The recent events of the February 22nd Kootenai County Republican Central Committee townhall forum left many in our community dismayed, angered, perplexed, and disappointed; caveat – unless you are member of KCRCC. It appeared they were elated when Sheriff Norris and the “security guards” apprehended and assaulted Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl for interrupting and disrupting the townhall attempting to escort her out. Why wasn’t the CDA Police called to escort her out?

So many questions still remain. These questions will have to be decided by our Idaho court system. Perhaps the most important question may be whether or not the event was a public or private. Mr. Brent Regan, KCRCC Chairman, states it was a private event; however, the CDA School District immediately responded saying it was a public event. According to Mr. Regan KCRCC paid 500 dollars for use of the facility. It will be interesting to see how the court system reviews this question. Since all of our North Idaho elected legislators are elected by citizens of Idaho – to include Dr. Borrenpohl – is there any reason the event should NOT be public, as opposed to private. Sheriff Norris faces questions too. Of course, anyone can go into Idaho Code and find code that support his actions. However, what you can’t dispute is that he is an elected official and is supported by the very folks who were in charge of the event! Can you say fox in the henhouse! Does he have a bias? Of course! The local CDA police should have been called and escorted Dr. Borrenpohl out of the auditorium in a peaceful way. They are a neutral party! It is just disturbing and baffling how Sheriff Norris and the “security guards” did not ONCE try to de-escalate this very volatile situation. Emcee Ed Bajerana continued to fuel the flames and incite the crowd by calling her a “little girl.” Please Mr. Ed she has a PhD and is certainly not little on an educational level or in age. I would say she may have been the smartest person in the room. Having said this, Dr. Borrenpohl had a clear intentional bias during the townhall as a Democrat activist. Her careless and reckless view of the decorum of the townhall was clearly evident and like I said above, very disappointing! It was extremely disappointing that she took it upon herself to completely disrupt the entire townhall. Very selfish, very selfish indeed. Two wrongs don’t make a right!

How can we as a community move forward in a civil manner at future townhalls? This is a difficult and certainly complex questions.  I just read a letter to the editor a few days ago in the CDA Press from a concerned citizen who attended the Kootenai County Democrat dinner.  This citizen from what I surmised was wishing to become engaged politically but all he heard at this Democrat dinner was attack, attack, attack. Shouldn’t the true essence of politics be compromise, dialogue, and working across the aisle? The Democrats of Kootenai County should review and learn from our beloved former Governor Cecil Andruss, RIP, as a role model. But they don’t. Policies such as men playing in women’s sports, infringing on our 2^nd Amendment, consistently preaching higher taxes on the wealthy, advocating for more regulations on our successful businesses in Idaho, and did not secure our Southwest Border.

I reflect on these policies and I am firm in my support and affiliation to the Republican Party. I also reflect in my remembering fondly former President Ronald Regan visiting and having lunch with Representative Tip O’Neil. I also fondly remember 2008 at a townhall forum where Sen John McCain RIP corrected a Republican voter who proclaimed that then Presidential candidate Barrack Obama was a terrorist and an Arab. Sen McCain immediately took control of the microphone from her and firmly said NO MA’AM, NO MA’AM. He is a good decent family man. We just disagree on policies for our country.

Perhaps someday Kootenai County can have a sincere reflective debate with our Democratic friends by reflecting two examples and have some dialogue in a civil manner. We can all do better.

Damon R. Darakjy

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