Gaines: Watch the framing—Karlik’s slant and Polis’ quiet appointments

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project

Colorado Politics’ Karlik lets his bias slip (again).

Colorado Politics judicial reporter Michael Karlik is back at it (see the first link below for an earlier post about his reporting).

If it’s not using his pen to question the motives of a conservative judge, it’s tossing softballs at a liberal judge rather than challenging him. It’s framing his questions in such a way as to clearly indicate what the point of the whole endeavor has been.

The Colorado Politics article linked second below is a Q and A Karlik had with retired judge John Leopold** to discuss Leopold’s signing an amicus brief about the arrests of Minnesota Judge Hannah Dugan. She was the one who hustled someone ICE had a warrant for out the back door when ICE asked to see him.

Karlik characterizes the brief as arguing that Dugan (quoting the article) “…was shielded by judicial immunity for her actions as a judge, that the government’s conduct infringed on states’ sovereignty, and that such prosecutions could generate a perception that state judges must make decisions with the executive branch in mind. “

There are a couple of instances where Karlik’s framing in his questions quite clearly show what we’re all here for (including the interviewee). It’s also quite clear from what directions Karlik doesn’t go in, but one particular prompt stood out to me like a sore thumb.

I copied the text of Karlik’s question in a screencap and attached it as screenshot 1.

Take a look at the highlighting in the picture. “…but they also might face consequences for not behaving in a way that this other branch and other level of government wants them to”.

It’s my understanding that judge Dugan is up on federal criminal charges for her conduct. I ask you, in the same way I asked Colorado Politics editor Luigi Del Puerto and Karlik in an email registering my objection to Karlik’s writing: if I (or you) were up on federal criminal charges would Colorado Politics have said I wasn’t behaving in a way the Feds want me to?

Is there any other context than one trying to make a political point where you’d frame a question about someone being charged with a crime this way?

Give me a break.

Given Karlik’s earlier work (that first link, go give it a look) I am not too surprised to see his ideology leak into his reporting here. I am surprised that something this tilted got past Colorado Politics’ editors.

Maybe they were out for coffee?

**See “Related” content below.

https://coloradoaccountabilityproject.substack.com/p/is-this-fair-is-this-journalism-a?utm_source=publication-search

https://www.coloradopolitics.com/courts/q-and-a-with-john-leopold-about-federal-arrest-of-wisconsin-judge/article_42be32a9-87d3-4bce-813d-c043b040f1ca.html

Related:

This is the second time I’ve seen, though the first that I’ve posted on, retired judges getting active politically while still working.

They’re not working as judges, but they are working as arbitrators/mediators for a group called JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services).

The profile for the interview subject above is linked first below. This is followed by a Colorado Politics article detailing a “rule of law” protest (i.e. anti-Trump) in which a different retired judge participated who is also a mediator for JAMS.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT THE COLORADO ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.