Governor Jared Polis Issues First Official Turkey Pardon in Colorado History

If only John Coffey could have been so lucky.

When played out in real life (or in movies like The Green Mile), awaiting a call from the governor’s office for a stay of execution is an agonizing experience that rarely ends satisfactorily.

Not so for Gus, a 28-month-old gobbler from Hayden, and his friends Maple, Pumpkin and Matilda.

The four turkeys strutted their stuff on the back lawn of the Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion on Monday, November 20, as Governor Jared Polis exonerated them for any and all crimes. They will all live out their days at Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary in Erie.

Polis started the event with a joke: “What did the turkey say to the governor when he met him?”

“PARDON ME!,” he shouted, and the crowd laughed.

“Thank you for coming on this crisp Colorado day! We couldn’t help but ‘stuff’ in one more event before the holiday break,” added Polis, while Colorado legislators just up the hill at the Statehouse were wrapping up their special session.

The event was branded a celebration of Thanksgiving and Colorado’s agricultural industry and poultry farmers. Polis was joined by First Gentleman Marlon Reis, Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera and Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg as he performed the first official Turkey Pardon in Colorado history.

Reis revealed that he, Polis and their two children had named the birds.

Here are a few more photos from this historic event: