GOP chided for exclusive deal on caucus results

The Republican Party of Iowa caught heat from news organizations for reneging on its own plan for releasing certified presidential precinct caucus results by giving them to the Des Moines Register before any other media outlets.

One of the party's critics at a public hearing held by the GOP in Des Moines on Tuesday was quick to say he didn't blame the Register for running with the scoop, but he questioned the party's judgment.

“Any of us in journalism would try to get an exclusive like that, but I do fault those in the party who made this decision,” said Dave Busiek, news director of KCCI-TV in Des Moines. “I don't understand how the party could play games with election results like this. In our view, this was a trust that was broken between the Republican Party of Iowa and every other media outlet.”

It wasn't only competing media outlets that were surprised the party ignored its own plan for releasing certified results of the caucuses. Caucus-night results showed Mitt Romney to be an eight-vote winner. After review, however, it was determined Rick Santorum won by 34 votes

The GOP called a news conference to release the certified results but then provided the outcome to the Register, which published its story the morning of the news conference.

“Many of us were stunned at the fact that a deal was struck between the (party) and the Des Moines Register,” said GOP committee member Jamie Johnson of Fort Dodge, a Santorum supporter.

One outcome of the party's ongoing review of the caucuses - and the inaccuracy of the original results - will be a pledge “to never allow that to happen again,” Johnson said. The party should not allow one media agency to get the jump on the official caucus results at the expense of other media, Johnson said, whether local, national or international.

Chairman David Oman called that pledge premature, but Wes Enos, another committee member, seemed to share Johnson's sentiment. He warned that not only did the party treat other media unfairly, but the handling of the results may damage the Iowa caucuses.

“I think it does actually hurt our process across the board because it makes different media outlets think they can't play here unless they are, you know, part of a ‘good old boys club.'” Enos said. “Without the media buy-in, without the media input, the Iowa caucuses wouldn't be what they are. People would pay no attention to them.”

Carol Hunter of the Register defended the GOP's decision and suggested the complaints stemmed from sour grapes.

“In journalism, there is a fine tradition ... to be first with the story,” Hunter said. “The Register did that. At times there can be some competitive juices at work ... no one of us likes to be beaten on a story. I would humbly suggest that perhaps some of the complaints might have to do with that.”

The Register “promised nothing in return (for early access to the results) other than an accurate account,” Hunter said, and noted that no one seemed to be questioning the paper's ethics.

She recommended that the party not prohibit officials from making special arrangements with media outlets.

“It's not inconceivable to me that the state party or committee might decide that a certain story should be placed with a certain media outlet, not unlike choosing to go with Fox News channel for your debate,” Hunter said.

The early release to the Register led to speculation that it was the party's attempt to make up for pulling the plug on the newspaper's traditional pre-caucus candidate debate, in favor of a Fox News debate.

The caucus review will continue with a hearing at 7 p.m. May 30 in the Iowa Hall's Amana Room at Kirkwood Community College, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd., Cedar Rapids.

The GOP has a meeting planned for June 25 in Sioux City.