(UPDATED, 1:36 p.m., with additional detail on the 2017 tax bill.)
State elections officials want more information about the shadowy group that is orchestrating a costly campaign to oust House Speaker Mike Moyle.
A Washington, D.C.-based group, Retire Career Politicians, has spent $76,000 on negative campaigning. Their sole target is Moyle, R-Star, the senior member of the Legislature, who is seeking a 14th two-year term.
Secretary of State Phil McGrane’s office wants Retire Career Politicians to register as an Idaho political committee by close of business Tuesday. McGrane’s office made this written request on Thursday — the same day Idaho Education News asked McGrane’s office for information about Retire Career Politicians.
EdNews reported Thursday on Retire Career Politicians and other independent groups that are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars ahead of the May 21 legislative primaries. Most of that spending is on negative advertising and messaging.
In the case of Retire Career Politicians, all of its spending has been on negative messaging. On a not-so-subtly named website, retiremikemoyle.com, the group says Moyle has raked in thousands of dollars of special interest contributions, while blocking repeated attempts to repeal the sales tax on groceries.
On the grocery tax issue, the record is mixed at best.
In 2017, Moyle was the floor sponsor of a bill to repeal the grocery tax — an amended version of a Moyle-sponsored bill that would have cut income taxes. Then-Gov. Butch Otter vetoed the grocery tax cut. In 2022, Moyle was an architect of a $600 million income tax cut — amidst bipartisan complaints that this cut would undermine any moves to repeal the grocery tax. The grocery tax repeal never came up for a hearing that year, and hasn’t been seriously considered since.
Retire Career Politicians did not immediately respond Friday to an EdNews interview request.
Moyle faces a rematch in the May 21 primary, opposed by Nampa Republican Rachel Hazelip. Moyle won their 2022 matchup, with 56% of the vote.
