Republican Sens. Jeff Agenbroad of Nampa, Carl Crabtree of Grangeville and Jim Woodward of Sagle said their votes to hold a charter school bill in committee earlier this year prompted a Boise businessman to make a series of individual and business donations to their primary opponents as an act of political retribution.
September 22, 2022
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Political payback? One wealthy donor may have influenced GOP primary defeats
Campaign finance complaint alleges Larry and Marianne Williams over-contributed to candidates by thousands of dollars
When three Idaho senators spoke out against a charter school bill earlier this year, it sparked what they say was an aggressive effort to unseat them that was partly driven by one wealthy businessman who is the subject of a recent campaign finance complaint. The complaint, filed on Aug. 24 by a Nampa resident who is not employed in politics, alleges that Boise resident Larry Williams over-contributed to 14 legislative candidates by thousands of dollars, under his own name, his wife’s name and the names of four of his businesses. An elections official confirmed the contributions appear to have violated campaign finance laws, but said it’s up to candidates to handle incoming funds in ways that comply with the law. The Idaho Secretary of State’s office has not contacted Williams about the complaint.