The headline: “Risch: ‘I have no future political plans’” The date: Nov. 10, 1988, shortly after longtime state Sen. Jim Risch, the president pro-tem of the Senate, was booted out of office by Ada County voters. The byline: By Betsy Z. Russell, The Idaho Statesman.That’s…
It reads in some ways like a confession before going to his execution, but it offers no insight into the killer’s crimes. Instead, the eight-page affidavit that condemned killer Joseph Duncan filed in federal court late today deals mostly with the killer’s religious views of…
A 67-year-old Las Vegas man has been sentenced to three months in prison, three months home detention and five years of probation for collecting his mother’s PERSI retirement benefits for nearly three years after she’d died. Vernon Geier, who pleaded guilty to interstate theft from…
U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge, after quizzing condemned killer Joseph Duncan repeatedly about whether he wants to appeal his death sentence and about whether he gave his standby attorneys permission to file an appeal for him, declared himself satisfied that Duncan, at this point, doesn’t…
Standby defense attorneys for condemned killer Joseph Duncan say the U.S. District Court in Boise has no business holding a hearing on Monday on whether Duncan wants to appeal his death sentence or not, because jurisdiction over the case now falls with the 9th Circuit…
U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge has issued an order setting a hearing for Monday morning on killer Joseph Duncan’s appeal of his death sentence, to determine whether Duncan is actually appealing or not.Though his standby attorneys filed a notice of appeal on Monday, federal prosecutors…
Killer Joseph Duncan has filed a letter with the federal District Court in Boise addressed to Judge Edward Lodge, regarding the notice of appeal filed for him Monday by his standby attorneys. “Dear Sir,” Duncan wrote. “This is to inform the court that if any…
Federal prosecutors are trying to strike the notice of appeal filed by stand-by attorneys for admitted multiple murderer Joseph Duncan, saying Duncan never wanted to appeal his death sentence and the attorneys acted without his permission. “The decision to appeal is solely that of the…
The news from the state Endowment Fund Investment Board, which reported to the state Land Board today about the endowment’s investment earnings, was anything but sunny. The fund lost 13.8 percent in October, and as of Oct. 31, had lost 21.9 percent of its value…
Despite at least two proposals in the last couple of years for new commercial nuclear power plants in Idaho, don’t expect to see one in the next decade, a nuclear industry expert told a Boise forum today. If you look out 15 years, it “might…
This must be the new spirit of bipartisanship and unity that we’ve been hearing about nationally since the election: A joint news release that went out Friday afternoon was headed, “Crapo, Simpson, Bieter help retain rail jobs.” The occasion: A federal waiver was denied for…
A new national survey ranks Washington fourth in the nation for governmental integrity, openness and accountability – and Idaho 44th. The survey, conducted by the Chicago-based Better Government Association, compared open records laws, open meeting laws, whistleblower laws, campaign finance requirements and conflict-of-interest laws, to…
I asked new Congressman-elect Walt Minnick how long he’d like to serve in Congress if it were entirely under his control. Here’s his response:“I, in all honesty, cannot answer that … not until I get there, find out the extent to which I’m effective and…
In a memo sent to all state agencies today, there’s clear warning that an additional 1.5 percent of the state budget that’s being held in reserve after September’s 1 percent holdback may well be on the chopping block very soon. “I am asking each of…
All recreation-related fees will be waived for veterans, military personnel and their families at federal recreation facilities on public lands tomorrow in honor of Veterans Day. That includes lands under the management of the Forest Service, the BLM, the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife…
BSU political scientist Gary Moncrief, who studies elections, had this to say when asked why GOP Congressman Bill Sali lost in Tuesday’s election: “I think it’s largely a referendum on Sali. You know that district – there’s no way a Republican should lose that district.…
Idaho GOP Sen. Mike Crapo sent out the following statement:“President-elect Obama has brought a lot of energy into the political process, and his election is historic,” Crapo said. “As we face the significant challenges in our financial markets and economic outlook, I look forward to…
Though only two precincts remain uncounted, GOP Congressman Bill Sali isn’t ready to concede defeat. “Well, I’d certainly rather be here talking about the stunning victory last night,” Sali said at a GOP press conference today. “Unfortunately, it’s a little close right now. There’s still…
While change swept the nation in Tuesday’s election, it didn’t happen in the election for the Idaho Legislature. Only one sitting Idaho legislator was defeated on Tuesday (Democrat Jerry Shively of Idaho Falls, who lost narrowly), and every seat in the 105-member Legislature was up…
It’s after 1 in the morning in Boise, and there’s still no final word on how high voter turnout went in Idaho, but Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said, “It was big – it was big everywhere. We had areas that were getting low on…
Things are crowded at the state Republican election night watch party at the Doubletree Riverside tonight, but the mood of the revelry is different from the usual. Idaho Republicans are accustomed to winning big on Election Night, and having much to celebrate. The last time…
I’ve been pursuing him much of the evening for a comment, but after conferring with both his wife, Terry, and his campaign spokesman, Wayne Hoffman, at the Doubletree Riverside suite where Sali’s supporters are watching results come in, I was informed that Sali, who’s closeted…
Idaho Lt. Gov. Jim Risch has declared victory in his run for the U.S. Senate, with 25 percent of precincts reporting. He leads Democrat Larry LaRocco, 57 percent to 36 percent, with independent Rex Rammell trailing with 5 percent and Libertarian Kent Marmon and independent…
At the Democratic headquarters in Boise, at the Hilton Garden Inn, the mood is ebullient, and loud cheers broke out just now when NBC declared that Obama is the new president. The room is packed, there’s loud music on and off with a live singer,…
Independent U.S. Senate candidate Rex Rammell, who’s staying home in Rexburg to watch the results tonight, told Eye on Boise, “I’m not expecting to win. I’ve been playing for the future for a while.” Rammell said he’ll likely run for office again, and figures he’ll…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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