IFF demands correction
A sister organization calling itself Idaho Freedom Action has used the Idaho Freedom Foundation "Freedom Index" to endorse candidates for Coeur d'Alene area legislative seats. In a handout published in the Coeur d'Alene Press, Idaho Freedom Action explains that a legislator needed a passing grade of a C in the Freedom Index to earn an endorsement. As you may recall, IFF awarded F-minuses to almost half of the very conservative Idaho Legislature. IFF executive director Wayne Hoffman castigated the Legislature afterward for not being conservative enough. Some of the worst legislators in the state received an A or A-minus from IFF, including Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, and Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood. So who received endorsements from the ultra conservative, 501c3 nonprofit IFF: Reps. Kathy Sims, Vito Barbieri, Don Cheatham, Sen. Mary Souza, and Rep. Luke Malek's challenger, Art Macomber.
- You can see the nasty, dismissive way that Idaho Freedom Action treats quality state legislators like Sen. Shawn Keough and Rep. Luke Malek here.
DFO: Dustin Hurst sent the following email to me demanding a correction of the endorsement post involving Idaho Freedom Action:
"The Idaho Freedom Foundation asks that you correct your April 7, 2016, post regarding IFF endorsements. The Idaho Freedom Foundation does not endorse candidates. We would ask that you correct the record immediately so as to not create confusion. We would ask that you respond to this email once you've made the correction. If you're interested in endorsements, Idaho Freedom Action did endorse a handful of North Idaho candidates this week. ?"
When I asked Hurst what's the relationship between IFF and IFA, he replied:
"IFF is not a 501c4."
DFO: You sidestepped my question, hurst. What is the relationship between IFF and the idaho freedom action. is idaho freedom action some sort of pac for the freedom foundation? The two appear to be related. In terms of transparency, which iff touts so much when it comes to government but not itself, what’s the relationship?
Hurst: All records are publicly available.
DFO: Are you incapable of answering a simple question, hurst?
Hurst: You're a journalist, right? I'm sure you and the left bank of Huckleberries Online can figure it out in no time.
Bottom Line? Idaho Freedom Action is sister organization to Idaho Freedom Foundation, formed by IFF executive director Wayne Hoffman in response to the mainstream Republican Otter PAC. I wonder if Dustin know the relationship?
