Kent Lambert

Infobox State Representative
name=Kent Lambert


state_house=Colorado
state=Colorado
district=14th
term_start=January 10, 2007
preceded=David Schultheis
succeeded=Incumbent
date of birth=
place of birth=
date of death=
place of death=
spouse=Gretchen
profession=retired Air Force officer
religion=Presbyterian
party=Republican|

Kent Douglas Lambert is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. An United States Air Force veteran, Lambert was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2006. He represents House District 14, which encompasses northern Colorado Springs, Colorado.cite web |url=http://comaps.org/district14h.html |title=State House District 51 |accessdate=2007-12-08 |format=html |work=COMaps ]

Military career

Lambert attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he served on the Cadet Wing Staff and was Chairman of the Cadet Professional Ethics Committee.cite web |url=http://www.kentlambert.com/AboutKent/Index.html |title=About Kent |accessdate=2007-12-23 |work=Colorado State Representative Kent Lambert] He was commissioned from the Academy in 1974, earning a B.S. in military history.cite web |url=http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=29791 |title=Representative Lambert |accessdate=2007-12-23 |format=html |work=Project Vote Smart]

Lambert served as a B-52 instructor pilot and director of battle staff for a B-52 wing. He rose from scientific analyst to division chief within the Air Force Studies and Analyses Agency at The Pentagon and worked on policy studies for major military systems including bomber and ICBM forces. He was Deputy Defense Intelligence Officer for Europe in the Defense Intelligence Agency. Lambert then worked as an attache at several international postings, serving as Deputy Chief of Military Assistance Program, in Amman, Jordan and as Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation, Stockholm, Sweden. He was assigned to Air Force Space Command in 2001 as Deputy Director of the Space Analysis Division, where his duties included support for investigation of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

While in the military, Lambert graduated from the Air War College, earned a masters' degree in international relations from the University of Southern California in 1981, a masters' in strategic and tactical sciences from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1983, a graduate studies certification in command, control, and communications from Air Force Institute of Technology. His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with star, and the Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster.cite web |url=http://cfapp2.rockymountainnews.com/election/profiles/c_profiles.cfm?oper=cand_profile&id=11898&qa=1 |title=Kent Douglas Lambert - Colorado - State House District 14 candidate |accessdate=2007-12-23 |format=html |work=RockyMountainNews.com ] He is also a lieutenant colonel with the Colorado Civil Air Patrol.cite news |first=Lynn |last=Bartels |title=Citizen Legislator, March 14 |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/mar/14/citizen-legislator-march-14/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=15 March 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-17 ]

Lambert and his wife, Gretchen, have three children — Christopher, Michael, and Melissa — and three grandchildren. He has served as an elder/deacon at Colorado Springs' First Presbyterian Church and was an Eagle Scout as a youth. Lambert is a member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, as are his two sons..cite news |first=Naomi |last=Zeveloff |title=Disorder patrol |url=http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A19151
work=Colorado Springs Independent |date=31 August 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-23 ]

Political career

Infobox Colorado Legislation
Title=Rep.
Name=Lambert
Year=2007
Bill Number 1=HB07-1086
Bill Number 2=HB07-1110
Bill Number 3=HB07-1116
Bill Number 4=HB07-1226
Bill Number 5=HB07-1267
Bill Link 1=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/7CBAE528D21745B787257251007C7E65?Open&file=1086_01.pdf
Bill Link 2=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/BC44ABE49E18660287257251007D4395?Open&file=1110_01.pdf
Bill Link 3=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/5E72B00A9064353F87257251007C54E6?Open&file=1116_01.pdf
Bill Link 4=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/1668451531F51C4B872572650061BB51?Open&file=1226_01.pdf
Bill Link 5=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/D5D1FC4B83A384DA8725725D007527EA?Open&file=1267_01.pdf
Bill Status 1=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 2=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 3=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 4=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Status 5=Postponed indefinitely in House committee
Bill Title 1=Concerning the creation of a fund in the state treasury for the implementation of [ Amendment 41 ] to be funded with moneys that would otherwise be expended by state agencies for lobbying purposes.
Bill Title 2=Concerning remedies for the owner of private real property for diminution in the value of the property caused by land use regulations imposed by public entities.
Bill Title 3=Concerning a prohibition on governmental entities acting as a conduit of money for political purposes and [...] prohibiting the deduction from governmental employees' wages of moneys for political purposes.
Bill Title 4=Concerning a creation of a felony for drunk driving [...]
Bill Title 5=Concerning the prohibition of discrimination against employees based upon labor union participation.

2004, 2006 legislative campaigns

After retiring from the Air Force at the rank of colonel in 2004, Lambert entered Colorado politics, challenging Mike Merrifield for the 18th house district seat in central Colorado Springs, losing with 42 percent of the vote.cite web |url=http://comaps.org/district18h.html |title=State House District 18 |accessdate=2007-12-23 |format=html |work=COMaps ] He served as legislative assistant to representatives Dave Schultheis and Keith King and helped found the Republican Study Committee of Colorado, serving as its executive director until 2005.

