Rocky continued pattern of identifying Dems accused of wrongdoing, but not Republicans

Summary: The Rocky Mountain News again published a news article noting the Democratic Party affiliation of an elected official accused of wrongdoing, despite the newspaper's pattern -- which Colorado Media Matters has documented -- of omitting the Republican Party affiliation of elected officials accused of or censured for wrongdoing.

Continuing a pattern that Colorado Media Matters previously identified, a July 8 Rocky Mountain News article reported that "Jefferson County school board member Vince Chowdhury faces charges of assault and violating a restraining order" and later identified Chowdury as "a candidate in the Democratic primary for House District 22." The News reported Chowdhury's Democratic affiliation despite having failed repeatedly in earlier articles to note the Republican affiliation of elected officials accused of wrongdoing. In contrast, along with the July 8 article the News on at least two occasions published articles identifying a former state senator accused of criminal trespass, Robert Hernandez, as a Democrat.

From the July 8 Rocky Mountain News article:

Jefferson County school board member Vince Chowdhury faces charges of assault and violating a restraining order in connection with an altercation two weeks ago in which he slapped his 16-year-old daughter.

The incident began when Chowdhury, a candidate in the Democratic primary for House District 22, came home about 9:30 p.m. June 17 and honked his horn to signal his wife and daughter to open the garage door, according to court documents.

In contrast to the News' identification of Chowdhury as a Democrat, Colorado Media Matters has documented numerous examples of the News -- as well as other Colorado media outlets -- failing to note the Republican affiliation of elected officials accused of or censured for abusing the powers of their office, including:

• Former Jefferson County Treasurer Mark Paschall, who was indicted in an alleged kickback scheme.
• Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Congrove, who was the target of a year-long criminal investigation.
• 18th Judicial District Attorney Carol Chambers, who was the subject of multiple investigations by the Office of Attorney Regulation and of a formal censure by that office.

—E.B.