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Kelly Anthon appointed Dist. 27 state senator
Gov. Butch Otter announced Thursday he has appointed Rupert city administrator Kelly Anthon as state senator for Dist. 27. Anthon replaces Sen. Dean Cameron, who was appointed director of the Department of Insurance in May. He lives in Declo. He will serve the remainder of Cameron’s two-year term. Anthon couldn’t immediately be reached for comment,…
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Risch to donate $500 to charity after campaign contribution from white supremacist
Sen. Jim Risch will donate $500 to charity after campaign finance documents revealed the president of an organization classified as a white supremacist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center made a campaign contribution to Risch. Council of Conservative Citizens president Earl Holt made the contribution in August 2013. That $500 is in addition to…
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New DEQ director’s former employer has environmental record dings
By Melissa Davlin and Seth Ogilvie, Idaho Reports The incoming director of the Department of Environmental Quality worked for a fertilizer company that is currently being monitored by Environmental Protection Agency. The company was also involved in multiple incidents requiring hazardous materials response clean-up. Sen. John Tippets, R-Bennington, was appointed earlier this week as new DEQ director…
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Tippets named DEQ director
Sen. John Tippets, R-Bennington, has been appointed as the new director of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, as first reported by Idaho Reporter. “I never planned on going to work for the state full time,” Tippets said in a Monday interview with Idaho Public Television. “I’m looking forward to it now.” Tippets, who plans to…
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GOP committees pass on opening primary, support Sunshine Law and pres primary changes
The Idaho Republican Party State Central Committee meets Saturday to consider a short list of resolutions and party rule changes, including one supporting a Sunshine Law change and another adopting a presidential primary. First off all, why do party rule changes and resolutions matter? Considering Republicans currently hold the majority of legislative seats and every…
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Say Nice Things About Mike Crapo Day
U.S. Senator Mike Crapo received a friendly welcome from Republicans at an Idaho Falls luncheon Friday, with warm introductory remarks from fellow Senator Jim Risch and an endorsement from Congressman Raul Labrador. Before Crapo spoke, Labrador took the stage and shut down rumors he will challenge Crapo in the 2016 Republican primary. “There’s no way…
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Rep. Bell remembers Kitty Gurnsey: “She appeared to know everything”
Longtime Idaho House member Kitty Gurnsey passed away in Boise on Monday. She was 87. Gurnsey represented Boise’s North End from 1975 to 1996, and the last Republican to hail from that district. She co-chaired the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee for 16 years. Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome and current co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, remembers…
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Extended sit-down with Betsy Russell, and a look at the summer ahead
As we head into summer, it gets harder and harder to schedule guests and pundits, as people flee the city for vacations and visits with loved ones. Such was the case this week with pundit Betsy Russell of the Spokesman-Review, who is attending her son’s college graduation. (Congratulations, by the way!) We sat down with…
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Kenck resigning as Idaho Dems chairman; Jeanne Buell to take over
(UPDATED 11:44am to correct details of Jeanne Buell’s term) Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Larry Kenck will resign on May 29. In his resignation letter, Kenck cited his health as the reason he is stepping down. Kenck was re-elected for his second term as chairman in March. Vice chair Jeanne Buell will serve until June 13,…
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Idaho Reports Special Session Coverage — Extended Cut
Much of our last month and a half has been consumed with following the developments in Idaho’s child support legislation controversy and covering the ins and outs of the fight surrounding the bill. That fight came to an end this week. As you know, on Monday, the Idaho Legislature convened for eleven hours and eleven…
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A possible factor in the House’s distrust
Much of the frustration today has been directed at the Department of Health and Welfare by House Judiciary and Rules Committee members who voted to table the bill and those who supported their efforts to thoroughly vet the legislation. Part of that might be the department’s lack of history with the House committee. Child support…
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Theme of the day: Who can we blame?
One theme of today: Who can we blame for this mess? During the House Ways and Means meeting, House Majority Leader Mike Moyle said he was against introducing the child support legislation, largely because he opposed the process and how members of his caucus who opposed the original bill were treated by the media and…