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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Dems: ‘This is not good government’

House and Senate Democrats hold a press conference on Thursday morning to protest the House Republicans' move the night before to attempt to unilaterally adjourn the legislative session. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)
House and Senate Democrats hold a press conference on Thursday morning to protest the House Republicans' move the night before to attempt to unilaterally adjourn the legislative session. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Democrats from the House and Senate held a news  conference this morning to object to the House Republicans' move last night to attempt to unilaterally adjourn the legislative session. "The Legislature is constructed to have a balance of power between the houses, and both balance and power are important parts of that phrase," said House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston. "This unilateral action put in place by this motion does not serve the value of good, working government."

Senate Minority Leader Kate Kelly, D-Boise, said, "It makes for good drama, what happened yesterday, but it doesn't make for good government." Rusche said, "We want government to work, and that, at times, means not getting everything you want." House Assistant Minority Leader James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, said, "This isn't about policy any more ... this is about personalities. It's about who's going to have the power in this relationship. That's not good government." Questioned by reporters, the Democrats declined to place blame on the governor or the House GOP leadership for the situation, though Rusche said, "It takes two to make an impasse." Ruchti said, "The people of Idaho get to decide whose fault this is, and they do that at the polls."



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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