Paying Attention To Idaho Constitution

It was a big win for Attorney General Lawrence Wasden (pictured). And for purists who read the Idaho Constitution literally. Wasden convinced the Idaho Supreme Court’s five justices to junk a 1990 law that short-circuited competitive bidding on state-owned cabin sites on Priest and Payette lakes. In retrospect, the Supreme Court’s decision seems like a no-brainer. The state Constitution provides unflinching instructions for managing Idaho’s 2.5 million acres of endowment lands. The five elected officials on the state Land Board are supposed to “secure the maximum long-term financial return” for endowment beneficiaries. How could a law — written and devised to allow leaseholders to hang onto their cabin sites without having to deal with competitive bidding — not run afoul of that section of the constitution? Nonetheless, this question came to a head only because Wasden, a Land Board member, took the unusual step of suing the board/ Kevin Richert , Idaho Statesman. More here. (Joe Jaszewski Statesman/AP file photo)

Question: For my 2 cents, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is one of the top Republican elected officials in this state. He puts Idahoans ahead of party. Which is unusal in Idaho, don’t you think?