Did the Caldwell Police Chief Dispurse City Funds to a Political Candidate?
By Greg Pruett • November 21, 2024Some citizens are criticizing Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram for what appears to be a political donation from city funds to Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford’s campaign.
Idaho Dispatch received a receipt/requisition form from the city of Caldwell for $600 for Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford. Clifford holds an annual golf tournament called the “Sheriff’s Cup.” This year, the event had its fourth iteration.
You can see a screenshot from Google of the event below:
The Facebook link on the Sheriff’s Cup site goes directly to Clifford’s campaign page. Event tickets are purchased through the Sheriff’s campaign website.
The Idaho Sunshine Report logs a $600 donation from Ingram to Clifford on September 7, 2023. You can see a screenshot of the report below:
While two lines show the same amount and date, one line is an amended report changing the address from a P.O. Box to a physical address. There are not two separate donations of $600.
The receipt from the city also has the date of September 7.
Additionally, the bottom of the receipt says,
“Thank you for supporting my re-election campaign. I am excited to get a chance to see you at our third annual golf event.”
The receipt also says the money was for sponsorship of the “3rd Annual Sheriff’s Cup.”
You might wonder, “Is using public funds for campaign donations illegal?”
The section of code that seems most applicable to this situation is Idaho Code 74-604, which says, in part,
“74-604. PUBLIC FUNDS PROHIBITED. Unless specifically required by law, and except as provided in this chapter:
(1) Neither a public entity nor its employees shall make, nor shall a public official make or authorize, an expenditure from public funds to advocate for or against a candidate or a ballot measure.”
According to this code section, public funds cannot be used to advocate for a candidate or ballot measure. Money going from the city of Caldwell, signed off on by Ingram, to the Clifford campaign would appear to violate the law.
What are the penalties for violation?
According to Idaho Code 74-606, an individual can be fined up to $250 for violating the statute, and if they knowingly violate the statute, they can be penalized up to $1,500.
Idaho Dispatch contacted Char Jackson, the city of Caldwell’s public information officer, and asked if the funds had been returned to the city. Jackson told Idaho Dispatch that the funds had been reimbursed. In a follow-up email, we asked what date the funds were reimbursed. We have not received a reply to that question yet.
It would be interesting to hear Ingram explain why city money was used to purchase the tickets in the first place. Additionally, would he be able to explain whether they knew the law at the time that prohibited city funds from being used or if they found out later on that the purchase was prohibited?
Tags: Caldwell Police Department, Char Jackson, City of Caldwell, Golf, Jarom Wagoner, Rex Ingram, Sheriff Matt Clifford
What’s interesting is that Rex Ingram was stopped in Eagle by an Ada County motorcycle deputy on 02-05-2024 for speeding in a school zone. Fours days later on 02-09-2023 Rex donated $300 to Matt Cliffords campaign. Coincidence? He’s stopped for speeding regularly in Ada County and uses his name and rank as chief to get out of tickets by name dropping himself. Which is a violation of Caldwell city policy. Do a records request for “Murica” license plate in Ada and surrounding agencies. Also, ask Canyon County Sheriff about the time Rex didn’t want to wait in traffic on Highway 20-26, so he turned his police lights on to get around traffic. CCSO deputies thought he was in a pursuit and joined in. Rex pulled into the Franklin Junction gas station and the deputies pulled in after him. He then tells them he just didn’t want to wait in traffic to get home. All of this is requestable through FOIAs.
I have seen the body cam footage of one(so far) traffic stop in which Ingram was doing 38 in a 25 mph school zone. He did immediately say he was heading to work as the police chief of Caldwell. Although my initial reaction was to fault the officer who immediately capitulated, handed him his drivers license back and told him to have good day, I realized it was out of self preservation.
If you have footage of the other stops, especially the one on 20/26 I would like if you could send that to me!
Corruption starts small. What we’re seeing in our federal government didn’t start there, it started by small town police chiefs getting by with speeding, driving recklessly, having affairs (that are a poorly kept secret), spending tax payers money for personal gain, etc. This is where corruption begins and where it needs to be stopped.
City of Caldwell Policy Manual
Standards of Conduct
319.5.2 ETHICS
(a) Using or disclosing one’s status as a member of the City of Caldwell in any way that could reasonably be perceived as an attempt to gain influence or authority for non-department business or activity.
The wrongful or unlawful exercise of authority on the part of any member for malicious purpose, personal gain, willful deceit or any other improper purpose.
The receipt or acceptance of a reward, fee or gift from any person for service incident to the performance of the member’s duties.
