“I think you should apologize to the people for taking the time out of a public meeting to justify a pattern of repeated bad behavior,” Olson said. “…You are the one that has to answer for this. Nobody caused this except yourself.”
Echoing Olson’s comments, Councilor Andrea Samson also briefly weighed in on Black’s remarks.
“I will just quickly state that I’m saddened and humiliated by the time being spent on these actions and behaviors by Councilor Black that seven of our eight council members have denounced,” she said. “…The statements by Councilor Black this evening and those defending her are gaslighting.”
Tuesday’s meeting was also preceded by a public rally calling for Black’s resignation, the second since the March 29 incident.
 | Tom Clayton Communication and Media Specialist, Public Affairs |
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