Horizon Air E175 in Go Cougs Livery Cloud-Surfing, Photo Mine
Folks, please don't read anything into the livery chosen for the post thumbnail. I am in a hurry so I picked a cloud-surfing photo from a flight over the Best State in the Union... Washington. Plus since our dear state legislature is having a controversy at the moment about media access to the Senate Wings.
I'm just going to say this delicately: I see multiple sides of this situation. I see why the Capital Press Association needed to back away from accreditation thanks to credible threats of litigation from two activist journalists in Brandi Kruse + Jonathan Choe and why the Senate is taking the interim steps they're taking.
I also get the frustration Kruse and Choe have. But activist journalists are not the same as a nonpartisan journalist who cannot clap after a politician's speech. Activist journalists - in most cases take money - to push an agenda. Additionally, I've asked Kruse and Choe to have me on - and been declined. Especially when I asked Kruse to discuss transit while Kruse recieved Project42 financial aid for her project & was pushing the defeat of the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). So yes, I have issues.
Now as a result of the interim State Senate - and likely State House - rule changes, legislators can invite journalists to conduct interviews in the wings. Guess who the Senate Republicans are inviting? Activist journalists - and not just Brandi & Jonathan.
I’m not sure what is next. But I think this new plan translates into favored media getting scoops and selling access. Politicians hate tough decisions and hard-ball questions. Having their fans ask questions and pose as professional media sure fixes the latter, becoming a cloud over government decisions.