Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Qwest gave $35,000 to Otter campaigns since ‘06, Syringa donated to 2 of his rivals

Yesterday, I noted that Education Networks of America, the company that got the now-voided Idaho Education Network contract along with Qwest, has donated $18,250 to Gov. Butch Otter’s campaign, including $5,000 in September; and also has given $6,000 to state schools Superintendent Tom Luna’s campaign since 2009.

But it’s not the only player in the IEN deal that is a big campaign contributor. Qwest, now known as CenturyLink, is a prodigious contributor to Idaho political campaigns that has given even more to Otter. Since 2006, through its political action committee, formerly Qwest Idaho PAC and now CenturyLink Idaho PAC, it gave Otter’s campaigns a whopping $35,000.

Qwest also has given $3,500 to Luna’s campaign since 2011. And it’s donated to an array of other candidates from both parties, according to state campaign finance records.

Syringa Networks, the company that won the lawsuit over the contract, has, like Qwest/CenturyLink, donated to an array of candidates from both parties, though not near as many. Syringa gave $2,000 to Otter’s campaign in 2008. But in 2010, it donated $5,000 to the campaign of Keith Allred, Otter’s Democratic opponent that year. And in April of this year, it donated $5,000 to the campaign of Sen. Russ Fulcher, who ran against Otter in the GOP primary.



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.

Follow Betsy online: