On Friday, after GOP gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell began making comments critical of Idaho GOP leaders - comments he repeated today - as he defended his earlier joke about shooting the president, Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko issued this statement:

"Yesterday, the Idaho Republican Party made it clear that we do not condone Rex Rammell's comments, whether in jest or not. Today, Rex Rammell's unwarranted and reckless comments about our elected and former elected Republican leaders -- including Senator Crapo and former Governor Batt -- have crossed the line from civil, political discourse into a ridiculous and desperate publicity stunt. As the Chairman of the Idaho Republican Party, I call upon Rex Rammell to take responsibility for his actions and apologize for his remarks as Rammell's comments do not reflect the views of Idaho Republicans and are a distraction to the important issues facing Idahoans like the Democrats' plan to take over health care, the lagging national economy and reckless government spending in Washington."

---

---