Reporter gets the boot and the headlines
Apr. 9—Dave Williams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, did what seemed impossible.
He knocked publicity-seeking GOP Congresswoman Lauren Boebert out of the headlines by ejecting a reporter from his state's Republican assembly.
Exiled writer Sandra Fish of the Colorado Sun is suddenly capturing more media attention than Boebert, who received top designation on the Republican primary ballot after switching congressional districts. Boebert knew she probably would lose to Democrat Adam Frisch had she stayed put.
Fish, an accurate, industrious reporter, covered politics in New Mexico from 2014-17. Now based in Denver, she traveled to the Southern Colorado city of Pueblo for the GOP assembly.
Fish encountered no resistance and received no complaints while covering Friday's events, including Boebert topping the Republican ballot in her newly chosen congressional district.
During the predawn hours that followed, Fish received a text message from the GOP's Eric Grossman. He said Fish would not be credentialed for the assembly's second day. Williams had decided Fish's reporting was "very unfair," and she would be ousted.
Fish forged ahead. Wearing the media credential she had been issued, Fish entered the convention hall to do her job.
Just after the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer, she heard chatter about "an old lady with purple hair" being unwelcome. Fish, 66, deduced people were talking about her.
Employees of a private security company approached Fish. "They told me the sponsoring organization wanted me to leave. I refused," she said in an interview.
The Republicans called the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office for assistance in removing Fish. A deputy stood by as a representative of the GOP said Fish had mistakenly been issued a credential.
Fish eventually removed the media pass hanging from her neck, handed it over to the Republican representative and was escorted out of the building by the deputy.
"My biggest concern in being removed is about our democracy," Fish said Tuesday. "Political leaders, political candidates, only want their side of the story told."
Williams did not respond to an email question about what specifically he found unfair in Fish's reportage.
She has been tough-minded in covering Democrats and Republicans alike. Williams might be smarting because Fish dug into his dual role as Republican Party chairman and candidate for Congress in a conservative district centered in Colorado Springs.
Fish in February wrote a news story about the state party paying for a mailer heralding Donald Trump and assailing a primary opponent of Williams. Fish wrote of Williams "using his party leadership position to benefit or defend himself and his allies."
The 900,000 Republicans in Colorado should welcome information about their party's inner workings, even if Williams does not.
Similarly, Fish and another Sun reporter in 2023 delved into Williams' holding a public job while running a political party. Their opening paragraph read: "Dave Williams may not be making any money as chair of the Colorado GOP, but he's earned tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars in wages and benefits since February working as a full-time aide to a state lawmaker."
Fish in similar watchdog fashion wrote a piece two months ago about Democratic state Rep. Elisabeth Epps of Denver attending her first in-person floor debate on the 45th day of a 120-day session.
Epps asked Democratic House leaders if she could work remotely because of an unspecified health condition. Fish unearthed much of that information through public records requests for emails and texts between Epps and leaders of her caucus.
Epps' physical absence from the Colorado Capitol was important to her constituents. "Representatives participating remotely in House floor work may only vote on and present their own bills. They can't debate legislation or offer amendments," Fish wrote.
A reporter since 1982, Fish runs for the news, no matter where the road leads. She says she has no bias against Williams or the party he leads.
"I know a lot of Republicans. I like Republicans — some of them," Fish said.
That's a truthful assessment of the human condition. Cover any group for years, whether it's a political party, a neighborhood association or a professional sports team, and some of the newsmakers will be prove to be more trustworthy and more important than others.
Politicians of both major parties have spoken in defense of Fish since her expulsion.
Williams has plenty of backers, too, most notably Trump. The former president wrote Tuesday on his Truth Social site that Williams is "under Fake News assault because he is doing such a strong job as an advocate for MAGA."
Williams might not know it yet, but he gave oxygen to Fish's reports by censoring her. She got the boot and a boost in readership, all in the same swift kick.
Ringside Seat is an opinion column about people, politics and news. Contact Milan Simonich at msimonich@sfnewmexican.com or 505-986-3080.
