Press Release: Legislative District 33 (Idaho Falls) GOP Committee Votes to Censure Two Representatives
By Press Release • February 18, 2024The following press release was sent out by Legislative District 33 (Idaho Falls) Republicans. Press releases do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at the Idaho Dispatch.
GOP Legislative District 33 Votes to Censure Representatives Lent and Erickson for Not Following the GOP Platform
IDAHO FALLS, ID, FEBRUARY 16, 2024
As per the new rule, Article XX, adopted by the Idaho Republican party, which was put in place to hold legislators accountable to the professed Republican Party ideals, Legislative District 33 voted to Censure Representatives David Lent and Marco Erickson. The vote to censure was for not following the GOP Platform which they signed and pledged to accept as the standard by which their performance as candidates and officeholders should be evaluated.
Our goal as a legislative district committee is to work with our elected representatives. We are grateful for their dedication and commitment. We urge them to learn more about the principles of natural law upon which the Idaho and U.S. Constitutions and the Republican Party Platform are based and vote in accordance thereof. We also thank the PCOs who studied the objections and cared enough to express their desires and concerns.
Jilene Burger
Chair, Republican Legislative District 33
Tags: Censure, David Lent, GOP, Idaho Constitution, Idaho Falls, Idaho House of Representatives, Idaho Legislative District 33, Idaho Republican Party Platform, Jilene Burger, Marco Erickson, Representatives, Republicans, U.S. Constitution
On a larger scale can Chuck Winder and Mike Simpson be censured yet this month?
At least Mike Simpson voted no to send more of our tax dollars to Ukraine. Can’t say that about Crapo and Risch.
Crapo and Risch will again be reelected bu the dumbed down Tv watching voters
Risch just introduced a bill to seize the frozen Russian assets, $600B, to be liquidated and sent to Ukraine along with additional tax dollars. This could destroy the already weakened position of the dollar as the world reserve currency.
Yes, Winder and Simpson need to be censured!
WINDER. (D.)
So, what I hear this article saying is that the Idaho GOP just voted to censure two elected representatives because those representatives have a slightly different idea of what conservatism is? That seems very much like the fascist ideals presented by democrats which is to destroy anything that doesn’t align to their exact beliefs.
So I guess the Idaho GOP is now invalidating elections? Oh how far conservatives have fallen.
Jay, it’s more that Idaho has a serious problem with Democrats running as Republicans because they know they won’t get elected otherwise. Second, both men signed a pledge to adhere to party platform. If that was no longer possible for them, they should have publicly said so and informed their electorate they no longer identified as Republicans on those issues. But they did it. This isn’t a costume party.
On that , I agree. I also think that Idaho has a serious problem with party switching to impact primaries and elections.
That said, it is serious government overreach for them to determine who is or isn’t appropriate to vote for or who isn’t appropriate once elected.
Our system of government allows for the removal of an individual from office, and of the people who elected them find it appropriate to remove them, then the people should do it and not the government.
As of now, the Idaho GOP is no better than their Commiecrat opponents.
I agree with you that bith parties are a colossal let down, I do believe Legislative Districts should (and need to) hold the elected officials to their oath/ contract. If there is no accountability (which is what would happen if left to the everyday citizen who usually cannot be bothered to be educated on political matters in their own backyard) then there is no order and then there is no effective governing. If censuring two elected officials is what it takes to a) remind them what they agreed to and b) that they are being monitored then huzzah, let’s do it. This country needs more personal accountability from the top down and back up again.
You hit tht nail on the head. Those serving in office as Republicans no longer have the freedom of either speech or thought unless that bow to the will and written word of the Party. That certainly resembles another system elsewhere in the world. Years ago, through a voter iiative, term limits became the law in Idaho, that is until the legislature tore it up nearly on arrival. Yet, being against term limits is part of the Republican platform. So is paying state employees the same as the private sector. Are you laughing yet? Most folks I know in the Republican party are in favot of term limits. Most are in favor of paying the public sector the same as comparable work in the private sector. There’s many, many other examples of things that honest elected officials may not agree with, yet the obvious minority (speaking in terms of opinion) are ruling the roost in terms of domination of Republican thought and actions.
