Interior chief gives apology for threat

Thursday, November 15, 2012

— U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar apologized Wednesday for threatening to punch a Colorado reporter who asked him about problems with the government’s wild-horse program at a campaign event.

Salazar called Dave Philipps, a reporter with The Gazette of Colorado Springs, to apologize and offer him an interview and also sent him a letter of apology.

The apology came a day after the newspaper posted a story and an audio recording of comments Salazar made at an Election Day event in Fountain while on a tour to support President Barack Obama’s reelection.

In the audio recording from the campaign event, Philipps is heard asking for an on-camera interview with Salazar, a Colorado native who previously served as a U.S. senator from the state.

After a few general questions, Philipps asked Salazar what he knew about Tom Davis — a Colorado horse-slaughter proponent who has bought hundreds of wild horses gathered from public lands by the Bureau of Land Management — and about the agency’s wildhorse management program, which Salazar’s office oversees.

Salazar answered briefly, saying the bureau has made a “major effort” to address longstanding problems with wild horses on public lands.

Salazar noted he was appearing at the campaign event in a “personal capacity,” and said his office could arrange to talk about Davis “at an appropriate time.”

After the interview, Salazar accused Philipps of setting him up. He then posed the threat, saying, “If you do that to me again, I’ll punch you out.”

Front Section, Pages 4 on 11/15/2012