Acceptance of fees, gifts or money contrary to the rules of this department and/or laws of the state.
Offer or acceptance of a bribe or gratuity.
Misappropriation or misuse of public funds, property, personnel or services
Any other failure to abide by the standards of ethical conduct.
Why did the mayor let Shelli Boggie go from the city as she was a great HR director. She recommended the termination of Chief Ingram after an internal investigation of multiple issues with him, to include alleged prostitution solicitation in California, alleged sexual harrasment and several other issues.
Ingram got to stay and two city employees were forced out. It’s also alleged that Ingram was having an affair with a contracted employee, but Shelli was terminated for recommending Ingrams termination.
Shelli Boggie
To: Shelli Boggie >
4:18 PM
Term ending
Hi all,
I have been notified by the Mayor that my term as HR Director is ending on 9/30/24. I will be in/out of the office for trainings over the next two weeks. My last physical day at the office will be
9/25/24.
I have enjoyed working with you and wish you the
best.
Shelli
Is the mayor going to publicly release the investigation results for the private attorney hired to investigate Chief Ingram? There were multiple cops interviewed and the HR director also did an investigation. The results weren’t good and the termination of Chief Ingram was recommended, but the city decided to keep him.
They’ve paid out $160,000 to keep a former employee quite. How much is the new lawsuit for the whistle blowers firing going to cost the city.
Just think, if the mayor had simply met with the whistle blower, this could have all been avoided. Instead, the mayor does no investigation, refers the former officer back to the person he’s whistle blowing on and the Chief suspends him, places him on house arrest and eventually terminates him.
Wonder how ICRMP is going to like having to pay for this lawsuit just like the $160,000. That’s following the payment for the age discrimination lawsuit from who was the #1 choice for chief.
Will ICRMP actually pay though since they told the department not to fire the whistleblower?
How many officers have left Caldwell Police Department since Rex Ingram took over? On top of all the reckless spending on extravagant trips that doesn’t benefit the citizens of Caldwell at all, especially in a low socio-economic community, Rex has cost the taxpayers over a million in the experience that left due to his dictator style of “leadership”. He just throws away officers like they’re nothing. People who dedicated their lives to Caldwell. Instead of just being a good boss, he demands total loyalty and you must either join in to his behavior, or look the other way. He abuses his position as chief and also applied to Boise Police Department to be their Chief. Doesn’t seem to be dedicated to Caldwell. He didnt make the top eight. Heck, he lives in Star and Eagle before that. Is it best that he and his fellow California cohorts leave and let Caldwell Police Department heal? Everyone thought that there was issues before he came, but he hit overdrive and took it to a whole new level.
Sure doesn’t look good when a ISP Sergeant who’s been all over YouTube is partying with Rex Ingram and Brad Doty in Mexico at Rex Ingram’s dad’s bar called Happy Endings (Gene Martin Ingram). Especially when ISP did a lazy investigation into Ingram and someone in ISP leadership gave them parameters to stay in, versus a full investigation of misuse of taxpayer funds. Especially when Ingram allegedly lied about who purchased the $500 in Walmart gift cards to pay off a person who was going to sue over excessive use of force from an officer. $500 in gift cards to be quiet, REALLY? Who actually purchased the gift cards? Much less than the $160,000 for someone else to stay quiet. ISP is aware of the reported lie who purchased them but did they follow up yet? Did Idaho POST follow up about the lie? Ethics violation? Also, Jason Cagle left a ISP patch on the Happy Ending bar pole, just check the Facebook post on this article. Does ISP condone an ISP sergeant on vacation with a Chief they just investigated, leaving one of their patches? Especially as Jason’s clearly filming females getting their breast’s massaged right in front of Doty, Ingram and Cagle. Doty rarely smiles, but he was enjoying and laughing at the breast massages. When you listen carefully to the video, it’s discussed about prices of massages near their hotels. Is this massage envy type massages, or illicit massages? Did two members of law enforcement from two different agencies get these “massages”? Who were the three women in the videos, two of which were getting breast massages as Doty, Ingram and Cagle sat there. Grown men watching young women get their breasts massaged and laughing, saying they wished they had that job. What is the ISP director going to do about this? Is he going to send someone to the Happy Endings bar to remove the Idaho State Police Patch? How about removing the parameters set for the misuse of public funds and doing an actual investigation. You’d think they learned their lesson after the last public embarrassment they had with an investigation.
Did taxpayers pay for this trip? Did the Chief use his vacation for this out of country trip, or was he “avaliable by phone”? Can all other city employees take time off and list “available by phone” so they don’t lose any time off?
