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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

KCRCC muzzles precinct committeemen

In an attempt to control information shared by precinct committee men and women, the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee tightened rules for communications with the world outside the local Republican cocoon. Sharing information with Huckleberries Online, of course, is a no-no. Here's the new rules adopted last night, according to a source:

  • Elected committee members are not allowed to share contact information for other committee members unless with others unless permission is granted. The county has a list of elected officials as public record so information is available, just not from committee members without permission. This rule passed.
  • Sharing private conversations (conversations between members outside of public meeting, phone calls, emails, texts, etc.) are not allowed to be disclosed without permission from the committee members involved in the communication, "especially, God forbid, Huckleberries."
  • The general assumption is that all conversations verbal or written are defaulted first to an expectation of privacy if it occurs outside of public meetings even if it is committee business.. 
  • Committee members are not allowed to use their precinct title behind any statement or endorsement because it implies speaking on behalf of the whole committee.  Members can state things with a disclaimer of "personal opinion" and "not on behalf of the committee". This passed.
  • The draft rule that would prohibit endorsing primary candidates failed.  The committee wants the ability to choose who they carry literature for. Committee members can continue to help one GOP candidate over another in a primary race in their own precinct or candidates they volunteer for.

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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.

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