One day after Colorado Media Matters posted an item about KCNC CBS4 failing to report on a story first detailed October 12 by The Denver Post -- that the CBS network paid for a trip 7th Congressional District Republican candidate Rick O'Donnell took to Panama while serving as head of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education -- CBS4, a CBS Corp.-owned station, still has not reported on the story. Following the initial Post report that, according to O'Donnell, “KCNC-Channel 4 gave him the trip, paid for by the CBS network, after the commission purchased television ads encouraging Latinos to attend college,” the Rocky Mountain News and the Associated Press also covered the story.

In an October 13 article, the Post further reported that “Democratic congressional candidate Ed Perlmutter on [October 12] called on Republican Rick O'Donnell to release all of his travel records” in light of the Panama trip and O'Donnell's previously stated position opposing politicians' acceptance of perks.

Colorado Media Matters has reviewed CBS4 newscasts since the publication of Post reporter Christopher N. Osher's October 12 article disclosing O'Donnell's trip to Panama. None of those broadcasts have reported on O'Donnell's trip (includes 5 a.m., 5:30 a.m., 6 a.m., and noon broadcasts October 12 and 13; and 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 10 p.m. broadcasts October 12). An Associated Press article about O'Donnell's trip was posted on CBS4's website at 9:48 a.m. October 12.

According to the October 12 Post article, “Walt DeHaven, KCNC's general manager, did not return telephone calls seeking comment.” Subsequent reporting by the Post, News, and AP also did not contain comments from CBS4.

The Post reported on October 12 that “Republican congressional candidate Rick O'Donnell, who has blasted politicians who accept perks, took an expenses-paid trip to Panama with his girlfriend arranged by a TV station doing business with a state agency he headed.” As the Post reported, “Ethics has been a major theme in the heated 7th Congressional District race between O'Donnell and his Democratic rival, Ed Perlmutter,” with O'Donnell insisting that Perlmutter “would be a 'walking conflict of interests' if elected to Congress because his wife is a lobbyist.”

The Post reported January 26 that O'Donnell announced “he will resign [as head of the commission] March 10 to pursue a 7th District congressional bid.” According to the News, O'Donnell took the trip to Panama in February.

Colorado Media Matters has noted that, in light of CBS4's reported involvement in O'Donnell's trip and in the advertisements purchased by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education under O'Donnell's leadership, a news story by CBS4 might be able to address statements made by O'Donnell and reported in the October 12 Post article:

• “This wasn't to lobby me to do anything,” he [O'Donnell] said.
• As for the CBS trip, O'Donnell said he asked whether he could auction the trip for charity or transfer it to one of the Latino youths targeted during the Higher Education Commission's media campaign, but he was told he could not.
• [Perlmutter spokesman Scott] Chase said O'Donnell should have refused the trip and asked for the money to be used to purchase additional commercials that would benefit the taxpayers.

The O'Donnell campaign, though, said he tried to do that but was rebuffed by the station.

CBS4 also might be able to address the following unanswered questions raised by the Post article:

• O'Donnell said about 20 others from Colorado were on the trip, but he couldn't remember who they were.
• He [O'Donnell] also said he could not recall how much money the commission spent on the ad buy.