Two years ago, Western Energy Alliance launched the Western Wire news site. The purpose is to be a “go-to source for news, commentary and analysis on pro-growth, pro-development policies across the West” that gives voice to viewpoints from sources who feel the regulations and legislation from state and federal governments firsthand.
From the outset, we have been transparent and forthright about Western Wire’s pro-industry perspective, as can be seen in this recent Colorado Business Roundtable interview, and last August, when 9NEWS anchor Kyle Clark said,“[W]e pointed to the Western Energy Alliance’s @WesternWireNet as a great example of how the industry can tell its own story with transparency.”
Recently, Washington D.C. lawyers representing the City of Boulder contested the legitimacy of the news outlet. They published a blog post, and that piece was picked up by Climate Liability News. The assertions made by these two entities, which are not transparent with their own funders, are misleading.
The facts are simple. At the instruction of the City of Boulder, a Western Wire team member reached out for a story on Boulder’s climate lawsuit. Western Wire has published a series of stories and never had any issues before in talking with the city or co-counsel representing the city. The DC law firm also attempted to dismiss our writer’s qualifications, despite the fact they have worked for numerous news publications previously.
Western Wire’s reporting on the Boulder lawsuit has been robust and thorough and based on multiple open record requests. Neither Boulder officials nor the city’s lawyers have ever disputed the coverage. Therefore, the attacks now raise questions about why the City of Boulder refuses to answer questions directly or through the lawyer they referred our team member to. So why are Boulder’s lawyers only now attempting to discredit Western Wire?
Maybe it’s because of effective reporting that is shedding light in corners they were hoping to keep from public view. Their attacks are baseless and raise questions about why the City of Boulder is allowing its non-governmental lawyers to also serve as the city’s communications department and proceed in this manner.
