Judge dismisses CU Regent Wanda James lawsuit against fellow regents

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit University of Colorado Regent Wanda James filed against her fellow regents for violation of free speech and racial discrimination following her censure, which is now the longest in CU history, according to the Denver Post.

A year and four months ago, regents voted to censure James for violating regent policies and accused her of advocating for defunding a CU Anschutz campaign that showed a dark-skinned Black man and Black baby experiencing the negative side effects of marijuana.

James said the material was racist.

Regents said James, the first Black dispensary owner in the country, violated several rules including conflict of interest.

The judge got it wrong, James said. The University of Colorado Anschutz put out racist material that attacked Black women, Black children, and Black men. I called it out, and seven white regents didn't like the idea that I came at it forcefully.

James said the censure means she has been banned from regent activities for almost a year and a half.

James said she filed the lawsuit against the regents to try to force them to reconsider the censure.

They have spent, according to our general counsel Kerry Tipper, $579,000 on this lawsuit alone, which brings the total to well over a million dollars that they have spent in lawsuits and investigations. Imagine what this money could have done for the students. Imagine what this money could have done for CU. So, I'm not interested in continually costing the university and my alma mater more. I'm interested in ending this debacle, James said.

James said following the lawsuit dismissal she will continue to stand with CU students.

I'm going to keep doing what I do. I'm going to keep being there for the people of CD1 (congressional district one). And if this last election shows us anything, Black women's voices are powerful, James said. Today is Veterans Day. As the first Black woman commissioned through the Naval ROTC Battalion at the University of Colorado Boulder, I have nothing but pride for my alma mater.

Denver7 reached out to the chair and vice chair of the CU Board of Regents to ask for their response to the lawsuit dismissal.

CU Board of Regents Chair Ken Montera sent the following statement: