Political misinformation and attacks on Woodward

If you’ve recently received junk mail attacking Jim Woodward, a native of Boundary and Bonner counties, brace yourself for more as Idaho’s primary election approaches. This malicious misinformation campaign, unprecedented in our state, is largely the work of a few discontented far-right extremists. It’s a departure from our usual electoral process.

The group spearheading these mailings, which masquerades under the guise of “Freedom,” is propelled by the unelected Idaho Freedom Foundation. Their tactics have significantly eroded the credibility of the Idaho Republican Party, more so than any other entity in recent memory. Their covert operations, filled with unfounded accusations and deceitful campaigns, target Republican officials who vote based on their own understanding, causing considerable harm to the Idaho Legislature.

These self-proclaimed guardians of freedom rose to power by exploiting Idaho voters’ complacency, which intensified after the Republican Primary became a closed event. Suddenly, many self-identified conservatives found themselves excluded from voting in the primary simply because they hadn’t formally registered as Republicans.

Unfortunately, libel and slander laws don’t always protect against blatant lies about political candidates, a fact not widely understood. As a result, Idahoans are inundated with attack ads as ruthless as those found in any authoritarian regime.

DARRELL KERBY

Bonners Ferry