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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Republicans vs. Republicans

The state of Idaho has filed a motion to dismiss the federal lawsuit that 72 Republicans filed to close Idaho’s GOP primary election, saying the individual party members lack legal standing to bring the suit. Its backup for the argument? An affidavit from J. Kirk Sullivan, Idaho Republican Party chairman, saying the members are “not legally empowered to act on behalf of the Idaho Republican Party,” and that the party never authorized the lawsuit. The suit seeks to allow only registered Republicans to vote in the GOP primary – a big change in a state that currently has no party registration. Attached to the affidavit was a copy of a letter Sullivan wrote to the attorney who filed the lawsuit, Christ Troupis, saying in part:

“I appreciate that individually, your clients may feel like they are advancing the cause for Republicans everywhere, but it is inappropriate for them to individually or collectively state that they represent or speak on behalf of the Idaho Republican Party or the Idaho Republican State Central Committee, and indeed it is legally impossible for them to do so. The lawsuit you filed has never been authorized, approved, endorsed or even formally considered by the Idaho Republican Party or the Republican State Central Committee. I would like the record to be absolutely clear that your clients, individually or collectively, are not agents of the Idaho Republican Party or the Idaho Republican State Central Committee, and that they are not acting on behalf of these entities.”



Eye On Boise

News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.