A group campaigning for Idaho’s Propositions 1, 2, and 3 refuses to divulge the names of individual donors. Lawyer Christ Troupis represents Education Voters of Idaho. Troupis delivered a letter Friday to Idaho’s Secretary of State saying his client did not have to accede to the secretary’s demand for names.
Education Voters gave $200,000 to another group, Idaho Parents for Education Reform for pro-propositions 1, 2 and 3 commercials. The groups have the same leaders. Troupis says under federal law Education Voters is an individual entity not a group of individuals. He says that means Ed Voters is the donor and that’s all it needs to report. But he says his client is willing to compromise to avoid going to court. Parents for Reform will give the money back to Ed Voters.
“It’s not preferable to go to war over everything,” Troupis explains. “I don’t think the actions taken against Education Voters of Idaho Inc. were well considered. And we wanted to give the Secretary of State and the State of Idaho the opportunity to reconsider.”
Secretary of State Ben Ysursa says the refund does not satisfy the demands of Idaho’s Sunshine Law which requires financial disclosure for political committees.
“Our goal hasn’t changed,” Ysursa says. “Our goal is to get pre-election disclosure. If there’s a way to get that, that they don’t have a problem with, then fine. But if there’s not a way to get that without seeking further legal remedies then that’s what we have to do.”
Ysursa says the state is considering its legal options and will know by Monday how it will proceed.