The Colorado Republican Party on Saturday had law enforcement remove a reporter for the Colorado Sun from the GOP’s state assembly in Pueblo because the party’s chairman believes the outlet’s reporting has been “very unfair.”

A Pueblo County sheriff’s deputy escorted Sandra Fish, a long-time political and data reporter for the nonprofit news organization, from the Southwest Motors Events Center on the state fairgrounds, where thousands of Republican delegates from throughout the state convened to conduct party business.

A Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office deputy has escorted @ColoradoSun journalist Sandra Fish (@fishnette) out of the Colorado GOP Assembly.Fish received a press pass when she arrived. GOP event staff said she was told not to come since chair says her coverage has been “very unfair” pic.twitter.com/pmtjeJHNtJ

— Anna Lynn Winfrey (@annalynnfrey) April 6, 2024

Fish, who has reported on both major parties’ political assemblies for years, left the building when requested.

She covered the previous day’s congressional district assemblies at the same location without incident and was issued press credentials on Saturday by volunteers, but the state GOP’s events coordinator said Fish wasn’t authorized to be there for Saturday’s proceedings, which included speeches by Republican luminaries, votes on party resolutions and election of Colorado’s Republican National Committee members.

Eric Grossman, the chairman of the Mineral County GOP and the state assembly’s events coordinator, told Colorado Politics after Fish was ejected from the venue that he was enforcing a decision made by state Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams.

In a text message sent to Fish at 3:45 a.m. on the morning of the state assembly, Grossman told the reporter that the party had decided the state assembly “is not an ‘open’ press event” and added that her name would not be included in a “final press credential list” he was preparing.

Added Grossman: “Any press releases will be provided to you if and when they are generated.”

Other media outlets, including Colorado Politics, the Pueblo Chieftain, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Times-Recorder reported from inside the assembly through the day on Saturday.

Williams told Colorado Politics after Fish’s departure that his ban was based on the Colorado Sun’s reporting, which he called “unfair and not accurate.”

“And when we’ve asked them and talked to them about doing a better job, they’ve pretty much just ignored us and continued to, in our estimation, lie about our party,” Williams said. “So, they can continue to do that all they want, but that doesn’t mean they get to be here with us. They can look at our statements, they can certainly look at what’s going on on Twitter, and they can editorialize their opinion, but we don’t want any part of their unfair coverage.”

Williams said he had also decided to prohibit 9News and The Denver Post from covering the party’s state assembly “for those same reasons.”

Larry Ryckman, a co-founder and editor of the Sun, called Fish’s removal from the event “unfortunate” and disputed Williams’ assertion that the state GOP has taken issue with its coverage.

“A free press is a pillar of a healthy democracy,” he told Colorado Politics in an interview. “Sandra Fish is an experienced and accomplished journalist who was credentialed to cover this event. We’re a nonpartisan news outlet. If he has an example of something we got wrong or were unfair about, I’m here. I have yet to hear a single example.”

Added Ryckman: “I find it a sad day when politicians want to decide who can and can’t represent the public. I once lived in a place like that. It was called the Soviet Union. We deserve better than that in Colorado.”

Politicians from both sides of the aisle linked to accounts of Fish’s removal on social media and criticized Williams’ decision.

“Sandra Fish is a fair; honest and respected reporter,” tweeted state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Henderson, the GOP’s 2022 nominee in the 8th Congressional District. “As a Republican I’m embarrassed by the GOP chair. As a State Senator I’m stunned by the blatant disregard for our Constitution — and by a former Legislator no less. Disgusting.”

Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, tweeted: “Wonder why they’re afraid of an independent, no nonsense reporter like Sandra Fish.”

“To say she’s biased in her reporting is preposterous,” tweeted former state Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Evergreen, who noted that Fish had already “reported deeply” on the story of Colorado’s political transformation before Witwer and co-author Adam Schrager wrote a book on the topic more than a decade ago.

State Sen. Nick Hinrichsen, the Pueblo Democrat who represents the district that includes the fairgrounds, tweeted: “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.”

Cole Wist, a former Republican state lawmaker from Centennial who has since left the GOP, tweeted his response: “No wonder this party is essentially irrelevant in Colorado politics. Please tell us again how much you guys believe in the First Amendment.”

Some local political figures came to Williams’ defense.

A social media account belonging to prominent Republicans Chuck Bonniwell and Julie Hayden, hosts of the Chuck and Julie Show, pushed back.

“Perhaps she should consider fair and accurate reporting,” they tweeted. “Just saying.”

Williams’ counterpart, Colorado Democratic Party chair Shad Murib, posted that “all press” was invited to watch the Democrats’ state assembly on April 13, which will be held online and streamed on YouTube.

“Unlike the CO GOP,” Murib tweeted, “we’re not embarrassed by ourselves or afraid of the public.”