The conservative website FacetheState.com has continued the practices, which Colorado Media Matters previously pointed out, of dispensing falsehoods, misleading information, and attacks on Democrats. Launched on March 26 by conservative activist Brad Jones, Face the State describes itself as “a one-stop-shop for political news affecting Coloradans.” Although Jones reportedly has called for higher “journalistic standards” in political reporting, Colorado Media Matters notes that his website continues to apply misleading headlines to aggregated news stories and employ the well-established conservative tactic of using the noun “Democrat” as an adjective instead of the grammatically correct “Democratic.”

1. Headline implied cold weather conditions belie global warming theory

On April 25 Face the State applied the headline “More Global Warming: 'Old Man Winter Delays Aloha' ” to an April 24 Rocky Mountain News article about the forecast for a spring snowstorm in the Denver area.

As Colorado Media Matters has noted (here, here, here, here, here, and here), scientists, government researchers, and other credible sources assert that pointing to any sporadic regional weather event as “evidence” that disproves global warming is simplistic and misleading. Extensive documentation shows that drawing conclusions on the basis of temperatures in a limited area over periods of time that are infinitesimal on the historical scale contradicts the nature of how scientists observe climate change: by identifying the annual temperatures -- global and national -- over significant periods of time.

2. Report used “Democrat” as an adjective to describe Democratic lawmaker

As Colorado Media Matters has noted, Republican Party officials, politicians, and their allies in the media frequently use “Democrat” instead of the adjective “Democratic” as a pejorative reference to matters or people of, or relating to, the Democratic Party.

Newsradio 850 KOA host Mike Rosen, an avowed conservative, explained during his July 18, 2006, broadcast that "[t]he reason why some Republicans -- myself included -- sometimes refer to it as the 'Democrat' Party ... is several-fold." Rosen said that one reason is “just to annoy Democrats, 'cause they hate when we do that.” Rosen stated that another reason is to ensure “that readers won't be confused into thinking that this is the party that's democratic and the other party is anti-democratic.”

Face the State has used this tactic numerous times, and did so again in an April 30 Staff Report that quoted state Rep. Jim Riesberg (D-Greeley) and featured the headline “REP. RIESBERG: 'My Property Taxes Are Too Low' ”:

A Democrat state lawmaker justified his support for raising most Coloradans' property taxes by claiming that his own property tax bill is too low.

Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Greeley, asserted he didn't pay enough in property taxes on the floor of the Colorado House Thursday. Riesberg joined 32 other legislators -- mostly Democrats -- in voting to increase taxes for most Colorado property owners. Yet Riesberg, a Greeley resident, stands to receive a property tax cut under the proposal.

3. Headline falsely suggested Ritter “fired” contract officials

On May 3 Face the State headlined a News article to give the mistaken impression that Gov. Bill Ritter (D) fired 10 officials:

You're Fired: Ritter Ousts 10 High-Ranked Officials Their Time Is Up

In fact, the News reported that the Ritter administration had informed the officials that their contracts would not be renewed past their June 30 expiration:

Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter's administration has told 10 top state government officials, including the director of emergency management, their jobs expire June 30.

The officials, hired by previous governors, have “senior executive service” contracts, which are renegotiated every April.

[...]

All 10 were given the option of being put on immediate administrative leave, continuing to draw a salary through June 30. Some accepted, while others are continuing to work.

The News further reported, “The contracts came under fire this year when it was discovered that [former Gov. Bill] Owens' personnel director had quietly extended 32 contracts through June 30, 2008, so no one would lose their job when a new governor came in. Ritter voided that clause, so that all contracts expire June 30.”