House Speaker Bruce Newcomb, R-Burley, stripped Rep. Bill Sali, R-Kuna, of his committee seats today, an apparent attempt at revenge for Sali’s challenging Newcomb’s ruling on Wednesday that the combination property tax bill, HB 876, can’t be divided into separate votes.
Sali, a candidate for the 1st District congressional seat, sat on the Health and Welfare Committee and Judiciary and Rules Committee, neither of which is expected to meet again this session.
“In the end it is a senseless display of vindictiveness against me that is unbecoming of his position….For the Speaker’s own sake I hope he will reconsider his actions,” Sali said in a written statement. He said he did not mean Wednesday’s challenge to be an attack on Newcomb.
Sali previously chaired the Health and Welfare Committee but was stripped of his chairmanship by Newcomb two years ago.
Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, the only one to join Sali in voting for the appeal, was also removed from his committee seats.
Betsy Z. Russell covers Idaho news from The Spokesman-Review's bureau in Boise.
Named best state-based political blog in Idaho for 2013 by The Fix
Read all the posts from recent conversations on Eye On Boise.
999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201
P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210
Main switchboard: (509) 459-5000 • (800) 338-8801
Newsroom: (509) 459-5400 • (800) 789-0029
Customer service: (800) 338-8801
© Copyright 2013, The Spokesman-Review
Terms of use • Privacy policy • Copyright policy

Please keep it civil. Don't post comments that are obscene, defamatory, threatening, off-topic, an infringement of copyright or an invasion of privacy. Read our forum standards and community guidelines.
You must be logged in to post comments. Please log in here or click the comment box below for options.
comments powered by Disqus« Back to Eye On Boise