A second employee of Idaho State Treasurer Ron Crane’s office is corroborating the charges in a whistleblower claim against the state, in which another employee, who was fired after 10 years with the office, said his firing was in retaliation for objecting to waste of taxpayer money for Crane’s own political gain. Travis Schaat provided a 13-page written account detailing “unethical practices” in the office to authorities and to the Idaho Statesman, and also provided copies of emails backing up the account.

Schaat told the Statesman that he was the secretary for the Investment Advisory Board, a new board the Legislature created in 2014 to oversee the Treasurer’s office investments after the office lost millions in risky mortgage-backed securities investments. Schaat circulated draft minutes of the board’s July 2015 meeting to Crane and other staff to review, and was ordered to make changes to make the minutes appear more flattering to Crane. He objected to the request to delete one passage and add another, saying the comment to be added “wasn’t said and it wasn’t true.”

Schaat said Crane said the passage he wanted deleted “could be taken as a negative comment by a member of the press or a political opponent.” In an email to Schaat, Crane wrote, “I’m saying that I live in a political environment and have to deal with the consequences of what the record reflects.”

Schaat responded by asking to be relieved of his duties as secretary. At the board’s next meeting in November, it decided to no longer record its meetings; Schaat said he had worked from recordings to prepare his minutes. In November, Schaat was fired.

Fellow employee Chris Priest, who worked for the office for 10 years, has filed a $200,000-plus claim against the state, a precursor to a lawsuit. Schaat didn’t join in the claim; a certified public accountant, he quickly found new employment after his firing. Idaho Statesman reporter Bill Dentzer’s full story is online here. Crane wouldn't comment.