MY TURN: Truth over spin: Setting the record straight on the KCRCC town hall

I’m writing in response to Brent Regan’s recent opinion piece, “The truth will keep you free.” I read it with a mix of disbelief and concern — not just as a resident of this community, but as the person who recorded the nationally viral video of Teresa Borrenpohl being forcibly removed from the KCRCC town hall Feb. 22.

Regan’s portrayal of that afternoon is, frankly, insulting to anyone who saw what really happened, or lived it. It’s an audacious attempt to rewrite a deeply troubling event, one that unfolded in front of hundreds of people, on camera, in a public building, funded by taxpayers. The idea that this was simply a case of “agitators” being lawfully removed is a dangerous oversimplification, and it glosses over the very real violence and intimidation used against citizens who dared to speak or even just observe.

Contrary to Regan’s claims of premeditated disruption, I attended the town hall as a concerned community member, not part of any organized protest or agenda. The event was openly promoted to the public, and attendees, myself included, arrived expecting an environment conducive to civil discourse. Instead, what unfolded — and what my footage clearly shows — was not the result of planned agitation but the troubling suppression of legitimate questions and concerns. Teresa Borrenpohl, whose removal was captured in my video, did nothing more than ask critical questions, yet she was treated like a criminal.

The notion that the sheriff’s actions were unquestionably justified under Idaho law ignores the actual content of those laws — and more importantly, the Constitution. People don’t lose their rights the moment they step into a town hall. Recording, asking questions or simply being present is not “disruption.” And if the sheriff truly acted within the bounds of his authority, why are multiple investigations now underway?

Regan frames this as a liberal plot to persecute conservatives. It’s not. It’s about accountability and the misuse of power. The people removed that night weren’t violent agitators. They were community members, who were dragged from their chairs and physically restrained simply for the offense of not being silent. Such actions should alarm every citizen, regardless of political affiliation.

My video went viral not because of some grand conspiracy — but because it captured something that resonated deeply and universally as wrong. If that bothers Mr. Regan, perhaps the focus should be less on defending the indefensible and more on addressing why our community felt compelled to document it in the first place.

The truth does matter. No amount of spin can erase what that footage showed clearly: a profound misuse of authority against community members exercising their rights.

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Tonya Coppedge is a Coeur d'Alene resident.