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This Republican voting for Kate McAlister |
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November 1, 2016 |
Heather Scott should not be reelected. While I
would agree that she has a small group of hard
core, extreme republican supporters in the
Panhandle most of the voters have not closely
followed her performance as our representative.
As a former member of the Bonner County
Republican Central Committee and former
Panhandle Fish and Game commissioner, I have
followed her progress. I was one of her
supporters as she embarked on her legislative
career two years ago, and I am now convinced
that she does not have the character traits
necessary to represent the good citizens of
North Idaho.
Representative Scott is a master at getting her
face in the news regardless of facts. Her modus
operandi is to blame government and to create
problems where none exist. Then she attempts to
convince those around her that without her
leadership there would have been a negative
outcome.
Examples include:
(1) The standoff at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge.
(2) Confiscation of a veteran’s guns in Priest
River when the fact was that the local veteran
affairs officer, Brian Hult’s, intention was to
offer administrative assistance to the veteran.
(3) Sending a legislative newsletter calling for
a special session of the legislature to “draft
emergency legislation to address the refugee
crisis” at a cost of $17,200 to the general
fund.
(4) Proudly posing with a Confederate flag,
which created a controversy over her association
with Richard Butler’s Aryan Nations.
(5) Addressing a board member of the Interfaith
Alliance of Idaho during a peaceful
demonstration in Boise as “I know you, you are
one of the queers, you are one of the gays who
should burn in Hell.”
(6) Encouraging supporters who harassed a young
field organizer of the Democratic Party in
Sandpoint, resulting in an open investigation by
the State’s Attorney General’s Office.
(7) An e-mail letter from Senator Dan Schmidt
from Twin Falls to Heather Scott dated
07/14/2016, concerning an incident of juvenile
sexual assault. “I am concerned that some of
your other behavior in your letter to all
legislators may reflect Conduct Unbecoming of a
Representative, since you exhibit a persistent
pattern of exhortation and inflammation.”
Scott is also recognized for having one of the
most negative voting records in the House of
Representatives, where she was ranked in the top
five for “no” votes. The Idaho House passed
legislation to remove sales taxes on Girl Scout
cookies. Scott led the opposition arguing that
the exemption would be unconstitutional.
Following a House vote to pass the tax
conformity bill, Scott was awarded the “crow”
award, which is passed to a house member each
session who gets the least support on a bill or
motion.
Legislation to add Idaho’s STEM Action Center to
the list of educational entities cleared the
House on a 66-4 vote. After she led the
opposition and voted “no” Scott stated, “It’s
not that I hate children.”
Heather Scott did author her first three bills
in the last legislative session, all dealing
with fish and game issues. The House Resources
committee agreed to introduce all three, but
members had lots of questions and concerns
dealing with her proposals. One proposed to
repeal the existing law that allows conservation
officers, upon retirement with at least 15 years
of meritorious service, to leave with their gun,
badge and handcuffs.
The second bill would restrict inspections and
searches by Fish and Game officers of storage
facilities, tents and other locations without a
search warrant or consent. A questioning
Representative said, “It seems to me that that
this is more aggressive than a standard 4th
Amendment protection based on probable cause.”
The third bill would impose minimum safety
standards for Fish and Game check stations,
which would include lighting, signage and sight
distance, plus add this line to the current law;
“Fish and Game check stations are only
authorized to stop licensed hunters and
fishermen.”
Representative Fred Wood, a former fish and game
commissioner, said, “I believe the question is:
Poachers don’t need to stop?”
None of above proposed bills received a bill
hearing.
More troubling to me was she voted against
approving the annual Fish and Game Budget ($90 +
million) that is a required legislative rubber
stamp. IDFG is funded by hunter and fishermen
license dollars only.
534,000 hunters and anglers spent $1.2 billion
in Idaho and generated $97 million in state and
local taxes and Scott voted to shut the agency
down?
The final straw was her opposition to the
Clagstone Meadows joint Forest Legacy program
with IDL and IDFG to put a conservation easement
on 14,430 acres of private timber and wet lands
just west of Granite Hill.
If you want the gory details concerning this
fiasco interested readers, North Idaho sportsmen
and women should Google Idaho Heather Scott, a
call to action, Redoubt News and review the
following: “Clagstone Meadows, A Hot Bed of
Crony Capitalism; Corporate Welfare-Stimson
Jumps on the Gravy Train.”
Heather Scott performance as the District 1
Representative to the Idaho Legislature has been
abject failure. She has lost the confidence of
Republicans, her fellow legislators, advocates
of improving education, members of the timber
industry, business organizations,
environmentalists and many others who have
followed her short career involved in local
politics.
This Republican is voting for Kate McAlister. |
Tony McDermott
Sagle |
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