Edit: Broadband Better Sans Otter

For the six years Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter has been in charge of the Idaho Education Network, the picture has become progressively darker. First, Otter’s close friend and former Administration Director Mike Gwartney changed the rules in the middle of the bidding process, cutting the low-cost provider Syringa Network LLC out and handing the contract over to the politically connected Qwest (now CenturyLink). Then Syringa’s lawsuit started gaining traction with the Idaho Supreme Court. Next, the Federal Communications Commission cut off e-Rate dollars, which covered 75 percent of the $60 million IEN contract. Last year, 4th District Court Judge Patrick Owen ruled Syringa was right and declared Gwartney had violated Idaho’s procurement laws, thereby voiding the IEN contract/ Marty Trillhaase , Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Question: Is it a coincidence that the future for broadband in our schools is much brighter since it has been wrenched from the hands of the Otter administration?