Audio By Carbonatix
During the Colorado Republican Party’s November luncheon, between discussions of election rigging and political hangings, Darcy Schoening paused to tell a story “the media is refusing to report on.”
Schoening, the party’s director of special initiatives and a candidate for party chair, spoke of the well-publicized staged hate crime during the Colorado Springs mayoral race in 2023, when supporters of now-Mayor Yemi Mobolade reportedly set up a burning cross and wrote a racist slur on one of Mobolade’s campaign signs to inspire outrage and support. Three suspects were indicted – but Schoening claimed Mobolade was also involved and avoided legal repercussions.
“The FBI said, ‘We cannot prosecute the first Black mayor of Colorado Springs,'” Schoening claimed, to angry shouts from the luncheon crowd. “Exactly,” she replied, adding that the suspects “literally committed a hate crime hoax to get a DEI candidate elected.”
One of the three suspects pleaded guilty on March 12; the other two are awaiting trial. But as the legal proceedings continue, Schoening is doubling down on her accusations against Mobolade.
Schoening tells Westword that she wants U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the federal Department of Justice to investigate Mobolade’s potential involvement in the incident.
“I don’t just think Yemi is lying; I know he is. I keep receipts people send me,” Schoening says. “Mobolade is a political terrorist who is destroying the city. Shame on the voters who elected him, and shame on the government that failed to prosecute his hate crime. …We cannot afford any more DEI, racism and progressivism in Colorado Springs.”
Mobolade has repeatedly denied any involvement in the staged hate crime and says that he fully cooperated with the investigation, saying the incident “left a deep and painful mark” on him and his family.
The rumors of his involvement stem from an affidavit reporting that Mobolade spoke to suspect Derrick Bernard Jr. on multiple occasions. Bernard sent a message to Mobolade before the cross burning, saying he was “mobilizing my squadron in defense” of a plot from the “klan.” He sent another after the stunt, saying “some foul stuff came up” and “I’m not about to play with racist cowards.”
Mobolade says he only knew Bernard as a local media personality; Bernard ran a podcast and as a mayoral candidate, Mobolade had been interviewed at Bernard’s studio. Mobolade maintains that he had “no knowledge, warning or involvement in this crime,” noting that law enforcement ultimately identified him as a “victim or potential victim” of the crime, not a perpetrator.
He calls the claims against him false and “politically motivated.”
“My focus remains on serving the people of Colorado Springs and ensuring our city continues to thrive. I will not be distracted by divisive rhetoric,” Mobolade says. “This shameful political rhetoric and gamesmanship does not resonate with most Americans, and it’s why nearly half of all Americans now choose not to identify with a political party. I expect this trend to continue to go up.”
Mobolade is the first Black candidate elected mayor of Colorado Springs – and as an independent, he is also the first non-Republican elected to the position. The Colorado Republican Party hopes to recapture the seat during the next election in 2027.
Schoening has her own electoral ambitions. She is currently running to be chair of the state GOP, aiming to replace outgoing party leader Dave Williams, who is not seeking reelection. Schoening has praised the controversial figure, arguing that division and name-calling is “sometimes” a winning political strategy – and that’s evident in her statements regarding Mobolade.
“Yemi Mobolade worked with BLM terrorists to get elected,” Schoening says. “He had to do so because his candidacy could not stand on its own merits. Yemi brings nothing to the table other than racism. …’The first Black mayor of Colorado Springs’ is a racist tagline. At one point during the Floyd riots, Mobolade went as far as to say the United States is racist. I’m sure his country would welcome him back with open arms.”
Schoening’s strategy doesn’t seem to have won many fans, though an independent poll of the Colorado Republican Party State Central Committee found that Schoening currently ranks last among the named candidates for party chair.
Only 7 percent of respondents said they plan to vote for Schoening, according to poll results released on March 24. That’s compared to 36 percent for former state representative Lori Saine, 23 percent for former Routt County treasurer Brita Horn, 17 percent for Protect Kids Colorado’s Jeremy Goodall and 9 percent for former state representative Richard Holtorf.
The Colorado GOP’s leadership election will be held on March 29 at Radiant Church in Colorado Springs – the city where Mobolade is mayor.
