Republicans Rebuke Colorado GOP for Ejecting Journalist From Event

Republicans have rebuked the Colorado GOP on Saturday on social media for ejecting a journalist from a statewide event.

Sandra Fish, a political reporter for The Colorado Sun, was escorted out of the state GOP assembly on Saturday after being told hours before the event by a Colorado GOP event organizer that she was no longer allowed to attend the assembly and then going anyway. The Colorado GOP chooses its candidates for the November election at the assembly.

Fish was removed from the event after being told that Colorado GOP chairman Dave Williams, who is running for U.S. Congress, found her “current reporting to be very unfair,” according to The Colorado Sun. Fish has covered politics since 1982 and Colorado Sun editor and co-founder Larry Ryckman called her an “experienced, accomplished journalist.”

Newsweek reached out to Williams and Fish via email for comment.

State Republicans criticized Fish’s removal from the event on X, formerly Twitter.

Kristi Burton Brown, a former chair of the Colorado GOP, called the move to eject Fish “dangerous” in a post on Saturday.

“Removing the Times Recorder that pretends to be real news is one thing. But removing a journalist who’s widely known to be hard-hitting but fair is quite another. Transparency is necessary for our nation,” she wrote.

Colorado state Representative Matt Soper wrote on Saturday: “A healthy and transparent republic means you allow the public and media to observe the process of selecting candidates to represent our state in public office. This is regardless of if you agree or disagree with the reporter.”

State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer said she was “embarrassed” and “stunned” by the incident.

“Sandra Fish is a fair; honest and respected reporter. As a Republican I’m embarrassed by the GOP chair,” she wrote on Saturday. “As a State Senator I’m stunned by the blatant disregard for our Constitution – and by a former Legislator no less. Disgusting.”

Former state representative and state Senator Greg Brophy wrote in reaction to Fish being ejected on Saturday: “Un-frickin-believable. But then again, with China Dave ‘leading’ the GOP and already breaking every ethical and moral norm, it’s not surprising. It’s time for the Central Committee to bounce him.”

When Fish showed up to the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo on Saturday, she checked in at the door and received a press credential to enter the event. However, she was told to leave roughly an hour later. When she refused, a police officer escorted her out and told her, “You have to be invited here…They don’t want you here, so I gotta get you out of here,” as per a video taken at the scene by other journalists.

“Weaponizing law enforcement to violate the 1st amendment and censor press coverage of a public political event is an egregious abuse of power and violation of trust,” Colorado state Senator Nick Hinrichsen, a Democrat, wrote on X on Saturday.

However, Williams told The Pueblo Chieftain that Fish and The Colorado Sun are “nothing more than an extension of the Democratic Party and we don’t need them coming to our convention.”

He added that the Colorado GOP is a “private political organization, and if they’re going to come and lie about us, they can do that outside of the meeting.”

Fish has covered Williams and the state Republican Party in the past, writing a story in February about the Colorado GOP sending a mailer that attacked Williams’ congressional primary opponent Jeff Crank, calling it “the latest example of Williams using his party leadership position to benefit or defend himself and his allies.”

Meanwhile, Fish told The Colorado Sun: “It’s important for the public to see these things, to have these things reported on.”