A lawmaker's effort to get the Idaho Legislature to stop consulting the state attorney general's office and get its own lawyers has failed. Republican Rep. Vito Barbieri, of Dalton Gardens, wanted the Legislature to hire two attorneys for a new "Office of Legislative Counsel." But the bill was killed Wednesday by the House State Affairs Committee at Barbieri's request, after drawing lawmaker criticism. Priest Lake Republican Rep. Eric Anderson called the bill "a very bad piece of legislation," saying he was glad Barbieri saved him the trouble of arguing against it/Associated Press. More here. And: Betsy Russell's story here.

Question: Isn't it nice to know that Barbieri is too radical even for the Idaho Legislature?