Beezley says Camera got his ADA position wrong

On Friday, Colorado State House candidate Don Beezley told me he supports the Americans with Disabilities Act, despite disparaging comments he made about it.

He said he’d like to see the state, not the federal government, make and enforce its own ADA-like law, but he nonetheless supports the act.

On Saturday, someone shot me an email pointing out that Beezley had previously told the Boulder Daily Camera that he opposed the ADA. The Camera reported Sept. 1:

Beezley also wrote [in 2005] about his opposition to the ADA, which he said forced him to make costly renovations to a restaurant he owned.

“I spent $5,000 to redo the bathrooms (on a small budget with no money). Prior to that, it had been a pleasure to help a disabled person out with a tray, a door or whatever. After that, I could only think, ‘you better use my d*** bathroom!’ when someone rolled in. ADA took other human beings from being someone with a challenge whom it might be a joy to help, and turned them into a burden. An enemy.” Beezley wrote in 2005.

Beezley said he still opposes the act, which he believes caused a preschool to discriminate against his diabetic son when it denied him admission.

“I think it’s very well-intentioned legislation, but like much other legislation, it’s had unintended consequences,” Beezley said Wednesday.

So, what’s the deal? Did the Camera err in reporting that Beezley opposes the ADA? Or did I get it wrong?

“It’s settled law at this point time, for the most part, and it is what it is,” he said.  “But I think these things need to happen at the state level.

Asked directly if he opposes the ADA, Beezley said, “No.”

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