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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Dems: ‘Unconscionable’ to pay GOP legal fees with taxpayer money

Here's a news item from the Associated Press:  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Democratic Party leaders are unhappy with legislative budget writers' decision this week to pay the state Republican Party $100,000 for attorney fees after the state lost a GOP-led lawsuit in federal court over Idaho's open primary. In early March, U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill ruled that Idaho's 38-year-old open primary was unconstitutional. Republicans brought the lawsuit, arguing that allowing voters to choose from the parties' ballots was causing crossover voting, resulting in GOP candidates who didn't really follow Republican principles. A bill that will close Idaho's GOP primary to all but registered party voters is now working its way through the Legislature. House Minority Leader John Rusche said Tuesday it was "unconscionable" to make Idaho pay the legal fees for a lawsuit that will limit voters' access to the ballot. You can read the Democrats' full statement here.



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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