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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Ex-Sen. McGee quits job after latest charges

Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― Former Republican state Sen. John McGee quit his Idaho hospital job Friday after being charged with misdemeanor crimes linked to sexual harassment allegations. West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell confirmed that McGee had resigned as marketing director and spokesman, a role in which he was often the public face of the facility. The hospital said the departure of McGee, 39, will help avoid distractions linked to his unfolding legal travails. Click below for more.

McGee, who grew up in Caldwell and represented the southwestern Idaho agricultural center for four terms, is set to appear in 4th District Court in Boise on Aug. 21 on charges of disturbing the peace and a probation violation.

In February, a Senate aide accused him of inappropriate sexual conduct in his Capitol office, resulting in his Feb. 22 resignation from the Legislature and an Idaho State Police investigation.

The disturbing the peace charge alleges he used offensive conduct to disturb "the peace or quiet of a person."

Audrey Glasby, a spokeswoman for West Valley's owner, HCA Healthcare, lauded McGee's service to the company in a statement, saying he had made "made significant contributions to our organization and community" and would be missed.

"Our mutual aim is to allow him the time to focus on addressing his current circumstances, and to prevent further distractions from our core mission," the statement said.

McGee, who didn't return a call Friday, has been undergoing public scrutiny for months.

Before the latest allegations emerged, he was arrested on Father's Day 2011 after driving drunk in a stranger's car and damaging a trailer following a night of drinking at a golf tournament in Boise.

After that incident, McGee pleaded guilty to a DUI as part of a deal with prosecutors. He remains on probation until at least July 1, the reason for the probation violation charge.


Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.



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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