Slim-down separation

COEUR d'ALENE - Ron Lahr confirmed Tuesday that he and Jeff Ward are no longer partners in the political consulting firm called Strategery.

"To deal with the attacks of perceived conflicts of interest between Strategery and the Reagan Republican group," Lahr said, "I am buying Jeff out and changing the name to Umbrella Consulting."

Over the past few years, Lahr said people have been criticizing Lahr and Ward for the close association between the Reagan Republicans, which is a political club, and Strategery, which managed campaigns for many of the candidates that are endorsed, and sometimes recruited, by the Reagan Republicans.

Both Lahr and Ward were heavily involved in both groups. Lahr said Ward is now the president of the Reagan Republican group, but Lahr no longer sits on the board.

Lahr also owns Custom Tile by X-Things, which he runs full time. Umbrella Consulting will be a seasonal side business, he said.

"The political consulting is just to help people out," he said. "I am working on Ed Morse's and Pat Whalen's campaigns because I really want to see them win."

He said being a sole proprietor will make it a little easier to make decisions on which candidates he wants to help.

"Now, I get to make all of the decisions," he said.

Umbrella Consulting will continue to operate at the same Post Falls location that Strategery did, and Lahr said he now owns all of the political data and programs that they used at Strategery to campaign in the past.

"We will keep the same location," he said. "The only difference is there won't be a Jeff there."