The announcement came of Otter's chief of staff leaving that position to eventually become the chief lobbyist for Idaho Power's holding company, IdaCorp. Ka-ching! Remember Jeff Malmen's the one who made some headlines when it was discovered he was one of the state's top paid employees making more than the Governor. He certainly is a contender for the highest paid political appointee in the state. Taking his place is Jeff's good friend Jason Kriezenbeck who is leaving his lobbying position with Micron to become Otter's new chief of staff. While transitions are a time of mixed feelings, none of these players is losing in this incestuous scenario.
John Miller's story implies some wrongdoing taking his lead from these observations made by the Boise Guardian regarding a similar exodus of employees from the County. They left the County to work for the same developers whose projects needed their approval while at the County. Other states maintain a moratorium for a period of time on soliciting political favor from the office you just left. So does the federal government. Regardless of any actual impropriety, the taint of the appearance of partiality makes any decision that affects Idaho Power or Micron made by the Governor, or state government in general, automatically suspect.
But Idaho has been ruled by Republicans and its culture of corruption. Idaho Democrat Kate Kelly identified several instances in the recent past where reform was desparately needed. Last session efforts were made by Democrats in the Statehouse to clean it up. Republicans killed it in committee. This should be a bipartisan issue but clearly its not.
One vestige of ethics in Idaho government requires lobbyists to wear badges in government buildings to clearly identify their status as a special interest so the rural dominated legislators know who's buying the drinks. When the legislature is in session you can't swing an elephant's trunk in downtown Boise without hitting one. The special interests seeking to obtain their way with government is a big and lucrative business here in Boise.
The Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI) is proud to be known as "The Voice of Business in Idaho" - representing the interests of the statewide business community on public policy issues before the Idaho Legislature. IACI is a tremendous source of revenue for any aspiring politician. During the last gubernatorial election the Democratic candidate, Jerry Brady, spoke to an IACI symposium and made the politically brave and refreshingly honest statement to this group that but for the special interests they represent he'd have no one the run against.
At the time IACI was headed by Steve Ahrens, spouse of Pam Ahrens, former Republican Senator and former head of the soon to be defunct Dept. of Administration. IACI's Vice Chairman of the Board Directors is none other than Otter's new chief of staff, Jason Kreizenbeck, a position he will be required to resign. But his good friend and fellow Micron lobbyist Mike Reynoldson has got his back at IACI and the Kreizenbeck move will likely facilitate communication between the offices, not that its needed. Indeed the membership of IACI reeks of former Republican staffers including Republican Senator Patti Ann's son Ed Lodge and former Republican Party Executive Director Trent Clark.
The Governor's former father in law, JR Simplot, stakeholder for Micron can't be any more inside the statehouse with Kreizenbeck's appointment. Looking at the contibution list one could argue Vandersloot, through Melalueca, tried to buy the Attorney General and it would appear he hopes to curry similar favor with Senatorial candidate Risch. There's a water war being waged in Idaho right now that people seem to be tiptoeing around. The first targets for shut down are pumpers in SE Idaho. While some don't realize it yet their enemy is Idaho Power who is already securing advance positions on the field of battle in state government. Indeed the rumor on the street is that Butch obliged Idaho Power in replacing the head of the Idaho Department of Water Resources during the transition from the Risch administration.
Only Democrats are advocating a level playing field. What's at stake? Well we have recent efforts to restructure the tax burden which resulted in an increase in the regressive sales tax, placing more of the tax burden on the backs of the poor and middle class. Micron repeatedly asks for and receives tax breaks as an incentive to stay, a promise they are already in the process of breaking. Special deals for Tamarack that involve the loss of Idaho's public lands to this highly speculative enterprise. Idaho Power wants as much water as it can lay claim to at the expense of Idaho farmers. It also wants fewer restrictions on its operations and will sacrifice Idaho's anadromous fish given the opportunity to do so. Its also moving into coal fire power business which threatens our rapidly diminishing air quality particularly in the Treasure Valley.
Idaho needs transparency in government now more than ever if we don't want to sacrifice our way of life to the corporate bottom line. Its time for a change.
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