Why Permitless Carry has Taken so Long in Idaho: Three Powerful House Chairs Oppose it

Gun Watch ^ | 20 March, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Idaho is a strong Republican state.  It is known for being Second Amendment friendly.  The reason it took so long to pass permitless or "Constitutional" carry is epitomized by the three Republican committee chairs shown above.  All three chose to vote against permitless carry.  They were the only Republicans in the House to do so.

It says a great deal that these powerful people chose this political hill to die on.  Why?  Why not vote for the bill, and at least camouflage your actions?  How many are in the Idaho legislature who did exactly that? These are only the ones in the House. There is likely a similar cabal in the Senate.

These three representative control three of the most powerful committees in the Idaho legislature.  They can pass bills and stop bills.  They can prevent bills from ever seeing the light of day.  It seems that they have done so.  The final vote in the House was 54 to 15!  Only active suppression by the legislative leadership could keep that sort of support bottled up.  And it did.  Until now. From Idaho Reporter.com:

Three high-profile Republican House members opposed a bill Friday that would allow permitless concealed carry throughout Idaho.

Despite the opposition from most House Democrats and Reps. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, and Fred Wood, R-Burley, the bill cleared the chamber on 54 to 14 vote and now moves to Gov. Butch Otter’s desk for his consideration.

In the image above, courtesy of the Idaho Reporter and  ktvb.com, from left to right:

Fred Wood, R-Burley votesmart.org:
Health and Welfare, Chair

• District 27
  5^th term
  P.O. Box 1207, Burley, 83318-0828
  Home (208) 312-1056
  FAX (208) 677-3136
  Physician (retired)
  Committees:
  Health & Welfare - Chair
  Resources & Conservation 

Maxine Bell, R-Jerome From npr.org:

 Rep. Maxine Bell, a retired school librarian from Jerome, was first elected to the Idaho Legislature in 1988.  She’s the longtime co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which crafts the annual state budget.

 District 25
14^th term
194 S. 300 E., Jerome, 83338
Home (208) 324-4296
Retired Farmer/School Librarian
Committees:
Appropriations - Chair
Agricultural Affairs

Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry votesmart.org:

Judiciary, Rules and Administration, Chair

 District 23
7^th term
P.O. Box 602, Glenns Ferry, 83623
Home (208) 366-7408
Bus (208) 484-0403
FAX (208) 366-2457
Business Owner, Opera Theatre/ Communications Consulting Business
Committees:
Judiciary, Rules, & Administration - Chair
Education
Transportation & Defense

If these three Chairs are against you in the Idaho legislature, it does not matter very much who is for you.  It takes the overwhelming force of a higher power to overcome the resistance of the massive legislative clout of these Chairs.

And that is what happened.  The overwhelming force was the force of the voters in Idaho.  At one point, a thousand demonstrators showed up at the Idaho capitol, and this was not a one time event.  This has been building for years.  On the side of this bill are the vast majority of Idaho sheriffs in the Idaho Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the NRA.  The overwhelming political force of the voters was organized by the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance.  They have become a powerful voice in the Idaho legislature.  I expect to hear more from them in the future.

I have seen this pattern before, in numerous other legislative bodies, and in many executive offices.  The longer a person stays in power, the more arrogant and distainful of the people they become; and they become more and more likely to wish the people disarmed.  

The bill has not yet passed.  It has been sent to Governor Butch Otter.  I expect him to sign it.  He has been pro Second Amendment in the past.  If he does not veto it, it will become law five days (not counting Sunday) after it is enrolled and the Governor receives it.  The legislative web site is not yet showing it as enrolled.

Update: Constitutional carry was signed by Governor Otter on March 24, 2016.  These three Republicans are emblematic of why it took so long to accomplish.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

These three Republicans are emblematic of why it took so long to accomplish Constitutional carry. One or two powerful politicians can bottle up legislation for years.

[T-Bird45]

OMG, could that retired school librarian be any more stereotypical in both appearance and attitude? ID needs term limits. In OK, we suffered through such nonsense until term limits (12 years) started weeding them out since their voting bloc couldn’t see the light. Recent beneficiaries of term limits included a former highway patrolman that stood in the way of gun rights laws for his entire legislative service.

Editorial note: “disdainful” - not “distainful.” Even the FR spell check gets that one.

[MSF BU]

Interesting, Wills was born in 1945 yet has no military service.

[Dr. Sivana]

One old lady senator in Fairfield County, Connecticut (southwestern CT, near NYC) bottled up the repeal of the 55MPH speed limit in CT until 2001.

[Mr Apple]

All three chose to vote against permitless carry.

Total Fools.

[marktwain]

Wills was the hardest to find a picture of. Seems picture adverse.

He also seemed the most leftist in his rather doctrinaire attitude toward the bill.

As I recall, his argument was, basically, more guns, more problems.

[marktwain]

Two of them, Bell and Wills, have primary opponents.

[Sasparilla]

The GOPe still remains oblivious to what is happening to them. The rebellion against lies, broken campaign promises,and backroom deals was a long time coming. But, the time has arrived.

[Flavious_Maximus]

What you’re looking at are three flaming left wing democrats. They register with the Republican party ONLY because they know full well that the voters would NEVER ever elect them otherwise. The rats do this all over the country in red states.

You rarely ever see this phenomenon happen with right wing politicians registering with the rat party in blue states just to win an election.

[marktwain]

“You rarely ever see this phenomenon happen with right wing politicians registering with the rat party in blue states just to win an election.”

That is because the media cartel acts as an enforcement arm of the Democrat party. If a conservative attempts what you suggest, they are immediately outed and vilified by the media cartel.

It works exactly the opposite for liberals who disguise themselves as Republicans.

The media cartel praises them as being “moderate”, “reasonable”, as “growing in office”.

It is a major source of media cartel power and control.

[Hamilcar_Barca]

No RINO should go unprimaried. Defeat them all.

[davidb56]

Gov Butch Otter signed the bill into law. These Traitors to the Constitution need to be voted out of office. A post pertaining to their opponents would be helpful. Thank you for posting this info.

[MSF BU]

Apparently he had a problem with military service in 1965...

[Oatka]

. . . Bell and Wills, have primary opponents.

This is all I could find on them:

[Against Bell] Reggy Stearns: She pro-2nd.

Bell is a 26-year incumbent - time to throw out the trash.

Christy Zito: (no website), only a talk show airing.

Listed at Ballotpedia

In any event, if you a gun owner in those districts, get ye to the polls on May 17 and vote for these challengers.

[archy]

Interesting, Wills was born in 1945 yet has no military service.

He apparently hid behind his badge to avoid military service during the Vietnam draft period.

Wills graduated from Nampa High School. He retired from a career as an Idaho state trooper and now serves part-time as an Elmore County deputy.

[archy]

Idaho is a strong Republican state. It is known for being Second Amendment friendly. The reason it took so long to pass permitless or "Constitutional" carry is epitomized by the three Republican committee chairs shown above. All three chose to vote against permitless carry. They were the only Republicans in the House to do so.

No comments yet: Idaho Passes Bill Introducing Permitless Concealed Carry

[MSF BU]

I’ve heard of that happening. It was not uncommon in the Massachusetts State Police during that period. Nowadays though, thanks to the internet, it’s much easier to point out the slackers.