Idaho Freedom Action has filed its first campaign finance disclosure for electioneering communications.
The biggest donor: Embattled Bonneville County GOP Chairman Doyle Beck,who gave $20,000.
Last week, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden charged Beck and Chick Heileson with hiding the sources of campaign contributions after Heileson admitted he had borrowed part of a $12,000 donation from Beck. Beck’s donation is dated May 5, after that charge was filed.
Other donors include Idaho Freedom Foundation president Wayne Hoffman, who gave $100, Coeur d’Alene Racing LP, which gave $3,500, and Diversified Equity Systems LLC, owned by former congressional candidate Bryan Smith, which gave $7,000.
The electioneering communications refer to Reps. Ron Nate, Merrill Beyeler, Luke Malek, Rich Wills, Kelley Packer, and Wendy Horman, and Sen. Abby Lee.
When asked if Idaho Freedom Action had talked about whether or not to accept Beck’s donation after last week’s misdemeanor charge, Hoffman responded via a spokesman “No, we did not have that discussion.”
This week, Daniel Walters of The Inlander profiled the feud between Idaho Freedom Foundation and Rep. Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene. The article also mentions the tensions between the organization and other lawmakers, including Packer and Sen. Shawn Keough. You can read it here.
