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

Huckleberries Online

Richert: Regarding Frank VanderSloot

Frank VanderSloot (pictured) denied a lot of different things Tuesday. In a 1,750-word statement to Salon.com, VanderSloot denied that he’s a billionaire. He denied that the business that made him his fortune — Melaleuca, an Idaho Falls household and nutritional products company — is a “pyramid scheme.” Despite his long record of supporting Idaho Republicans, he said he doesn’t consider himself a Republican or a Democrat. “I’m quite conservative on most social and economic issues. And I’m pretty liberal on most environmental issues.” He also denied the central point of a 3,600-word column written by Salon.com’s Glenn Greenwald: his assertion that VanderSloot uses his money and “chronic bullying threats” to muzzle reporters and bloggers who dare to challenge him/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Did you know much -- anything? -- about Frank VanderSloot & his use of his Melaleuca fortune to support Mitt Romney & conservative candidates before he was focus of Salon & Rachel Maddow stories?


Read more here: http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/02/22/krichert/for_many_idaho_voters_vandersloot_story_may_be_a_nonstory#storylink=twt#storylink=cpy


D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

Follow Dave online: