Ae we've been saying for some time, the recent spate of land use and state finance initiatives are an abuse of the initiative process. More evidence of that today, from the Center for Public Integrity.
From their story:
"The Idaho group that’s pushing Proposition 2 is being kept afloat by large infusions of cash from out-of-state organizations controlled by Howard Rich, a wealthy political activist in New York. Records released yesterday by the Idaho Secretary of State’s office show that This House is MY Home, the chief proponent of Proposition 2, received $75,000 of its $76,764 in contributions from June 3 to September 30, 2006, from America at its Best, a Rich-funded organization."
Prop 2 is a New York idea, not an Idaho idea.
UPDATE Our usual practice is to run here emails sent to us only after communicating back, but in this case no name was attached to the mail - it was addressed simply as freedomworks(at)wwdb.org, the latter being an ISP rather than a political site - its sender remains anonymous (not usually a good sign). The message:
Randy, re: your citation of the Center for Public Integrity's focus on Prop 2 funding by Howie Rich...
In the interests of balance and full disclosure, ever occur to you to ask who funds Center for Public Integrity?
Just wait a few days. It's a lot bigger (and wealthier) name than Howie Rich. And the Butches of the world are gonna wish they could go crawl in a hole somewhere...
Actually, just call up Laird and ask for his news release. AP is already on it.
By way of response: (more…)