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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Why gov’s debate will have 30-second delay

Idaho Public Television political debates generally air live, but the upcoming governor’s debate on May 14 will have a 30-second delay. The reason: One of the four candidates, Harley Brown, is prone to profanity, and has been using language at candidate appearances that could get the public TV station fined by the FCC, regardless of who makes the on-air comment.

Brown is a perennial candidate who claims that he runs for office because God has called him to be the president of the United States; he’s run for everything from city council to Congress. This year, he’s added a “warning” on his campaign website saying, “The content of this website and especially the content of the page titled "Harleyism", may be construed by those of a gentle nature, a sensitive disposition or the young, to be offensive, shocking or even obscene.” He’s also posted a pledge saying he “Declares WAR on political correctness!”

Brown is one of four candidates on the GOP primary ballot, along with anti-abortion advocate Walter Bayes, incumbent Gov. Butch Otter, and Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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