Washington Post article hyping anti-DOGE protesters in deep red state omits crucial details

FIRST ON FOX: An article on the Washington Post’s newspaper cover highlighting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) opposition from Republican and Independent protesters at an event in Alabama failed to point out that several protesters featured in the story were Democratic donors who have espoused left-wing and anti-Trump views on social media.

“Constituents hunt for answers from GOP congressman,” a Washington Post headline last week, which also ran online with the headline, “Republicans, independents crave answers from GOP congressman in Alabama,” read along with a story explaining how protesters are upset with GOP Rep. Dale Strong about DOGE.

Despite framing the story as amplifying criticism from Republicans and Independents, every protester quoted in the story with a first and last name has donated to Democrats, which the article does not point out. Additionally, the article omits that several Democrat donors were included in the article’s pictures.

Melanie Kolowski, the main protester cited in the story, is described by the Washington Post as “politically independent” and someone who is a “Second Amendment fan” and “proud owner of a Glock 47.”

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The Washington Post recently covered an anti-DOGE protest in Alabama. (Getty)

However, a Fox News Digital review of election records shows that she is a registered Democrat in Alabama who has only donated to ActBlue, earmarking donations to Sen. Mitch McConnell’s failed Democrat opponent Amy McGrath and the failed Senate campaign of former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.

Kolowski’s Facebook account includes posts blasting Elon Musk, accusing Justice Clarence Thomas of wanting to take America back to the time of segregation, and promoting abortion, gay marriage and DEI.

In another post from last month, she shared a post from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, hyping a rally he and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., hosted together in Denver. The post included a fire emoji and an emoji showing heart eyes. 

The piece also quotes Michael Bonaker, who the author describes as a “registered Republican.”

Bonaker is indeed a registered Republican, but FEC records show that he has only donated to Democrats, and he has posted on the social media platform BlueSky that “if you support MAGA and ’47, you are a racist.”

“First, a space x starship disintegrates before our eyes! Second, Waiting for Elon’s brain to explode like Samuel L Jackson’s character did in Kingman,” Bonaker wrote in a BlueSky post.

“We are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore! That rings a bell… Proud to peacefully demonstrate with my closest progressive minded friends,” he wrote in another BlueSky post. “Even in our racist red state.”

“It’s hard to be sympathetic to those who voted to put this wanna be dictator into power,” he said in another post.

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Elon Musk’s Tesla showroom locations have faced repeated protests over his role in DOGE. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

“Next, You love your money way more than your fellow US citizens of differing races and creeds,” the post says. “Sit in your evangelical pew and make your false prayers in the name of Jesus. One day, Your hypocrisy will be judged and you will deserve your punishment.”

The Washington Post included a picture in the story with Kolowski holding an upside-down American flag, while Strong spoke at the event with the caption, “Kolowski held a silent protest with Zeb Lemon, left, and Jeremy Devito as Strong spoke at the defense contractor event.”

FEC records show that Lemon is also a Democrat donor, and a Fox News Digital review of his social media shows him describing himself as a “leftist.”

Devito is not only a registered Democrat and Democrat donor in Alabama, but he has filed to run for Congress as a Democrat against Strong. 

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A protester holds up a “NO MUSK” sign at the “No Kings on President’s Day” protest in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)

The story featured a comment from another Republican who was only identified as Lynn and a photo of a man named Branson Block with a sign around his neck that said “Make America Think Again.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Washington Post, Kolowski, and Bonaker for comment.