More candidates file; races shaping up include Rammell vs McMillan

At the close of business today, 73 candidates had filed to run for the state Legislature so far; you can see the full list here . Candidate filing runs through March 9. Among this afternoon’s additions: Former gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell has filed to run against freshman Rep. Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton, in the new District 7; and southeast Boise’s District 18 will see rematches in two close races from 2010, with former Rep. Branden Durst, D-Boise, challenging Sen. Mitch Toryanski, R-Boise; and  Democrat Janie Ward-Engelking challenging Rep. Julie Ellsworth, R-Boise. In 2010, Toryanski beat Durst by 103 votes, and Ellsworth defeated Ward-Engelking by just nine votes. Not on today’s list but announcing his candidacy today via press release is Barrett Schroeder, who says he’ll seek the Senate seat in the new District 5; click below for his full announcement. He is the son of longtime Moscow GOP Sen. Gary Schroeder.

PRESS RELEASE – February 27, 2012
Barrett Schroeder announced today that he has filed as a Republican candidate for Idaho Senate in District 5, representing Benewah and Latah Counties. Barrett served as Chairman of the Latah County Republicans for 10 years and has been recognized as a leader in supporting education and fighting to keep jobs at the University of Idaho, the largest employer in Latah County. Barrett also organized a bipartisan ceremony following the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

Barrett is the manager of his family business, Moscow Hide and Fur, a leader in the natural resources industry, which has provided jobs and done business with hundreds of people from both Benewah and Latah Counties for over 40 years. Barrett turns 40 years old on March 1st, graduated from Moscow High School and the University of Idaho and is an experienced foster parent and a Legacy Lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.

Schroeder stated, “In 10 years of recruiting Republicans to run for office, the best candidates were those who felt so strongly about an issue that they absolutely had to run. For me that issue today is the emergence of Militia groups. As I’ve watched the Tea Party cause be warped into a Militia movement, I feel that I could not live with myself if another Ruby Ridge-type event happened and I didn’t do everything in my power to stop it.”

The new militia group, who hide their names and faces, claims they are not political. The truth is the apparent leader of the group, Jeff Williams, was part of a phony “Continental Congress” and signed a manifesto called “Articles of Freedom”. The document outlines their plans, specifically 1) forming a militia, 2) replacing sheriffs with their own candidates, 3) creating “Citizens’ Grand Juries” to “indict” elected officials and 4) stop paying income taxes, based on a false conspiracy theory about the 16th Amendment.

It appears the group is now acting on their plan, with sheriff candidates lined up in several counties: Kootenai, Benewah and Latah. An Idaho Sheriff would have the power to deputize the Militia to take action. At least one candidate, John Green of Kootenai County, states that he would arrest federal agents.

The Militia’s web site criticizes the Southern Poverty Law Center, who shut down the Aryan Nations in Hayden Lake in 2000.

Schroeder continued, “I want real police, who are accountable to the public, protecting me and my property, not a secret militia. Who protects us from them? The Militia group is pursuing exactly the agenda that they outlined step-by-step in their manifesto and it will force confrontation with the Federal Government. This is dangerous, we have seen how this story ends too many times. The public and the press should insist that every candidate and elected official, from City Council to Congress state clearly and on the record whether they support the Militia’s agenda.”

“Idaho and the United States are facing real issues today, issues of our financial strength and competitiveness in the world, and we need real conservative solutions, not conspiracy theories. If we are at war with ourselves, we will fail. The Militia’s agenda is wrong, their secrecy is frightening, but the most disturbing thing is that people tell me they are scared to say anything about it. Americans shouldn’t be frightened to speak out. Today I am doing my part.”