<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium; "><span>"The postcard itself was so serious and damaging that we pretty much had t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium; "><span>o drop everything and address it directly or people would have believed </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium; "><span>it," Bouma said.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium;"><br></span></div><div><span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium;">This is funny! He dealt with it by pulling out of the KRFP debate, where he would have gotten plenty of questions on the matter and could have cleared up a lot of things.<br></span><br>I hope law enforcement is taking the time to check and see whether or not Bouma was behind this. It certainly was a nice way to avoid dealing with his Pastor's bigotry, putting the prejudice on the other foot.</div><div><br>On Dec 6, 2010, at 6:42 AM, "Tom Hansen" <<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>Courtesy of today's (December 6, 2010) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.</span><br><span></span><br><span>---------------------------------------------------------</span><br><span></span><br><span>Election postcard case continues</span><br><span>More than 150 cards sent to Idaho forensics lab</span><br><span></span><br><span>By [author]Christina Lords[/author] [org]Daily News Staff Writer[/org]</span><br><span>December 6, 2010</span><br><span></span><br><span>More than a month after Election Day, law enforcement continues to work on</span><br><span>the case relating to an inflammatory political postcard about an Idaho</span><br><span>Senate candidate sent out to potentially hundreds of Latah County</span><br><span>residents just days before voters were to go to the polls.</span><br><span></span><br><span>The postcard, which depicted Gresham Bouma, Republican candidate for Idaho</span><br><span>Senate in District 6, and mentioned several other candidates, was sent to</span><br><span>residents Oct. 16.</span><br><span></span><br><span>The postcard stated voting for Bouma and Dave McGraw, the Republican</span><br><span>candidate for Latah County Commissioner District 3, was "not enough."</span><br><span></span><br><span>The postcard stated "You are not a true Christian and you are on the path</span><br><span>to hell," and states voters should be "true believers" or be "struck</span><br><span>down."</span><br><span></span><br><span>"The postcard itself was so serious and damaging that we pretty much had</span><br><span>to drop everything and address it directly or people would have believed</span><br><span>it," Bouma said.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Lt. Brannon Jordan of the Latah County Sheriff's Office said county</span><br><span>officials received about 150 of the postcards and each of those cards have</span><br><span>been sent to the Idaho state forensics lab to be individually processed</span><br><span>for fingerprint and other evidence.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"We still don't have a suspect, but we are still actively working on it,"</span><br><span>he said. "We're in active contact with the postal inspector ... we don't</span><br><span>want to let this go."</span><br><span></span><br><span>Bouma has denied the postcard originated from his campaign, and organizers</span><br><span>and candidates from both sides of the political aisle condemned the act.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Bouma said the postcard may have affected the outcome of the election</span><br><span>because the incident cost him valuable campaigning time right before</span><br><span>voters went to the polls.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"After reflecting on it, I think it obviously took us off of our message</span><br><span>for about five days and just weeks before the election," he said. "We</span><br><span>definitely had some fires to put out. We had a policy to stay positive in</span><br><span>our message ... and that got us off of our message."</span><br><span></span><br><span>A $1,000 reward fund from the Bouma campaign is still available for anyone</span><br><span>with information on the creator or creators of the postcard, Bouma said.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Additional money was offered by Moscow Cares and donations from other</span><br><span>various community members. The Postcard Hoax Information Reward Fund has</span><br><span>three directors: Latah County Democratic Party Chairman Dave Nelson, Latah</span><br><span>County Republican Chairman Walter Steed and Tom Hansen of the Moscow Cares</span><br><span>website.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"The way the reward was set up was at the judgement of the sheriff," Steed</span><br><span>said. "If there were no leads by Dec. 1, that money would be refunded to</span><br><span>donors."</span><br><span></span><br><span>The money has not yet been refunded because the parties are still waiting</span><br><span>to see if any more information will surface, he said.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Steed said he was contacted by the Latah County Prosecuting Attorney's</span><br><span>Office after the election to reassure the parties involved that officials</span><br><span>are still pursuing leads in the case.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Bouma said the incident has not changed his mind about his decision for</span><br><span>running for office, and he will not "lay down and roll over" when it comes</span><br><span>to the issues he campaigned on during the election.</span><br><span></span><br><span>The creator or creators of the postcard need to be apprehended, he said.</span><br><span></span><br><span>"When these kind of tactics succeed ... only the people they tolerate will</span><br><span>make office," Bouma said. "We just can't let them win."</span><br><span></span><br><span>Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact the sheriff's</span><br><span>office at (208) 882-2216.</span><br><span></span><br><span>---------------------------------------------------------</span><br><span></span><br><span>Crank up your speakers and . . .</span><br><span></span><br><span>Be a hero, Moscow.</span><br><span><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com/Hero">http://www.MoscowCares.com/Hero</a></span><br><span></span><br><span>Tom Hansen</span><br><span>Moscow, Idaho</span><br><span></span><br><span>"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change</span><br><span>and the Realist adjusts his sails."</span><br><span></span><br><span>- Unknown</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>=======================================================</span><br><span> List services made available by First Step Internet, </span><br><span> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. </span><br><span> <a href="http://www.fsr.net">http://www.fsr.net</a> </span><br><span> <a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com"><a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</a></a></span><br><span>=======================================================</span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>