Kempthorne supporters try to cut campaign debt

BOISE – Supporters of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne plan to hold a fundraiser next week to help him pay off debt accumulated during his successful 2002 run for governor of Idaho.

Invitations for the “debt retirement reception” planned for May 22 have been sent to raise money to pay off the remaining $15,000 from the campaign.

Officials with Kempthorne’s gubernatorial campaign committee say raising money slowed after President Bush nominated Kempthorne in 2006 as secretary of the interior.

Supporters of Kempthorne and his wife, Patricia, “have been very gracious in helping shoulder this burden,” said Graham Paterson, a fundraising consultant.

Paterson said the committee had to find a way to comply with stricter federal rules that administration appointees must follow.

Kempthorne won’t attend the event, planned at the home of Eagle City Councilman Norm Semanko, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Larry Craig who ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Bill Sali in 2006.

It is “better we maintain an arm’s length relationship between the secretary and the campaign,” Paterson said. “His name doesn’t appear on the invitation.”

Kempthorne had about $250,000 in debt after the 2002 campaign. That had been reduced to about $26,000 when he was tapped to join the Bush Cabinet.

So as not to violate federal laws in raising money to pay off the debt, Kempthorne’s lawyers met with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

The office “provided guidance on how to collect for debt retirement, without violating the Hatch Act,” said spokesman James Mitchell. The Hatch Act restricts political activity and interference by federal employees.

“If they are following that guidance, there should not be a problem,” Mitchell said. “There is nothing in the invitation for this event that indicates that they are not following the guidance.”