Help Skylar Weitzel Stand Against Political Retaliation

My name is Skylar Weitzel. I’ve lived in Colorado since 1982 and in Erie since 2004. For years, I’ve volunteered my time knocking thousands of doors for progressive candidates, helped elect Erie’s first Black mayor, spoken out for LGBTQ+ residents, and shown up consistently for a community I care deeply about. I’ve never had a criminal record, have passed every federal background check required for my job, and have always tried to participate constructively in local politics — even as the temperature in Erie has risen.

Unfortunately, this town has also seen an organized far-right faction that has spent years harassing progressive residents, activists, journalists, and elected officials. They’ve posted people’s home addresses, contacted employers, tried to get people fired, and spread smears across local social media platforms. This fall, when my friend and her husband had their home and work addresses posted on a 40,000-member Facebook group, it crossed a line for me. I reacted emotionally, and I made a stupid decision.

What I actually did

I mailed sarcastic condolence cards — generic sympathy cards from Walmart — to about 18 of the loudest far-right agitators in town, plus two former residents now living out of state. I filled them with glitter and Gushers candy and included tongue-in-cheek notes poking fun at the performative mourning over Charlie Kirk. There were no threats, no violent language, no harmful substances, no powder. It was a dumb prank — nothing more, nothing less.

What happened next

The reaction was extreme.

On October 21st, Erie Police and two FBI agents came to my home. I immediately told them the truth and explained my reasoning. Both the Weld County and Boulder County district attorneys reviewed the situation. Neither found any criminal wrongdoing. No charges were filed.

But several of the recipients — including an elected official — filed Protection Orders (PPOs and TPOs) in multiple jurisdictions. Some of their statements were simply untrue. One man claimed my note meant I wanted to “shoot him in the neck in front of his children.” This is the same person who recently accused roughly 30 of his own neighbors of being part of a conspiracy against him in a widely discussed Nextdoor post. Another claimed there was “white powder” in his envelope. None of this is true.

I am now fighting four protection orders in Colorado and one in Virginia. In the Virginia case, the petitioner labeled me “ANTIFA” in a heavily conservative jurisdiction, and the judge required me to surrender my firearms despite the DA’s findings that no laws were broken and no evidence suggested I was a danger to anyone. The Town of Erie also filed a TPO, citing the private filings as justification. I am currently restricted from attending any Town Council meetings in person and cannot attend Planning Commission meetings without advance notice — effectively silencing my ability to participate in local government.

I also feared these individuals would go after my employment — and that fear has already become reality. After a right-wing online personality picked up my story and spread false claims that I had made “death threats,” her followers launched a harassment campaign that resulted in my employer receiving over a thousand phone calls. I was terminated from my job because of the pressure generated by those lies. I did not make any threats — and both district attorneys already confirmed no criminal conduct occurred — yet I am now unemployed as a direct result of this coordinated retaliation.

Why I need help

I never imagined needing attorneys in two states to defend myself from a political dogpile over a glitter-filled sympathy card. But that’s where I am. Legal fees, hearings, appeals, and required filings add up quickly, and I am already stretched thin trying to protect my family, my rights, and my ability to continue working.

This isn’t just about me. This is part of a broader pattern we’re seeing across the country: far-right groups weaponizing civil courts to intimidate, silence, and financially break their political opponents. It’s a tactic that has shown up repeatedly in Erie — and now it’s aimed squarely at me.

Meanwhile, we live in a country where the sitting president spreads violent AI fantasies about his opponents online, yet a private citizen is being treated like a threat for sending sarcastic condolence cards. The double standard is absurd — and frightening.

Where your support will go

Your donations will directly support:

Legal representation in Colorado

Legal representation and an appeal in Virginia

Filing fees and mandatory legal documentation

Travel costs and court-related expenses

Protecting my ability to find future employment and supporting my family during this process

Any remaining funds that aren’t used for the above will be split equally and donated to the ACLU of Colorado and Virginia

PLEASE NOTE YOUR DONATION DOES NOT CONFER ANY RIGHT TO CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE CASES OR ANY RIGHT TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY ATTORNEYS OR TO HAVE A SAY IN THE LITIGATION (OR ANY) LEGAL STRATEGY.

Standing up against retaliation

I’m angry. I’m embarrassed. I’m scared. And I refuse to be silenced by people who have spent years trying to bully, intimidate, and push progressives out of public life.

If you can donate, share, or simply stand with me — thank you. Your support means more than you know