GOP shows some incumbents were contacted for vetting

Kootenai County Republican Central Committee leaders are defending their candidate vetting process and attempts to contact incumbents. 

Several elected officials told The Press last week that the KCRCC did not extend them a request to participate in the vetting program. 

At the time of publication, KCRCC Chairman Brent Regan had not responded to a Press request for comment. But Wednesday night, Regan provided The Press with copies of emails sent to Coeur d'Alene City Council incumbents. 

"Starting in late July, committee members made a good-faith effort to invite incumbents to participate in the process," Regan's email said. "Some responded, some chose not to participate and some now claim they were not invited." 

Regan's public records request verified that council members Woody McEvers, Kiki Miller and Amy Evans were asked to consider participating in the vetting process and submit a questionnaire Aug. 2. 

McEvers told The Press he received the request but chose not to participate. Last Wednesday, Miller said she was not contacted for an interview and another source said the same for Evans.

"I would not go so far as to accuse recipients of knowingly denying they were invited, as is it possible that the email was inadvertently deleted, or sent to spam by the recipient, or blocked by a firewall," Regan said in an email. "Regardless, it remains that the attempt was made. In fact, for those candidates lacking a valid email address, physical letters were sent via the post."

Miller said she received an email from Regan about the Aug. 2 contact after The Press article. Afterward, Miller said, she found the initial email in her city inbox. 

"I don't get involved in party politics, so it appears now, as I likely viewed it then, as a phishing email from a Gmail account asking to click through to a website and fill out a form," Miller said. "There was no interview request or attachments. I received no mail, city inbox letter, phone calls or any other follow-up for an interview."

In reviewing the KCRCC website, Miller said it indicates the first step of the vetting process is an interview by the Diversity subcommittee — then a questionnaire and candidate forums.

"I don't mean any disrespect to the KCRCC members, but when asked by The Press if I was 'contacted for an interview,'" I wasn't," Miller said. "That's all." 

Evans told The Press that the KCRCC email, unfortunately, did not make it to her, but she welcomes the "opportunities to share information on (her) re-election campaign."

On Wednesday, Hayden City Councilwoman Jeri DeLange affirmed that the KCRCC did not contact her about vetting. DeLange said her criticism of the process didn't stem from a lack of endorsement but her belief that the committee unfairly vetted candidates. 

"If they didn't hear back from a candidate, someone should have at least made a phone call," DeLange said. "A vetting process should be fair to all candidates, and from what I understand, it sounds like they gave some preferential treatment. That is not an open, honest or transparent process."

Regan said the committee chose not to confirm receipt or make multiple attempts to reach candidates, as it didn't want the process to be perceived as intimidating, bullying or forced. 

Regan said the KCRCC started the program last year in response to voter frustration with candidates who "sounded great on the campaign trail but disappoint(ed) once in office."

"In the last two years, all five of our fundamental rights (religion, speech, press, assembly, and redress) as enumerated in the Constitution have been violated at the national, state and local levels by officials we elected," he wrote. "It is well past time that we take a close look at these officials, and candidates, as some seem to have a sense of entitlement and superiority that is not supported by reality."

According to the KCRCC website, candidates are initially interviewed by the organization's Diversity subcommittee, then invited to complete a questionnaire and participate in forums. Candidates are ranked on a metric derived from principles and politics in the Republican Party platform. All central committee members conduct a final rating of candidates through a secret ballot, Regan said.

"From the beginning, we did appreciate that there would be an invariable consequence of issuing recommendations based on our findings," he said. "That some of those not receiving a recommendation would blame the process rather than considering that another candidate may be a better choice."

Regan contended that DeLange's comments in the Sept. 15 article exemplify this consequence. 

"The notion, proposed by DeLange, that 'putting out recommendations that may affect the election is not right,' is saying that members of the KCRCC be denied their freedom of speech based on their association," he said. "This position is reprehensible, fundamentally un-American, and should itself alone be a disqualifier for public office."