CBS4 reported Allard's announcement on hospital funding, ignored Salazar's role

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

On June 15, KCNC CBS4 reported that U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) “secured more than” $60 million for a new veterans hospital at Fitzsimons, as Allard announced in a June 14 press release. But CBS4 failed to report on U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's (D-CO) role in securing the funding, which his office highlighted in a June 13 news release.

A segment on the June 15 broadcast of KCNC's CBS4 News at 5 a.m. credited U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) for having “secured more than 60 million dollars” for military projects in Colorado, specifically for the new Veterans Administration hospital at Fitzsimons, as highlighted in Allard's June 14 press release. CBS4, however, ignored a June 13 press release by Colorado's other senator, Democrat Ken Salazar, that noted Salazar “announced funding for key Colorado military and veterans projects,” including funding for the VA hospital.

From the June 15 broadcast of KCNC's CBS4 News at 5 a.m.:

ERICKA LEWIS (co-anchor): Colorado Senator Wayne Allard says he has secured more than 60 million dollars for the new Veterans Administration hospital; 61.3 million dollars will go to the new hospital at Fitzsimons. The money is part of the 2008 Military Construction Appropriations bill.

Salazar's June 13 press release, titled “Sen. Salazar Helps Secure Vital Funding for Colorado's Military and Veterans' Facilities,” noted that “nearly $530 million in funding for Colorado projects was approved earlier today by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans affairs.” The release further stated:

Salazar secured $61.3 million for the Fitzsimons VA Hospital to begin construction on the parking structure and the energy plant. Senator Salazar is pushing to move the full $548 million authorization through the Veterans Affairs Committee to allow completion of the project.

According to the release, Salazar “fought to include military construction funds for” several projects aimed at helping Fort Carson families, as well as money for:

  • Space Operations at Schriever AFB
  • Training Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy
  • Chemical Weapons Destruction at Pueblo Chemical Depot
  • Supporting National Guard and Reserves at Buckley AFB

A review of all CBS4 News broadcast transcripts in the Nexis database from the evening of June 12 through noon on June 15 using the search term “Salazar” found no report regarding Salazar's role in securing funding for the VA hospital or the other projects.