Hosting DeLay, KOA's Rosen falsely claimed that Republicans hold only one statewide office in Colorado

Summary: During a February 26 interview with guests Tom DeLay, former Republican House majority leader, and Kenneth Blackwell, former Republican Ohio secretary of state, Newsradio 850 KOA's Mike Rosen made the false statement that Democrats hold "all of the statewide offices" in Colorado. While Rosen correctly noted that Secretary of State Mike Coffman is a Republican, he omitted mention of Republican Attorney General John Suthers.

On his February 26 Newsradio 850 KOA broadcast, Mike Rosen falsely asserted that, except for Secretary of State Mike Coffman, "Democrats hold[] all of the statewide offices" in Colorado. In fact, Republicans hold two of the five statewide elected offices of Colorado state government; in addition to Coffman, Attorney General John Suthers is a Republican.

Rosen also introduced his guest, Republican Tom DeLay, as "former House Majority Leader" without noting that DeLay resigned that position in 2006 following his 2005 indictment on money laundering and criminal conspiracy charges. DeLay appeared on the program along with former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell; the pair were in Denver to host an event for the Coalition for a Conservative Majority. In contrast to Rosen, 630 KHOW-AM host Dan Caplis noted DeLay's indictment when he introduced DeLay and Blackwell on his February 26 broadcast.

From the February 26 broadcast of Newsradio 850 KOA's The Mike Rosen Show:

ROSEN: Here's some great news for conservatives and Republicans. We've got a couple of guests in the studio with us: former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, former member of Congress from Texas' 22nd district, and Ken Blackwell -- both of whom are in town for a program tonight. This is the Coalition for a Conservative Majority, and I'll let them tell you about the event. It's gonna take place at the Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood, and we can talk a little bit about Republican politics, about the prospects in this upcoming election in November, about John McCain as the all-but-certain nominee and where we go from here. Let me first say hi to Tom DeLay. Tom, good to see you again. We've had you on the program many times over the years. Good to have you here in the studio.

DELAY: It's great to be in Denver, and it's great to be here with you, Mike.

ROSEN: And Ken Blackwell as well, good to have you with us.

BLACKWELL: Good morning, Mike.

[...]

ROSEN: Tell us about the Coalition for a Conservative Majority, and what you're doing specifically here in Colorado.

DELAY: Well, we came to Colorado Springs a few weeks ago and created a chapter of the Coalition for Conservative Majority. The website is ccmajority.org. We're back to create a chapter here in Denver, and the whole idea is to try to fill the voids in the conservative movement as I perceive them. And one of the major voids of the conservative movement is to have an action-oriented, grassroots organization pulling together conservative political activists that want to drive a conservative agenda on a local, state, and federal basis. So we're here tonight at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood to -- at 7 o'clock -- to encourage political activists to join CCM and really make things happen here in Colorado.

ROSEN: We used to have a conservative, or at least a Republican, majority in Colorado, in both houses of the state legislature, for most of 40 years. We now have a Democrat majority in both houses of the state legislature, and a Democrat as governor. And except for Mike Coffman, who's secretary of state, we have Democrats holding all of the statewide offices in the state.

Contrary to Rosen's assertion that "except for Mike Coffman, who's secretary of state, we have Democrats holding all of the statewide offices in the state," Republicans hold two of the five statewide offices in the Colorado government. The five offices in Colorado's executive branch -- all filled as a result of the 2006 election -- are governor (Democrat Bill Ritter), lieutenant governor (Democrat Barbara O'Brien), secretary of state (Republican Mike Coffman), attorney general (Republican John Suthers), and treasurer (Democrat Cary Kennedy). In addition, a Democrat -- Stephen C. Ludwig -- won statewide election to be one of two at-large members of the University of Colorado Board of Regents. The other at-large member, Steve Bosley, is a Republican elected in 2004.

In contrast to Rosen's failure to note DeLay's legal history, Caplis stated that DeLay had been House majority leader "[a]nd then a set of criminal charges popped up," which he discussed with DeLay later in the program.

From the February 26 broadcast of 630 KHOW-AM's The Caplis & Silverman Show:

CAPLIS: Mr. DeLay, Mr. Blackwell willing to take calls as well, so great opportunity -- 303-713-8255 the number. I know we don't have to take a lot of time with introductions, because you know who these gentlemen are. Tom DeLay, in fact, though, is one of the most powerful people in the world, till a few years ago, as House majority leader, and known affectionately by some -- and not so by others -- as the Hammer. And then a set of criminal charges popped up that we're gonna talk about, that Mr. DeLay and other supporters will tell you are politically motivated and in fact have not even made their way to trial. Some have been dismissed at this point. So we'll get into some of those details. But Mr. DeLay now working again with Mr. Blackwell on Coalition for a Conservative Majority, and they're in town for a meeting tonight out at Fox Hollow in Lakewood.

As Colorado Media Matters noted, Rosen distorted DeLay's record in Congress when DeLay appeared as a guest on his April 9, 2007, broadcast. DeLay resigned his seat in 2006 after his indictment in Texas on money-laundering and conspiracy charges relating to a campaign finance investigation. Two of DeLay's former staffers, press secretary Michael Scanlon and deputy chief of staff Tony C. Rudy, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges involving disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.