Before a packed gallery, 15 House Republicans gathered on the House floor Tuesday morning to air their concerns about Gov. Brad Little’s coronavirus response.
But the lawmakers took no action. Instead, lawmakers read a proclamation that said Little’s actions in response to the pandemic pose a “constitutional crisis.”
“Idaho citizens are crying out for a voice in the present, and (threatened) future, enforcement of personal restrictions on their livelihood, travel, and association,” reads the opening paragraph of the three-page proclamation, which Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale, sent to reporters Monday night.
The proclamation, and Tuesday’s session, centered on a litany of concerns, including the appropriation of $1.25 billion in federal coronavirus aid to Little’s decision to shift to an all vote-by-mail primary election this spring. But while some event organizers hoped lawmakers would vote to rescind Little’s March 25 emergency declaration, that didn’t happen.
“This is not a session of the Legislature,” said Boyle, according to Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press. “We do not have a quorum.”
Here’s the list of House GOP attendees, as reported by Russell and Heath Druzin of Boise State Public Radio:
- Vito Barbieri, Dalton Gardens.
- Judy Boyle, Midvale.
- Chad Christensen, Ammon.
- Brent Crane, Nampa.
- Terry Gestrin, Donnelly.
- Priscilla Giddings, White Bird.
- Mike Kingsley, Lewiston.
- Ron Mendive, Coeur d’Alene.
- Dorothy Moon, Stanley.
- Tammy Nichols, Middleton.
- Tim Remington, Coeur d’Alene.
- Heather Scott, Blanchard.
- Paul Shepherd, Riggins.
- Tony Wisniewski, Post Falls.
- Christy Zito, Hammett.
