County commissioners manufacture conflicts

| May 10, 2020 1:00 AM

Bonner County’s elected officials are again manipulating their gun lawsuit. Floating the threat of armed protests at the Festival is unconscionable and dangerous.

Manufacturing dramas is the far-right’s latest aggressive tactic. The Women’s March at Sandpoint Middle School received threats this year. “Don’t get yourself involved in a lawsuit like the Festival,” “guns can’t be banned from public buildings,” “we’ll be there video documenting everything.” Fortunately, state statute states “through a school” legally covered our gun-free status. Steve Wasylko didn’t show up then, but he did two weeks later to cheerlead for Dan McDonald at a commissioners’ meeting and create more drama.

Exaggerated charges for Don’s “touch” were dropped, but most troubling was two county employees wrote false statements claiming they witnessed an aggressive “grab.” Fortunately, my iPhone video proved differently — a “touch” is a mistake, not a crime. This shows extent officials will press against citizens who challenge them. McDonald’s fallacious statements calling us “violent,” “senior Antifa” (militants) were slanderous attacks.

The tactic of manufacturing drama distracts from the substantive issues. We are taxpayers asking for accountability. Commissioners are refusing, claiming “client privilege.” Question is, aren’t we, the taxpayers footing the bill, the clients?

Bradshaw says he wants some attention for this lawsuit. Unseat him by voting for Butch Horton, a fair level-headed business man. Bonner County residents need principled, trustworthy officials, not those pushing dangerous conflicts.

REBECCA HOLLAND

Sandpoint