Ryan fills in with Rep. Scott Bottoms (R-15) on Kyle Clark ambush interview at state capitol

·36 min·3 clips

A Republican candidate for governor claims pedophile rings involving elected officials operate in Colorado's state capitol.

The episode begins with Ryan Shuling hosting in place of Dan Caplis, introducing the controversy around Scott Bottoms' claims of pedophile rings in Colorado's government. Bottoms, a state representative and pastor running for governor, made these allegations at a campaign event, which were captured on video and led to an ambush interview by 9 News reporter Kyle Clark. In the interview, Clark presses Bottoms for evidence, but Bottoms deflects, stating he will reveal information when he becomes governor and that he trusts only FBI agents outside Colorado. The show then plays a montage of Republican critics, including Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, District Attorney George Brockler, and sheriffs Jason Mikesell and Steve Reams, who accuse Bottoms of either fabricating the story or failing in his duty as a mandatory reporter. Bottoms responds by defending his actions, explaining that whistleblowers, including Democrats, provided information three years ago, and he has been coordinating with the FBI since. He criticizes his political opponents, suggesting their attacks are motivated by the governor's race. Bottoms also ties his allegations to legislative context, noting Democrats voted against his bill to increase penalties for child sex trafficking and are proposing bills to decriminalize prostitution. In the final segment, listeners call in with opinions: some believe Bottoms due to distrust of Colorado authorities, while others demand proof and criticize his attacks on figures like Brockler. The episode concludes with Shuling summarizing the high stakes for Bottoms' reputation and the ongoing investigation.

As heard by us

A capitol confrontation tests what Scott Bottoms can substantiate about explosive allegations.

This single-episode review follows a volatile claim into the halls of Colorado politics: state representative Scott Bottoms says he has worked with the FBI outside Colorado on allegations of pedophile rings involving elected officials at the state capitol, while offering no…

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You want the state capitol interview behind Scott Bottoms' explosive FBI claim? Press play.

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