In 2006, Lambert ran to succeed David Schultheis, who was elected to the Colorado Senate that same year. Lambert faced Colin Mullaney in the Republican primary, in which he garnered the endorsements of the Minutemen PAC, the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, and a homeschoolers PAC.cite news |author=Staff report |title=One The Stump |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20060805/ai_n16663591
work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=5 August 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-23 ] In the general election, he defeated Democrat Karen Teja with over 68 percent of the popular vote.

2007 legislative session

During the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Lambert sat on the House Finance Committee and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2007a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2007-12-11 |format=html |work=Colorado General Assembly] .

In the his first year in the legislature, Lambert was noted for his socially conservative stances on legislation. He was the primary house sponsor of a senate bill that would have criminalized abortion in Colorado —the bill died in the Colorado State Senate — cite news |first=Naomi |last=Zeveloff |title=Better to burn out ... |url=http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/PrintFriendly?oid=oid%3A20156
work=Colorado Springs Independent |date=15 February 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-23 ] and he spoke out against a measure that would have allowed adoption by homosexual couples.cite news |first=Alan |last=Gathright |title=Boulder rep shares own story in 'second parent' adoption debate |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/mar/15/boulder-rep-shares-own-story-in-second-parent/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=15 March 2006 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ] cite news |first=Hank |last=Lacey |title=House gives preliminary OK to adoption bill |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_20151___article.html/house_children.html
work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=28 March 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ] All five bills introduced by Lambert were defeated in House committees, including measures to make Colorado a "right-to-work" state and to prohibit labor unions from deducting fees from government employees' paychecks.cite news |author=Staff report |title=Area lawmakers win and lose |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_21999___article.html/bills_colorado.html
work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=7 May 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ]

During the legislative session, Lambert filed a formal ethics complaint against the Colorado Education Association, arguing that emails sent by the CEA lobbying in favor of a property tax freeze to bring in additional revenue for public schools included deceptive statements.cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Lambert files ethics complaint against teachers union |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/tax_21599___article.html/lambert_complaint.html
work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=25 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ] The complaint was called "frivolous" by the CEA and was dismissed by the Colorado Legislative Council's Executive Committee on a vote that was boycotted by Republican leaders.cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Legislature drops Lamberts ethics complaint |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/committee_21638___article.html/complaint_lambert.html
work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=26 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ] cite news |first=Lynn |last=Bartels |title=State lawmaker backs out of ethics vote |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/apr/25/state-lawmaker-backs-out-of-ethics-vote/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=25 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ] cite news |first=Mark P. |last=Couch |title=No ethics probe over lobbying |url=http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_5751194
work=Denver Post |date=25 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ]

For the session, the fiscally conservative Colorado Union of Taxpayers gave Lambert its "Taxpayer Champion" award.cite news |first=Chris |last=Barge |title=Union of Taxpayers flunks state Dems |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/sep/25/union-of-taxpayers-flunks-state-dems/
work=Rocky Mountain News |date=25 September 2007 |accessdate=2007-12-24 ] Lambert, along with Rep. Douglas Bruce, was also noted for rarely supporting nonbinding resolutions in the legislature.cite news |first=Ed |last=Sealover |title=Lawmakers get in on April Fools' Day action |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/house_34843___article.html/bill_colorado.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=1 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-02 ]

2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Lambert sits on the House Finance Committee, and the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee.cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/directory.nsf/HouCommWp?OpenView |title=House Committees of Reference |accessdate=2008-01-19 |format=html |work=Colorado General Assembly] He has introduced legislation to create a specialty license plate commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.cite news |first=Michael |last=Davidson |coauthors=Ed Sealover |title=Assembly glance |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/bill_32621___article.html/house_state.html
work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=1 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-02-04 ]

In April 2008, Lambert filed a campaign finance complaint against Gov. Bill Ritter, alleging that Ritter's 2006 campaign manager, Greg Kolomitz, improperly used inaugural committee funds to pay himself and pay off campaign debts.cite news |first=John |last=Ingold |coauthor=Tim Hoover |title=GOP lawmaker lodges complaint against Ritter
url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_9007655 |work=Denver Post |date=21 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-22 ] cite news |first=John C. |last=Ensslin |title=Complaint filed against inaugural committee |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/22/complaint-filed-against-inaugural-committee/ |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=22 April 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-22 ]

2008 election

Lambert is expected to run for a second term in the Colorado House of Representatives; Democrats have nominated Chyrese Exline to oppose him.cite news |first=Anthony |last=Lane |title=The blue wave |url=http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A23781
work=Colorado Springs Independent |date=28 February 2008 |accessdate=2008-03-02 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/house/members/hou14.htm Colorado General Assembly profile]
* [http://www.kentlambert.com/ Campaign website]