North Idaho lawmakers oppose censure
Former fighter pilot Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, holds up an A10 ammunition during her speech with the North Idaho Freedom Fighters Saturday morning. (MADISON HARDY/Press)
By a vote of her peers, White Bird Rep. Priscilla Giddings was censured Monday morning and unseated from one of her legislative committees.
The censure stems from an ethics complaint filed against Giddings in May for sharing an article that identified a 19-year-old legislative intern who accused former Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, R-Lewiston, of rape. Twenty-five House members signed onto the complaint.
Ehlinger had his first court appearance on Oct. 14 for two felony charges — rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object. The former representative pleaded not guilty in District Court Nov. 8. Ehlinger's next court appearance is April 26, 2022.
The recommendation was passed by a House vote of 49-19 on Monday morning. However, North Idaho lawmakers represented five, or 26%, of the opposition.
Here is the breakdown:
Nay
• Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard,
• Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens
• Rep. Doug Okuniewicz, R-Dalton Gardens
• Rep. Ron Mendive, R-Post Falls
• Rep. Tony Wisniewski, R-Post Falls
Aye
• Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay
• Rep. Jim Addis, R-Coeur d’Alene
• Rep. Paul Amador, R-Coeur d’Alene
Giddings, who represents Shoshone and part of Bonner County, also voted against her censure. During deliberations on the House floor, the lawmaker said she "would not have done anything differently" and that her "intention is pure."
Scott, Barbieri and Wisniewski spoke in defense of Giddings during the two-hour floor session.
Giddings is a candidate in the 2022 lieutenant governor race.
She will be removed from the House Commerce and Human Resources Committee, which presides over state employee laws. However, Giddings will keep her seat on two powerful House committees — Local Government, Resources & Conservation, and State Affairs.