There's NO WAY Whitlock would mention this if it weren't true. Getting sued or being forced to apologize isn't fun and no media professional would willingly do this.
Maybe he's a bomb thrower when offering his his opinion, but he is likely very careful about facts and I know his producer would be. And has anyone heard anyone from Colorado debunking this? Nope, didn't think so.
In my opinion this is Colorado's problem and I don't care to judge. Not needing to judge others is one of the best parts of the gospel of Jesus Christ.