Dirty Politics

 I had no opinion about the race for lieutenant governor but an attack mailer from Priscilla Giddings has me planning to vote against her:

Look, I know many Republicans here are closeted Democrats but this seemed implausible.  So I looked in the Journal of the Idaho House for 2021 on Mar. 18, 2001 and found that Bedke voted for SB 1162.  Which did what?  It funded Idaho libraries.  Enrolled as Chapter 133.

If Giddings' claim is that funding Idaho libraries means the raving leftists who run many libraries have funding to introduce trash into our libraries, that is far different from voting "to provide explicit sexual material for kindergarten-aged children."  Giddings has just guaranteed that she will not get my vote.  Giddings in endorsed by Action for Life.  It also appears that she is endorsed by Liars Seeking Office.

UPDATE: I was told that this was a battle over whether to increase finding of libraries.  3/24/22 Idaho Capital Sun reports the House passed HB 666 which "which removed an exemption that protected libraries, schools, colleges and universities from prosecution for distributing material that is 'harmful to minors.'"  The American Library Association in its effort to win the "wokest professional association ever" opposed it.

Some legislators apparently saw not increasing funding to Idaho libraries as a way to express disapproval of the ALA.

Another problem with Giddings.  11/22/21 Task and Purpose:

The Air Force promoted a major in the Air Force Reserves who posted the personal information of an alleged sexual assault survivor to social media and to her official newsletter, then denied posting that information before an ethics committee, and was recently censured by the Idaho House of Representatives.

A member of the Idaho House of Representatives, Lt. Col. Priscilla Giddings was still a major this spring when she shared an article from a far-right news outlet listing the name and photo of a 19-year-old legislative intern who had accused former Idaho representative Aaron von Ehlinger of raping her, according to the Idaho Statesman.

 During an ethics hearing in April, Giddings initially denied sharing the photo and information, then later said she had not “thoroughly examined” what she had posted. The intern’s photo was in the thumbnail of the article and her name was repeated several times throughout the article, according to Idaho news station KTVB-7. 

4/29/22 Associated Press:

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former Idaho lawmaker was convicted Friday of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern after a dramatic trial in which the young woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying “I can’t do this.”

The intern told a Statehouse supervisor that Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his apartment after the two had dinner at a Boise restaurant in March 2021. Von Ehlinger said the sex was consensual.

At the time, the Lewiston Republican was serving as a state representative, but he later resigned.

Von Ehlinger, 39, was found guilty Friday of rape. He was found not guilty of sexual penetration with a foreign object.

Von Ehlinger sat calmly as the verdict was read, as he has throughout the trial.

Afterward, 4th District Judge Michael Reardon told the jury: “This has been an unusual case attended by many unexpected circumstances, but I appreciate your attention ... and hard work.”

A felony rape conviction carries a minimum sentence of one year in prison in Idaho. The maximum penalty can be as high as life in prison, at the judge’s discretion. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 28.

As von Ehlinger was remanded into custody and handcuffed, he talked quietly with his attorney who removed items from von Ehlinger’s pockets.

The prosecution remained stoic as they left the courtroom, but once they reached a lower floor they stopped to briefly to congratulate each other on the verdict.

Von Ehlinger’s attorney, Jon Cox, could not be immediately reached for comment after the trial.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, and has referred to the woman in this case as “Jane Doe” at her request.