Mixed Results in Tuesday Election
Bond/Levy measures in Ada ($500 million over 10 years) and Bonneville ($34.5 million) did not pass while Coeur d’Alene ($50 million, 2 year) and Vallivue ($78 million) did pass. Other bonds and levies are listed in the article with similar mixed results.
FBI Whistleblowers Testify Before Congress
Four whistleblowers from the FBI testified on Thursday about retaliation they have suffered for speaking out. Earlier in the week, Special Counsel John Durham issued a report chastising the FBI for pursuing an investigation of President Trump without having a clear reason to do so. The ‘weaponization’ of the US justice system is part of the investigation being done by the special Congressional committee. The ranking chair stated that the entire investigation is a political effort to assist former President Trump.
Little Joins GOP Governors Opposing Title IX Change
Title IX was enacted in 1972 to prohibit sex based discrimination in schools that receive federal funding. The Biden Administration is looking to add a rule that would include protection for transgender athletes, allowing them to compete in sports according to their gender identity. Governor Little tweeted on Thursday that he has joined 24 other Republican Governors who sent a letter to the Biden Administration to delay or forgo the rule.
Supreme Court Upholds Section 230
A landmark case involving the liability of platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, et al was ruled in favor of YouTube (Google). The court sent the matter back to the lower appeals court indicating its agreement with the lower court to throw out the case. This essentially means that social media platforms are not liable for the content on their platforms. The decision was hailed by freedom of speech groups but some questions about algorithms on these platforms that promote certain content may still be on the table for future litigation.
UI Plan to Buy Phoenix University Approved
The State Board of Education met Thursday and unanimously approved a plan by the University of Idaho to purchase for-profit University of Phoenix (UP). The purchase amount is $550 million and will be funded by bonds and nearly $200 million in assets from UP.
Critics of the deal have pointed to the weak fiscal situation and poor reputation of UP which torpedoed a plan by the University of Arkansas to purchase the group.
BPD Racism Investigation - Not Widespread
A report from the law firm Steptoe & Johnson found ‘small but significant’ amounts of racism within the Boise Police Department (BPD). The investigation was launched after allegations of white supremacy were made against a retired BPD officer. The report was critical of the officer in its findings. The City of Boise spent $500,000 for the report which was exhausted before all of the collected documents could be reviewed.
See also:
Voter Turnout, NOT Slander, Behind Kootenai County Library Victory — Parents Voted En Masse For KCRCC Candidates To Protect Children From Harmful Materials In Their Library | The Numbers Don’t Lie. When Conservatives Show Up, Conservatives Win.: https://www.idahotribune.org/news/voter-turnout-not-slander-behind-kootenai-county-library-victory-parents-voted-en-masse-for-kcrcc-candidates-to-protect-children-from-harmful-materials-in-their-library