Otter takes public oath of office, starts 3rd term
BOISE - Gov. Butch Otter publicly took his oath of office for a rare third time as Idaho's chief executive on Friday, promising to continue defying the federal government and to protect the people of Idaho from its overreach.
"We are not a people easily swayed from our true course or commitment to our values by contrived comparisons or glib cynicism," Otter said. "We know who we are. We are proud of who we are. We are not blown off course by the shifting winds of change or someone else's idea of what's right for Idaho."
The Republican governor stood on the steps of the state capitol, along with the remaining six other statewide constitutional officers, to be sworn-in to their recently elected positions.
Otter made Idaho history after he won a third term in November against his Democratic challenger. He is only the second governor in Idaho to win three consecutive four-year terms.
More than 200 people attended the event, including legislators, Idaho Supreme Court justices and three former Idaho governors.
"For anyone who believes my commitment to liberty has been eroded by age or sullied by expedience, for anyone who doubts my commitment to resisting with all that I am those federal policies that undermine the tenets of federalism or state sovereignty, watch closely over the next four years," Otter said.
Otter has vowed to continue fighting the recent legality of same-sex marriage in Idaho. He has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review Idaho's case while also petitioning the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to review its decision that overturned the state's gay marriage ban.
Later Friday, the appeals court announced it has denied Otter's request.
Gay couples have been able to marry since shortly after the original appellate court ruling. Four lesbian couples filed the lawsuit nearly a year ago challenging the state's marriage ban.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights praised Friday's decision, saying the original three-judge ruling was consistent with other federal judicial decisions, "which have rightly concluded that our Constitution cannot tolerate the profound harm that denying same-sex couples the freedom to marry inflicts those couples and their children."
Only one protester attended the inauguration, holding a sign away from the event that read "Save a wolf, educate an otter."
The Idaho Inaugural Ball and Processional will be tonight. Otter will then present his State of the State address Monday to lawmakers where he will propose his 2015-2016 budget and policy objectives.