This video seems concerning for those in it. Could be a political embarrassment for the city and several public officials. Especially the massage conversation.
Still confused on why an ISP sergeant would be in Mexico with a police officer they just investigated. Wonder if the ISP sergeant saved that naughty little video he recorded on his phone of the boob massages? Was it a work or personal phone?
Click this link to the Happy Endings bar Mexico trip. Starring Rex Ingram, Brad Doty and Jason Cagle. The video at the end is interesting.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/J4h8andRSFtkV6h2/
Which city attorney did Chief Ingram have handcuffed in the department conference room, as they were giggling with the door closed? What was the excuse given when another employee walked in on them? Supposedly, he was showing this attorney how cops handcuff. Rigggghhhhtttt…..
Did this happen at a training where is should have or behind closed doors?
That would be the young blonde former City attorney whose firm suddenly no longer represents the city, after several decades.
This change in counsel seems to coincide with Human Resource employee Shelli Boggie being unceremoniously relieved of her position.
Is it true that the Chief had a sexual affair with the city attorney? Which was one of the reasons Shelli recommended termination. Did the Chief just get served with another lawsuit today??? I bet the answers are yes to all.
Did this attorney that had an affair with the chief also spend hours and hours while being paid by the city contract, perform duties for the non-profit mounted patrol program? You know that horse program that wasn’t supposed to involve any taxpayers dollars, but suddenly was using THOUSANDS of taxpayer dollars. So taxpayers are paying this attorney for legal services, but all the while this attorney was serving a role in the non-profit. Did the non-profit reimburse the city for all these hours? Sounds a little fishy.
Also, Lieutenant Tucker was sent to Canada for the horse program. While up there he got hurt and then got workman’s comp for awhile. Did the horse “non-profit” reimburse the city for those costs well over $10,000?
This horse program sure is costing the city when it wasn’t supposed to cost the city a dime. Yet the city is falling apart and many people aren’t getting police service. Patrol is so short and in desperate need of help while the CPD administration travels all over burning through taxpayer funds. The admin doesn’t even live in canyon County and barely know Caldwell.
You should see what the Chief and Deputy chief gets paid. The chief has taken a lot of vacation but strangely he hasn’t lost many vacation days. His schedule always says “available by phone”. Shouldn’t he be using his vacation just like the rest of the city staff? Or is he special? Must be banking that leave so he can cash it out.
They sure found their piggy bank in Caldwell.
The citizens can barely pay their bills and he eats out at Ruth’s Chris steakhouse and many other fancy joints. Then there was the Idaho Steelheads suite that was reserved with cpd funds. All while people can get officers to come to calls like drug houses, speeders and many more.
The chief brags that crimes down, but how many calls have they not responded to over the last 2 years. Statistics can always be skewed to make one look good. But the streets of Caldwell look bad. Just drive around and watch traffic crime be a free for all. All that wasted money could have paid for additional hard working street officers.
You should see the top administrators gas card purchases. When you records request them, for some strange reason they black out some of the locations. Why would the city black out gas card purchase locations. Was the chief and other administration members somewhere they shouldn’t be?
What about the gas card for a car that CPD doesn’t have anymore? Why did it get a bunchhhhhhh of charges when that car didn’t even exist in the fleet for CPD? It sure did get used by somebody wink wink.
Did a Caldwell PD high ranking admin go on a training and get several thousand dollars in per diem, to then come back and submit receipts for meals and get reimbursed? Isn’t that what the person diem was for?
Isn’t it the duty of the chief of police to look after the safety and well-being of the officers below him or does that just pertain to the captains buddies who get hired and promoted within 5 months of working at the department? Keep in mind the Chief may not even be certified by Idaho post. Multiple complaints of said Chief to the prosecuting attorney’s office. Where Captain Rosin covered it up. Targeting of officers based on their association with officers that Rex terminated Or compromising the safety of undercover officers at an open event.
Old 119, can you elaborate what complaints were made to the Prosecuting attorney but not followed up on regarding the Chief? How to Captain Rosin cover it up? Sounds like Idaho POST and the attorney general should follow up.
Was it because the Prosecuting attorney was driving to Boise for a second job (legal representative for a church) in a county vehicle while on Canyon county time? A little double dipping on the taxpayer dime?
Not certified by POST? Has he taken any police action? What’s been going on for all the time he’s been here? Maybe less travel and more police work? Rookies get certified by POST, but he can’t?
e3chhb
Does anyone know why Brian Taylor didn’t run for office again? He should be investigating all this stuff, but he’s leaving soon.