The federal government hasn't paid millions to prop up an Idaho public education broadband network and may be withholding the cash because of an unresolved lawsuit, a state official says.
Department of Administration Director Teresa Luna said Tuesday the Federal Communications Commission hasn't made millions in payments to private telecommunication companies running the Idaho Education Network since about March.
Luna speculates the FCC isn't paying because of an ongoing state-court lawsuit filed by a phone company, Syringa Networks, that was shut out of the contract to help run the network.
The 2009 lawsuit targets Idaho and former Department of Administration Director Mike Gwartney.
The Legislature's budget committee is trying to figure out how to make up a total of about $14.4 million, while ensuring the FCC eventually makes its payments.
