In Thursday's Huckleberries Online, state Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, responded to an advertisement by Democrat Tom Hearn. Hearn is challenging Coeur d'Alene Republican Paul Amador in another House District 4 race: Hearn's ad said a vote for Amador would maintain status quo at the Idaho Legislature. Malek called the ad dishonest. Now Hearn responds in a Facebook post:

"With all due respects to Representative Malek his public accusation that I am being "dishonest" is completely false. I don't know how he with a straight face can say that the Republicans "are leading the way on school funding." It was under Republican leadership in the Governor's office and legislature that Idaho descended to the bottom nationwide in per pupil school funding. And under Republican leadership 1/3 of the state owned public lands have been sold off. (Idaho States...man 6/3/2016). And who have the tax breaks gone to that the legislature has given in the last decade or so? Certainly not to the average citizen in Coeur d'Alene. Mr. Malek's speaking for Paul Amador also speaks volumes for what we can expect from Paul. Our local legislators are not used to a serious challenge to their governing power and world view. And according to Mr. Malek it is apparently not taking the "high road" if one has the audacity to challenge the devastating effects of Republican control of the legislature and the other state offices for the last 20+ years. I will continue to challenge their poor governing until the election and beyond."

 

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