Huckleberries Online

Nonini Loses Cool With Lt. Gov. Little

Posted by DFO

Feb. 17, 2009 8:17 a.m. • 49 comments

Legislators are shoving for position as Gov. Butch Otter takes another step toward reshaping the State Board of Education with his fourth appointment to the eight-member board. Last week, a confrontation between House Education Committee Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, and Lt. Gov. Brad Little underscored the stakes as lawmakers jockey for their favorites. Nonini has a favorite for the job and let Little know. The appointment is the first major post to be vetted by Little since he took office last month. Otter assigned Little to review candidates for jobs that require Senate confirmation before Otter makes his nominations. But Nonini made his point to the even-tempered Little in such a loud voice that word of the incident quickly spread through legislative circles. “There was an issue,” Little confirmed. “He was pretty exercised and was talking about holding up the governor’s state board package”/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Do you support any of Nonini’s choices to replace Sue Thilo on the state Board of Education — Lorna Finman/Post Falls, president of LCF Enterprises; Jim Faucher, a retired hospital VP, and Fred Ostermeyer, a former NIC board chairman?

49 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

moscow_minidoka on February 17 at 7:13 a.m.
I oppose anything that comes out of Nonini’s mouth… period.
scootermom on February 17 at 7:48 a.m.
Nonini is no friend of education. I suspect his favorite candidate for the position shares his views.

Not good.
Charlie on February 17 at 8:07 a.m.
Maybe Nonini needs a nap?
misc on February 17 at 8:11 a.m.
Nonni wants to sabotage education in Idaho, not advance it.
idawa on February 17 at 8:48 a.m.
maybe Ninni was frightened, I spoken with Brad a couple times, he can be intimidating. ;)
scootermom on February 17 at 8:52 a.m.
Brad Little is one of the nicest men at the Statehouse. Always respectful.

Nonini, on the other hand …..
thomg57 on February 17 at 8:55 a.m.
“He was pretty exercised and was talking about holding up the governor’s state board package.”—Lt. Gov. Little

Nonini is an arrogant tool.
Joker on February 17 at 9:09 a.m.
ThomG just served up great fundraising material for Nonini. Not that he needs it. The Dems didn’t field a challenger last November. Hopefully an astute reporter like Betsy Russell sees this and uses it in her next story about Nonini. Or maybe DFO cuts and pastes, emails

Open blog, insert foot.
moscow_minidoka on February 17 at 9:21 a.m.
Abandon ship… the weight of Joker is capsizing our semi-harmonious steamship…
Arpie on February 17 at 10:10 a.m.
Joker, How would you describe a committee chair who threatens to hold up an entire legislative package if he doesn’t get his way?
DuaneRasmussen on February 17 at 10:48 a.m.
No one has commented as to who would be the best board member. I don’t think Nonini is being considered for the job. There are some good candidates.

It looks like there is a lot of negativity going on here. Even some name calling. What is it, open season on Republicans now that Obama got elected?
moscow_minidoka on February 17 at 10:53 a.m.
No Duane, it’s open season on Nonini because of his transparent attacks on public education in Idaho… Republican has nothing to do with it.
Duffer on February 17 at 11:11 a.m.
The best candidate I’ve seen suggested is Don Soltman, former chairman of the Lakeland School Board. According to the article, he is being picked by Sen Goedde and appears to be the only nominee with K-12 hands-on board experience, not just a partisan political body. And, Lakeland is and has been one of the best runs school districts in North Idaho. The Board emphasis should be making sure the K-12 kids get the best education possible.

I don’t always agree with Geodde, but I think he has it right this time.
DuaneRasmussen on February 17 at 11:11 a.m.
What did Nonini do or not do with regard to education. Can you be more specific than just “transparent attacks.” These alleged attacks must be so transparent that I cannot see them.

Of course I am a friend of Nonini and may, depending on who you are, have more information on the man and his activities.
DFO on February 17 at 11:13 a.m.
I agree with Duane re: the focus of the question. Who would make the best Education Board member from North Idaho? Bob Nonini’s choices are Lorna Finman/Post Falls, president of LCF Enterprises; Jim Faucher, a retired hospital VP, and Fred Ostermeyer, a former NIC board chairman? Senate Education Committee Chairman John Goedde backs Don Soltman. Others in the mix are: Jim Robson, a Hayden Lake dentist (backed by Sen. Mike Jorgenson, who also said he could support Finman; and Katherine Siddoway, a retired principal from Hayden Lake and the sister of Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton.
DFO on February 17 at 11:18 a.m.
BTW, Duane; I find one thing troubling about the episode between Rep. Nonini and Lt. Gov. Little. Bob is known for having a hot temper. Many worried about his ability to control it, when he was first elected to the Legislature. Popkey chronicles a situation where he jumped on the No. 2 executive in the state and possibly threatened to sit on the governor’s legislation. I don’t think it’s wise for a North Idaho legislator to get on the wrong side of Otter & Little. Just saying.
DFO on February 17 at 11:34 a.m.
BTW2, Duane; welcome to the new HBO. I might not agree with you on all things. But you are very welcome here. The more the merrier. (Do you want me to fix you up with an avatar? An elephant or something?)
Joker on February 17 at 11:52 a.m.
Arpie,

I call anybody who throws a tantrum by blocking legislation mistaken. I am no Nonini fan. He looks small. In 2010, maybe he’ll get unseated by a Republican in the primary, if not the Dems in the general.

The Nonini Henderson brain trust needs to be replaced by somebody, anybody.
Aliasjax on February 17 at 11:57 a.m.
Duffer…the problem with Soltman is his K12 experience. Under Otter’s plan the SBOE will be focusing on higher education, while the State Dep of Ed under Luna will be primary forces of change at the K12 level. Nonini’s pick of Finman is an excellent choice.

Ya’ll are acting like Nonini is the only guy who’d sit on legislation in an attempt to get his way…are you kidding me? It’s called politics for a reason.
DFO on February 17 at 12:00 p.m.
Joker; I appreciate that. Everyone here is entitled to missteps. That’s how we learn — and become a contributing part of the gang of Merry Hucksters. I know what you’re capable of. And I look forward to your comments in the future.
Nick_Adams on February 17 at 12:14 p.m.
Alisajax: Of course Nowini isn’t the first guy to threaten to sit on legislation unless he gets his way. He’s just the only one to yell at the Lt. Governor about it—and within earshot of a reporter.

Makes you wonder how many other threats he levels that just aren’t reported.
DFO on February 17 at 12:33 p.m.
Nick; I should have jumped on the term “Nowini” earlier this week. I’m not a fan of Bob Nonini’s. But a term like that basically sends a message to local Repub official that this site tolerates vulgar name calling of Repub political leaders. Which, to be honest, it may have in the past. But not in the future. I’ll let your post stand b/c I wanted to serve notice that this slur is out of bounds.
Duffer on February 17 at 12:43 p.m.
Aliasjax>”Nonini’s pick of Finman is an excellent choice.”

Why? Like Robson and most of the others, just because she might have gone to college, doesn’t necessarily qualify her/them to sit on the SBOE. Regardless of the direction you say Otter wants the Board to proceed, if you can’t get the kids educated and out the doors of high school, higher education beyond that point is fruitless. And, for me, Don’s years of business background with KMC is a definite plus.
Nick_Adams on February 18 at 1:26 p.m.
DFO: I appreciate the warning. It is juvenile, but then again, so is Mr. Nonini.
DFO on February 18 at 1:41 p.m.
>It is juvenile, but then again, so is Mr. Nonini — Nick Adams<

You got me there, Nick. ;-)

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.