While their donors may not shape coverage, perhaps the opinions and beliefs of the Center Square’s reporters do. At least, that’s what the Washington State Attorney General’s Office thinks. The Center Square and Attorney General Nick Brown’s office recently crossed swords over the non-work online activity of its reporter, TJ Martinell.

Martinell has written Center Square stories critical of the attorney general’s office, including how the office gave legal advice to the Democrats while they put together a millionaires tax; how publicly requested documents were distributed; and how many attorneys general, including Washington’s Nick Brown, coordinated lawsuits against President Trump before he was re-elected. Martinell also has a virulently racist and misogynic digital footprint that Brown’s office takes issue with.

On July 28, David Postman, Brown’s chief of staff, wrote a long letter to Center Square CEO Chris Krug complaining about Martinell. Postman acknowledged that the attorney general’s office is unhappy with some of Martinell’s coverage. But his letter focused on the reporter’s off-the-job activities, stating they weren’t a good fit with an office with a high number of women and people of color on staff.

“I am alarmed by the writings and comments by Washington State Center Square reporter TJ Martinell on multiple social media channels and blogs. … His stated views point to political biases, racial prejudices, misogyny, and conspiracy theories,” Postman wrote.