This Republican voting for Kate McAlister

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.