Unsigned Letter Rips Candidate Cda’S Kevin Krieg Criticized For Crossing Kaiser Picket Line

A letter was circulated Tuesday slamming a Kootenai County Commission candidate for working as a replacement worker at Kaiser Aluminum.

Kevin Krieg found a letter in his newspaper box Tuesday that labeled him a “scab for Kaiser.”

“His willingness to make himself open to the highest bidder shows he will turn his back on the community to benefit himself,” the unsigned letter read. “You can’t trust Kevin Krieg to do what is right for the working class. Please do not vote for Kevin Krieg.”

Krieg said he doesn’t know who circulated the letter.

“I kind of expected something like this,” said Krieg, who has worked as a replacement worker since November. “It’s exactly the kind of tactics (striking workers) have been using all along.

“My suggestion for them is to wake up and grow up.”

Post Falls Mayor Gus Johnson, who is campaigning against fellow Republicans Krieg, Merlin Berger and Bob Hunt in the May 23 primary election to replace Dick Compton on the commission, denounced the letter.

Johnson worked for Kaiser for 25 years before he was locked out in November 1998.

“I am so disappointed that it has come to this. In no way would I have or had any part in this,” Johnson said. “I am just appalled by it. This is what makes the public and whole citizenry so upset with politicians and politics.”

Krieg leveled no blame at Johnson.

“I feel for people like Gus Johnson,” Krieg said. “He put in 25 years in there. The union didn’t do him any good service. But those people have gone on with their lives.

“They are not moping around calling people names.”

Bill Seely, who lives in the county, received one of the letters in his newspaper box.

“I’m really not familiar with (Krieg). But I was aggravated by the wording. It kind of trashed this individual,” Seely said. “I’m more sympathetic with Kevin Krieg than I was before.”