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"Many lawyers would term Ashby's position as a violation of the fundamental principles of due process - an assertion based on anonymous information of dubious reliability that provides no accountability, and thus, no opportunity to rebut it or explain it."
To equate Ashby's actions to a Due Process violation is not only flat wrong from a constitutional law perspective, but it's insulting to the constitution itself, not to mention that it trivializes true Due Process violations (see Tim Masters's case).
If we are going to classify news media as being too close to one party or the other on the basis of who funds their operations, then Ashby's paper and every other mainstream media outlet in Colorado is in the same position as Colorado Confidential.
Each of these media outlets takes advertising from entities that also, in all likelihood, fund partisan political candidates or other organizations involved in partisan politics.
Moreover, each of these media outlets take editorial positions, in some cases consistently in line with the views of one party or the other.
Historically, journalism in America wasn't "objective." Indeed, I would argue that it has never been objective, not even lately. And I think it's quite evident that neither Charles Ashby nor his employer are "objective," and the same can be said about Colorado Confidential and any other reporter on the Committee to Protect the Old Boys down at the Capitol.
We all have opinions. We all know what we know, and we all have to write for editors and publishers that want certain stories, chosen (at least in part) on the basis of ideological preference, and we publish our stories in media that also include partisan editorializing.
Ashby and Hanel are hypocrites if they really believe it is right to deny press credentials to an organization that takes money from other organizations that have an ideological point of view that just so happens to be somewhat consistent with the Democratic Party.
This whole thing is so anti-Democratic, so inimical to the fundamental values of our profession and so appallingly dishonest. Is someone going to get serious about building a coalition of those excluded from access to the chambers to talk about how to fix the problem?
Last session it was ColoradoSenateNews.com, and this year it's the Colorado Capitol Press Association.
You guys and girls at Colorado Confidential like to "nit-pick" stuff that doesn't appear like a big deal. Perhaps you all should stick more with "reporting" on politicians and actual legislation. I enjoy those stories done by CC.
Good luck getting your floor seat.
Sounds like there is no source. I would also question where the Pueblo Chieftain's journalistic loyalties lie....or where there lies are loyal.
Woops, that's right your blog is only one sided in its presentation. Sorry, my bad.....
Blecch..... ;-)
Oh, and by the way, cutting off commentary is pretty cowardly of you and your fellow EPC democrats. It shows how afraid you are of differing viewpoints.
Ashby is willing to base his decision on second-hand (or possibly third- or fourth-hand) information passed to him, about which he has not done any fact-checking? Is this is how he also conducts himself as a journalist, in covering the legislature? If so, there are much bigger questions that should be raised about his conduct beyond this whole CCPA snit.
The "due process" analogy may have been a bit of a stretch, but the term "reckless disregard for the truth" seems on target in such a case.
All the little pug doggies come yappin' at the fence to warn you off their territory.
Just take it as more proof you are in (rather than on) the right. :)