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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Trib: IACI’s LeBeau Earns Jeer

In his weekly Cheers & Jeers column, Opinion Editor Marty Trillhaase gives Jeers -- to Alex LeBeau: "The generalissimo over at the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry believes he can annihilate any legislator who gets in his way. Just ask former Senate tax committee chairman Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, who lost his seat to Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson. Or talk to former Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett, R-Challis. To depose her, IACI accused Barrett of being insufficiently hostile to wolves. This year, it's Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton. How dare the Senate tax committee chairman block any tax cuts until teacher salaries are boosted to at least $40,000 a year? The sheer audacity. Who does this petty politician think he's tangling with? Has he not heard of the mighty LeBeau? In an email laced with F-bombs, sexism and arrogance, LeBeau wrote: "Suckaway can eat a dick and hug a teacher. How f***ing stupid. Let me see. Make me and my committee completely irrelevant for the foreseeable future. Jesus! People have no f***ing vision or forethought. Doucher. Regardless we will drop some s**t in his lap - just to be dicks." How could such a political mastermind miss Rule No. 1 - never put anything in writing? Full Cheers & Jeers column here.

Question: Bad language aside, are you as bothered as I am re: the arrogance displayed by LeBeau as a Kingmaker?



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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