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Political debate stinks to new low

by Ralph Bartholdt Staff Writer
| October 16, 2018 1:00 AM

COEUR d’ALENE — Cecil Kelly has dealt with his share of crud.

The self-described moderate Democrat, who calls himself the most unelectable person in Kootenai County, has had swastikas spray painted onto the side of his business, marijuana plants potted into his backyard and threats leveled his way, he says, from extreme partisans on both sides of the political spectrum.

Not until yesterday, however, has he had feces smeared on his car window, doors and door handle.

Kelly, 74, may be best known to Coeur d’Alene residents who travel around downtown by his business, the Law Shop, on 421 N. Second St.

The now defunct store a few blocks from the Kootenai County courthouse sold legal documents, forms and a variety of office supplies for almost 30 years until the documents were made available in the courthouse and online. The store closed four years ago.

Kelly now lives in the minute building that occupies a half-block next to the Lakers Inn bar.

Monday morning, when he walked outside to his silver PT Cruiser, he was met with feces smeared on the windshield, the doors and globbed onto the door handle.

He admittedly thought the act was in response to a letter he had written to this newspaper decrying a recent Trump administration policy. The letter was published Friday and voila, Monday rolled around, and he found his car vandalized.

“I hope it’s a random act of vandalism,” Kelly said. “Or a drunk, or drug user or some cowboy showing off to his girlfriend.”

Kelly, who is also known for his unsuccesful runs for a seat in the Idaho Legislature, hopes his political foes would not stoop to such a level, he said.

“I’m a moderate, and that gets me in trouble,” he said.

Kelly grew up in Coeur d’Alene, attended the local schools, North Idaho Junior College, University of Idaho, and served three years in the Navy during the Vietnam era.

He supports a variety of issues including veteran causes, helps the homeless and earned volunteer recognition from United Way.

When it comes to politics, he said, he has a big mouth and often it gets him in trouble.

“I’m sort of a loud mouth when it comes to human rights,” he said.

His mom and dad, who owned an insurance agency for many decades, were also politically involved, and his own runs for the Legislature were largely quashed fairly quickly.

Standing beside one of the small houses on the half-block that are part of a family trust — the houses, he was once told they were former Fort Sherman officer quarters, but he can’t confirm it — he points out what’s left of graffiti, some of it visible under a coat of paint, other tags such as the “ISIS” spray-painted on a wall of one of the houses, is faded.

He admits the feces, as well as the spray-painting, could be arbitrary, although it’s also coincidental.

“This is a low-income part of town,” he said. “… Political payback does happen.”

Wearing beach sandals with tube socks, a long sleeve T-shirt and jeans, the bearded Kelly said police were on their way Monday morning to take a report about the latest incident.

Detective Jay Wilhelm of the Coeur d’Alene Police Department said a malicious mischief report was filed and that officers responded to the scene and took photos.

“He just wanted law enforcement to be aware of it,” Wilhelm said.