Republican leaders serve Idaho poorly | Spokane Spokesman-Review

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Republican leaders serve Idaho poorly
Our View: Latest bad legislation may prove costly, too.


Idaho lawmakers are sworn to uphold the state and national constitutions -- just like Gem State judges.

But you'd never know that by the way some Republican lawmakers conduct themselves. Once lobbyists begin their wining and dining, the special interest groups come calling and caucus members fawn over them, leaders such as House Speaker Bruce Newcomb are capable of closed-door chicanery and bad decisions -- even unconstitutional ones.

On several occasions, this page has referred to Newcomb's infamous remark about a bill that tried to circumvent a ban on collecting the state gas tax on Indian reservations. Newcomb and others ignored a court ruling and an attorney general's opinion that the bill was unconstitutional: "The thing is," Newcomb said, "it might work."

It didn't. Now, the state is wasting more money appealing a second adverse court decision to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

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