<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<H1><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">INK column from
weekend Daily News.....More evidence of the local Republican Party turning tea
party...BL</FONT></FONT></H1>
<DIV>------------------ </DIV>
<H1><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">A disturbing
experience at a Latah GOP meeting </FONT></FONT></H1>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">By Vera White | Posted: Saturday, March
17, 2012 1:00 am </FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The INKster appears to have become a sounding
board of late for people disillusioned with Latah County's GOP and more
specifically chairman Walter Steed. The latest is 26-year-old Henry Johnston of
Moscow, who called last week to share his experiences when he announced he was
considering a run as a Republican for the Idaho House of Representatives to
replace retiring Tom Trail, who recently filed to run for Latah County
Commissioner.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">"I want to talk to you about the unwelcoming
state of the Latah County Republican Party," Johnston said when he
called.</FONT></P>
<DIV style="DISPLAY: none" class=tncms-restricted-notice>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/dnews.com/content/tncms/live/components/core_external_jqueryui/resources/images/ui-bg_glass_95_fef1ec_1x400.png); BORDER-BOTTOM: #cd0a0a 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #cd0a0a 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fef1ec; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat-x; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 50% 50%; BORDER-TOP: #cd0a0a 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #cd0a0a 1px solid"
class="restricted-text ui-widget ui-widget-header ui-state-error"> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Those are always intriguing words to the
Democratic-leaning INKster, so Johnston immediately had her
attention.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">"In the course of making my decision, I visited
the central committee meeting two weeks ago to feel out support," he continued.
"After announcing to the group that a run for the House was on my radar screen,
though not yet confirmed, pending a couple of other ducks that needed to be
lined up, I was approached."</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">According to Johnston, an officer of the Latah
Republicans told him he better be prepared to defend himself.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">"I thought he was referring to the columns I've
written where I've taken the party to task," Johnston continued. "But then he
repeated himself and I wasn't sure how to take that."</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Just to be on the safe side, Johnston emailed
Steed the next day about the incident.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">"His only reply was that he 'wouldn't think him
(the officer) dangerous,' " Johnston said.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Steed no longer returns the INKster's calls for
comment.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">After a couple of lengthy phone conversations
with Johnston, there is no doubt in the INKster's mind that Johnston is a
credentialed Republican. He worked on a number of campaigns while in high school
and was recognized by the Bonner County GOP for his contributions. He is a
customer relations manager for Wysup Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Pullman and for 18
months wrote a column for the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. He is openly gay and
has lived with his partner, Alex Irwin, for six years.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">"That I'm a moderate makes them far more
uncomfortable than me being gay," Johnston said. "The 'old guard' of the GOP
never really cared I was gay but it sure seems to be a sticking point for these
new tea party nuts who have taken over. I didn't back out of the race because I
felt threatened, because I'm not scared of these nuts. Ultimately, I didn't run
because my current employment situation prevented it. But I haven't ruled out a
run in the next couple of election cycles."</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Johnston feels his party has left him behind,
standing in the middle of the road while they took a hard right on many
issues.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">"I don't think the entire party has gone that
far to the right, I just think that moderate Republicans like me and those I
hang out with have been railroaded out of the party to the point that it is
difficult, if not impossible, for us to be elected in the new closed primary
and/or function at the central committee/state party level because the right
wing nuts label us as RINOs and send us packing," Johnston concluded. "I didn't
run because I was threatened but it made me rethink aligning myself with Latah
County's GOP. I'm a registered Republican and shouldn't have to pass a litmus
test to prove otherwise."</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">For those wondering, RINO means Republican In
Name Only.</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV class=encrypted-content>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">A frequent poster to Vision 2020 had a one-liner
this week about Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador the INKster just had to pass on:
"I wish he would change his last name. He is by innuendo giving a wonderful
breed of dogs a bad name."</FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>