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With emotions already running high in Seattle鈥檚 Chinatown-International District over King County’s plans to expand an existing shelter into a 鈥渕egaplex鈥� of homeless, mental health, and addiction services, one of the region鈥檚 most recognized reporters on these issues was banned from Tuesday morning鈥檚 media tour of the site.

鈥淚鈥檝e been iced out,鈥� former KOMO-TV investigative reporter and now told Dori Monson Show listeners just hours after a team from King County Executive Dow Constantine鈥檚 office blocked his entry to the tour.

In audio recorded by Choe at the scene, a male voice that Choe later identified as one of Constantine鈥檚 top media relations aides can be heard telling the Fix Homelessness initiative reporter, 鈥測ou鈥檙e not a member of the media.鈥�

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Instead of allowing Choe to view the site, King County staff members opened umbrellas to block 鈥渉oles in the fence鈥� so he could neither videotape the site nor record details of the tour.

鈥淭hese are Antifa tactics,鈥� Choe said. 鈥淭his is what we saw in CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied Protest in 2020) and the heights of the BLM social justice鈥� when protestors objected to coverage they didn鈥檛 see as favorable.

Despite Choe鈥檚 attempts to secure a press pass for the tour, Dori told listeners he believes Choe was 鈥済hosted鈥� by Constantine and his staff because he鈥檚 a 鈥渄ogged reporter who asks tough questions.鈥�

It comes at a time when growing numbers of CID neighbors and business owners are pushing back against King County expansion plans for a north SODO site that already offers 270 shelter beds. The county鈥檚 goal is to add 150 more beds, make room for recreational vehicles, and create tiny homes and treatment spaces for those with mental health and addiction problems. The expansion is proposed for east of Lumen Field between Fourth and Sixth Avenues South.

During a Sept. 8 rally at CID鈥檚 Hing Hay Park and a Sept. 20 march to Seattle City Hall, homeless megaplex opponents waved signs asking, 鈥淲hy us again?鈥�

Some blame an increase in CID crime dating back to the 1987 opening of the 152-bed William Booth Center, 鈥淭he Jungle鈥� 鈥� a cluster of illegal encampments under Interstate 5, and the 75-bed Navigation Center homeless shelter that opened its doors in 2017.

Crime, Dori pointed out, tends to increase around areas hosting homeless shelters and service locations like this one. Restaurants and other businesses in the neighborhood have struggled with increases in property crimes locals blame on drug use in the area.

鈥淭he CID is already riddled with crime and they don鈥檛 want even more,鈥� Dori said. 鈥淢any (CID neighbors) do not speak English and they feel like they have no voice.鈥�

Before his departure from KOMO-TV, Dori said, Choe was the CID鈥檚 leading local mainstream media contact 鈥� a 鈥渄ogged鈥� go-to reporter for CID neighbors and business leaders. Now that Choe is covering these issues for the media arm of the Discovery Institute, locals still believe he is a reporter they can 鈥渢rust the most in getting their story out there. Jonathan is marching in the streets with them, at their rallies when nobody else in the media would attend them.鈥�

Beyond the CID and topics surrounding crime and homelessness, Dori said, the issue of blocking a reporter from covering a news story should be a concern to everyone.

鈥淲e need more coverage of ferocious reporting to hold these public officials accountable,鈥� Dori said. 鈥淭hey will do everything they can to freeze us out. They want media they can control.鈥�

Listen to Dori Monson weekday afternoons from noon 鈥� 3 p.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the听podcast here.