Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden issued this statement following the Idaho Supreme Court’s endowment lands cottage site lease decision today:

“I appreciate the Court’s consideration of our petition.  We knew going in that a writ of prohibition is an extraordinary remedy.  Nonetheless, we chose this course in the hope of obtaining a speedy answer to the underlying question of whether the Land Board is fulfilling its statutory and constitutional duties to the beneficiaries.  The Court’s decision only means that the underlying issue must now proceed through the normal course of litigation.  Because of the critical importance of resolving this long-standing question, I plan to follow the Supreme Court’s advice and proceed to district court in order to vindicate the constitutional rights of Idaho school children and the other beneficiaries of the endowment trusts.”