Wayne Hoffman, head of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, discusses his disenchantment with the mainstream media and his role as a political activist in an article by AP reporter John Miller, in which Hoffman refuses to disclose how his group is funded; click below to read…
It was a great honor for me this weekend to be presented with the 2010 Max Dalton Open Government Award from the Idaho Newspaper Foundation; there's info here. Here are the other nominees for the award this year: * Melody Finley, who has been a…
On Idaho Public Television’s “Idaho Reports” this week, we talk about the week's developments, from Tea Party rallies to campaign politics to school funding questions. I join analysts Jim Weatherby, Kevin Richert, Bill Roberts and Vickie Holbrook along with host Thanh Tan; the show airs…
Idaho's state prison system is eliminating 24 more staff positions, bringing the number cut in the past two years to 102, and imposing far-reaching furloughs on all prison staffers in the coming year to cope with state budget cuts. Because of shifts of workers from…
On CNN's American Morning program this morning, Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick was asked about being the only Democrat endorsed by the national Tea Party Express group. "They're just ordinary folks who think the government ought to balance this budget. There's nothing very radical about that…
Quarterly campaign finance reports are in at the Federal Election Commission, and the figures for the 1st Congressional District show this: Incumbent Congressman Walt Minnick has raised $1.5 million to date for his re-election bid, including $231,917 this quarter. He's spent $641,879, including $159,504 this…
Here's a shot of Idaho Gov. Butch Otter speaking at the Tea Party of Spokane rally today in Spokane, where he was the headliner. Otter drew standing ovation for his speech that focused in large part on the importance of states’ rights; he also stressed…
Here's another shot of today's Boise Tea Party rally on the Idaho Capitol steps. The crowd was pretty mixed, with people of all ages, from young parents with toddlers to older people in lawn chairs to teens. There were a few campaign signs smattered among…
There's a big crowd today for the Boise Tea Party rally on the Capitol steps, with speakers including costumed re-enactors representing such historical figures as Patrick Henry. Here's a sampling of the signs people are carrying: "King George didn't listen to us either" "Socialism=Slavery" "Legalize…
The first TV campaign commercial of Idaho's primary season is out, from congressional candidate Vaughn Ward, featuring him driving and leaning against a big Dodge pickup truck, talking core values. It's not actually his truck, it's a supporter's. Ward's campaign said the GOP candidate owns…
Four House GOP leaders have sent a letter to Idaho school districts - here's a link to the letter - advising them to prepare for an additional 5.5 percent holdback in the coming year when they negotiate teacher contracts, reporter Ben Botkin reports in the…
At the first hearing today in the federal lawsuit challenging national health care reform filed by a group of states - including Idaho - U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson said he'll fast-track the case, according to the Associated Press. In a federal court case, though,…
Gov. Butch Otter has allowed four more bills to become law without his signature, after earlier taking the same action for SB 1353, the "conscience" bill for health care providers. This time, the bills in question include HB 727 and 728, both of which regard…
This may not look like a picture of a food bank event, but that's exactly what it is. Today, Idaho's beef industry joined with the Idaho Foodbank to launch "Beef Counts," a program designed to "provide a consistent supply of much-needed, high-quality beef protein throughout…
A reference in my story yesterday (about his upcoming address to a Tea Party of Spokane rally) to the fact that Idaho Gov. Butch Otter spoke to a militia group back in 1995 has raised some questions, so I want to clarify: Though Otter spoke…
A growing number of conservative groups are bankrolling startup news organizations around the country, aggressively covering government and politics at a time when newspapers are cutting back their statehouse bureaus, the Associated Press reports; we've seen our own example here in Boise, where the Idaho…
Idaho has joined a federal court case in Montana arguing that locally made and used guns should be exempt from all federal laws, including registration requirements. It's a follow-up to the "Idaho Firearms Freedom Act" that state lawmakers enacted this year at the urging of…
Phil Batt wasn't Idaho's flashiest governor, but the onion farmer from Wilder was one of its most respected, both for his fiscal restraint and his political vision. So when Batt, now 83, stepped away from his retirement on Tuesday to endorse Vaughn Ward in an…
Former Idaho Gov. Phil Batt today endorsed Vaughn Ward in the GOP primary race for the 1st District congressional seat, joining a group of GOP Canyon County elected officials in taking sides in the hotly contested Republican primary race. "I think he's a better-qualified candidate,…
Lawyers for fired Idaho Transportation Director Pam Lowe are pushing for a decision in her favor on most of her key claims without even holding further hearings - based on a long string of cases they've identified that back Lowe's argument that she wasn't an…
Here's a link to my full story in today's Spokesman-Review on Idaho Gov. Butch Otter's top billing at the Tea Party of Spokane first-anniversary celebration and rally this Thursday. “He was happy as a clam – he was just absolutely stoked,” said Kirk Smith, vice…
Organizers say they've got a big name lined up for the Official Tea Party of Spokane's 1st Anniversary Celebration and Rally this Thursday: Idaho Gov. Butch Otter. The event, which opens Thursday at 3 p.m. on the Floating Stage of the Spokane Convention Center, also…
The Brother Speed motorcycle club is among volunteers stepping forward to help maintain Idaho state parks in the wake of deep budget cuts, reports AP reporter Simmi Aujla. The biker group is working to maintain Thousand Springs, a state park near Hagerman where it's held…
This week on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public TV, I join Jim Weatherby, Jill Kuraitis, Kevin Richert and host Thanh Tan to discuss the political developments of the week, from office-closings and layoffs at Health & Welfare to the governor's race to college tuition hikes.…
Among the nearly 50 bills quietly signed into law yesterday by Gov. Butch Otter: HB 496, requiring Idaho voters to show a photo I.D. when they go to the polls; HB 531a, making secret the names of all Fish and Game hunting and fishing license…