Jeers — To Rep. Tom Loertscher

In his weekly Cheers & Jeers column, Opinion Editor Marty Trillhaase also offered jeers — to Idaho House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona:

Just about every week, there’s another reminder why Lewiston Rep. John Rusche’s call for a state inspector general’s office makes sense. Just take your pick. Millions squandered on a botched Idaho Education Network. Millions more lost on a malfunctioning Schoolnet program. Then there is the U.S. Department of Justice investigations into both the IEN and mismanaged private prison contract. Or the latest corruption index that puts Idaho among the most tainted states in the country. About the only thing Idaho does right, according to the State Integrity Investigation, is to keep its politicians from gerrymandering legislative and congressional district boundaries. When it comes to holding the governor or Legislature accountable, Idaho gets a solid F. A month ago, Rusche proposed establishing an office to look into complaints of waste, fraud and abuse. A slim majority on Loertscher’s panel agreed to consider it. But the chairman has locked Rusche’s bill away in his desk drawer. What is Loertscher afraid of? Full Cheers & Jeers column here.

Question: Are you amazed how the legislative and executive branches of our state government protect each other’s back sides?