Flatwater Free Press, Asian American Journalists Association made statements Tuesday in response to governor’s comments about the author of an investigative report he says he never read.

The Flatwater Free Press and the Asian American Journalists Association are standing by an investigative reporter after Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen called her “a Communist” when dismissing her in-depth report critical of his farming operation.

The response comes after comments the governor made regarding his family hog farming business. It’s not unusual for the target of a story to lash out at the journalist rather than take issue with the content.

Last month, Pillen took aim at Yanqi Xu, a reporter from the Flatwater Free Press, after her investigative story raised questions about the environmental impact his hog farms had on drinking water.