Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on U.S. Magistrate Judge Ron Bush's preliminary ruling in favor of fired Idaho Transportation Director Pam Lowe on a key point underpinning her wrongful-firing lawsuit, her argument that she wasn't an "at-will" employee who could be…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has sided with former Idaho Transportation Department Director Pamela Lowe in a proposed ruling, setting the stage for her wrongful firing lawsuit against the state to proceed. But U.S. Magistrate…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today's preliminary injunction blocking new state cabin-site leases from taking effect at the end of this month. Attorney General Lawrence Wasden sought the injunction, arguing that the state's whole system for renting out cabin sites…
The attorney representing the state Land Board today was none other than Merlyn Clark, the attorney who's been recently in the news as the state's hearing officer on the Highway 12 megaloads case, a decision that's now pending in his hands. Clark argued in court…
Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, who sat through the court hearing today in which fellow Land Board member Lawrence Wasden won a preliminary injunction halting the signing of new cabin-site leases, emerged from the hearing frustrated. Ysursa chaired a Land Board subcommittee that's been…
After a judge's ruling today to grant the preliminary injunction he sought against the state Department of Lands, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said, "We welcome the court's decision. I certainly look forward to working with my colleagues on the Land Board to try and resolve…
Deputy Attorney General Clay Smith said in court today that the case involves "an exceedingly unusual situation," and 4th District Judge Deborah Bail agreed. Attorney General Lawrence Wasden went to court to block a decision made by the state Land Board, on which he serves;…
Attorney General Lawrence Wasden argued that the entire state law on which Idaho has based its cabin-site rents for state endowment lands - a 1990 state law that requires the state Land Board to charge "market rents," while eliminating the requirement that cabin-site leases be…
Fourth District Judge Deborah Bail, ruling from the bench, today granted a preliminary injunction barring the state Department of Lands from entering into proposed new leases with hundreds of cabin owners on state-owned cabin sites on Priest and Payette lakes, in response to a constitutional…
It turns out that eating a particular yogurt a day for two weeks won't solve intestinal problems after all, and drinking a particular dairy drink won't give you immunity from colds or the flu. Now The Dannon Company Inc. will pay Idaho $425,000 as part…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: GRANGEVILLE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho's top fish and game official has pleaded guilty to one count of trespass to hunt and ordered to pay a $500 fine. Idaho Fish and Game Director Cal Groen told a judge…
As Congressman-elect Raul Labrador continues to round out his new congressional staff, he announced today the hiring of Jason Bohrer, who most recently worked as legislative counsel for Sen. Jim Risch, as his legislative director. “I am delighted Jason has decided to join my staff,”…
The Idaho Statesman's Dan Popkey reports this morning that Congressman Walt Minnick's concession on Twitter made Twitter's list of the "10 Most Powerful Tweets of 2010," ranking No. 8. The tweet, sent by campaign manager John Foster around 2 a.m. as Election Night stretched into…
For the fourth time in a row, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has been selected to chair the Senate Republicans' Committee on Committees - yes, that's really what it's called - to handle GOP committee assignments for the 112th Congress. "Mike is a trusted advisor and…
After today's House Ethics Committee deliberations, Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, said, "Well, I still think they're looking for their allegation that shows that there is bona fide violation of Rule 76. ... They're still empty-handed."Asked what he hopes happens next, Hart said, "I'm hoping that…
Starr Kelso, attorney for embattled Rep. Phil Hart, said after today's House Ethics Committee meeting, "What I can say is that the legislative process is a fluid and complex process where politics and due process meet. And so, I guess it was reasonable that they…
Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, says his conversation with Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, at the Legislature's organizational session wasn't confrontational. "I did approach him and I did say, 'Eric, if you need to get together or if you see a need for us to get…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney said today that Rep. Eric Anderson's removal as vice-chairman of the House State Affairs Committee - shortly after Anderson had filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Phil Hart - was merely an oversight, but also said he'd warned Anderson of "fallout"…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today's House Ethics Committee meeting on Rep. Phil Hart, in which the panel voted 6-1 to launch a full investigation into the latest ethics complaint against Hart and reconvene in January, rather than dismiss the…
The motion passed 6-1, with just the chairman, Rep. Tom Loertscher, voting against it. "You know, as legislators we all have something in our past," said Loertscher, R-Iona. He said he doesn't feel that the "constitutional rights to exhaust our remedies ends the day we…
"We have before us a copy of the minutes of our last meeting," Rep. Tom Loertscher said as the ethics committee came back into session. "On page 6, on the last page, Rep. Raybould moved that the committee dismiss the complaint of misuse of constitutional…
During the Ethics Committee's break, over the speaker system is coming a muffled conversation by Rep. Phil Hart, talking at his lawyer's office, and strains of music.
Rep. Eric Anderson said children have asked him how the courts could repeatedly say Hart was wrong, but he could continue to say he's right. Rep. Tom Loertscher, Ethics committee chairman, asked Anderson, "Is Rep. Hart denied the opportunity to challenge ... in any court…
Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, told the House Ethics Committee, "It could be an array of things that cause ethics issues to rise up. ... I don't know why we have an oath if it's not going to be enforced." He said he believes Hart…
Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said after reviewing Rep. Eric Anderson's complaint, there was no mention in it of the silver issue. Therefore, he said, he apologized to the committee and it shouldn't even be discussing it. Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, asked if under state laws…