Trib: Cheers For Judge Wetherell

In his weekly Cheers & Jeers column, opinionator Marty Trillhaase of the Lewiston Tribune offers “cheers … to Fourth District Judge Mike Wetherell of Boise. Wetherell’s ruling Monday compelled Education Voters of Idaho to cough up where it got $641,000 to promote the Luna laws. It also went a long way toward discouraging similar impropriety in the future.Before EVI disclosed it had collected $200,000 from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and $250,000 from Albertsons heir Joe Scott, EVI was thumbing its nose at the 1974 voter-passed Sunshine Initiative.EVI’s leaders — former state Rep. Debbie Field, R-Boise, and former congressional staffer John Foster — argued their status as a 501(c)(4) trumped any obligation to disclose. Even if Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa’s lawsuit ultimately prevailed, it looked as if EVI might run out the clock — and delay disclosure until after the election/ Marty Trillhaase , Lewiston Tribune. More here .

Question: Supporters of the Luna Laws propositions have made a big deal in flyers re: a $1M contribution from the National Education Association in direct-mail flyers. Yet they have received $1.3M from Frank Vandersloot & tried their darndest to hide financial contributions to Education Voters of Idaho. Hypocrites?