Three education groups are seeking to join Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, in her lawsuit over secret tax deals at the state Tax Commission, saying the alleged deals are causing education funding in the state to suffer.     "We take the allegations very seriously," said John Rumel, general counsel for the Idaho Education Association, one of the three groups. "The representative's allegations indicate that because of some sweetheart deals and corrupt practices, a substantial amount of funds that should be going into the coffers of the state are not getting there."

In addition to the IEA, the Idaho Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers local from the University of Idaho all have filed motions to intervene in the case as plaintiffs. The UI group represents 65 professors and staffers at the university; the IEA is the state's largest teachers union, with 13,000 members. You can read my full story here at spokesman.com, and read the latest filings in the case here.