What is it about a party platform that you don’t understand? Citizens choose a code of ethics and a world view , then choose a party platform which articulates those values and vote for candidates who promise to uphold those values (THE PARTY PLATFORM)!! If you go shopping, purchase a pair of brown leather shoes, get home open the box only to find a pair of gray suede shoes, then what ? That’s not what you paid for. If the republican platform doesn’t fit move on to one that does, but don’t steal the brand to sneak in under false pretenses!!
Totally agree with you Lyle! In fact, when the 50 “prominent” Republicans signed an ad for Democrat Arkoosh, then running for AG, I felt that the Idaho GOP should have kicked them out of the party altogether. I am sure that supporting a DEMOCRAT is not in the REPUBLICAN PLATFORM. Democrat ideals are FAR FROM WHAT THE GOP believes. But, they’re still in there, aren’t they? If you join the club and don’t follow the rules, well — that’s on YOU.
“…They signed and pledged to accept the GOP Platform as the standard by which their performance as candidates and officeholders should be evaluated.”
The district has the right to censure them, if they do not follow the standards they pledged to. Doesn’t sound outside the scope of a Republic at all. We need to hold our legislators accountable to their pledges!
By “slightly differently idea”, do you mean the 180 degree difference the rouge
legislators have for defining conservatism???
My previous comment FEB 23 about slightly is directed to JAY TEE of Feb 19, 2024 post.
Can someone elaborate on just what votes justify this censure?
If you are confused enough to ask such an obvious question, try reading the state & national GOP platforms. When you get a ticket for flying through a stop sign or busted (censored) for doing 50 mph in a 25 mph zone and don’t understand why, try reading the drivers manual. The party platform is the drivers manual for REPUBLICANS, please read what the consensus of the hundreds of thousands of like minded people in convention have adopted!!
The Idaho GOP is a joke. State representatives SHOULD have a brain and be able to think for themselves to represent their constituents rather than blindly following a party platform that is written to support the statists in the legislature and not the people.
And how would you fix the problem of Democrats pretending to be Republican? The funding given to the GOP is meant for people who follow a defined set of principles and the politicians signed a legal contract saying they would follow those principles. Those censured broke their contract multiple times and the GOP is obligated to follow up or people will stop sending money to the GOP. This is common sense and obviously in short supply in this state.
Party platform is written every 2 years at the convention. The people at the convention are elected by each county central committee. These central committees have precinct committeepersons that are elected by the people. The legislature has nothing to do with writing the platform, it comes from the people of the state. The people want these ideas in the platform. So a legislator that should be able to vote the way they think no longer represents the voters that sent them there. Should the legislators vote their minds when IACI, other lobbyists or leadership/governor tell them to vote a certain way? Who should a legislator represent?
Perfect explanation, Steve!!!!
The pledge to the party platform and the right to censure is one of the best ways to ensure that RINOs are exposed!
Then why bother calling and writing our legislators if they aren’t going to represent us anyway? The precinct officers are the first line in a representative republic.
I am wondering what the Democrat party would do if someone was voted under their party and started voting conservative? How would they react? Does anyone want to try this experiment??
I am wondering what the Democrat party would do if someone was voted in under their party and started voting conservative? How would they react? Does anyone want to try this experiment??
I am wondering what the Democrat party would do if someone was voted in under their party and then started voting conservative? How would they react? Does anyone want to try this experiment??
Winder can squeeze out elected Senators from committees for relaying to their constituents the rot in the Statehouse , he doesn’t want revealed. Simpson can decide for the people of the 3rd Congressional District of New York that their vote for Santos didn’t mean a thing. He and like minded “Republicans” from across the country know what’s best for them. He can work with Democrats from Washington State to destroy water and power resources on the lower snake . Raul Labrador’s strongest oposition came from “R’s” , who loved that Wasden sat on his hands and gave them free reign in the conservative state of Idaho. So many more examples of “Republicans” in the Idaho power structure of trying to build their own unquestionable , unaccountable power hold in Idaho. Most are no different than the Liberals .