The Left is Gunning for Idaho, Defend and Protect Idaho Edition
People are receiving tons of mailers and hearing ads on the radio these days. One group that sends them out is the Defend and Protect Idaho PAC, run by former sheriff Gary Raney. Sounds good, no? Defending the state. Run by a sheriff. Supported by veterans. Supported by ranchers. Real Idaho, or so it seems.
But no. Defend and Protect Idaho is filled with gun grabbers and the surrender chorus.
Who does Defend and Protect Idaho think is threatening the state? Who must it protect Idaho from? Answer: Conservatives.
Brian Almon has the scoop at his Gem State Substack.
Who is Gary Raney, and why did he start this PAC?
Raney is no stranger to controversy himself. In 2013, he publicly denounced efforts by the Idaho State Legislature and his fellow county sheriffs to protect the rights of Idaho citizens to keep and bear arms in the face of the Obama Administration’s attempt to infringe upon the 2nd Amendment. Raney claimed that the supremacy clause of the US Constitution meant that he was required to enforce federal law, no matter how unconstitutional. This ran contrary to centuries of common law, going back to medieval England, that your local sheriff is one of the last lines of defense in protecting your natural rights. It is no surprise that Raney is out here calling McGeachin extreme, as he seems to consider anyone who advocates standing up to federal overreach as beyond the pale.
In fact, Raney seems to view any disagreement with government as extremism. When Governor Little locked down the state of Idaho in 2020, shuttering businesses and forbidding people from going to church, Raney was supporting him every step of the way. He claimed that citizens had no constitutional right to defy mask mandates and agreed with Democrat Diane Lachiando that anti-lockdown protestors were not heroes. When Lt. Governor McGeachin said in May 2020 that it was time to end the lockdown and get back to work, Raney said “We need to do all we can to keep Gov. Little safe and healthy. Can you imagine?”
Raney’s Twitter feed is full of establishment talking points. He often retweets the left-wing Idaho Statesman, he supported Attorney General Lawrence Wasden’s decisionnot to join Texas’ lawsuit after the 2020 election, and he called the January 6th protestors terrorists. When Representative Priscilla Giddings announced her campaign for lieutenant governor, Raney said “Can we get any lower?” He also follows Congresswoman Liz Cheney and Senator Mitt Romney, who have been very vocal in their opposition to President Trump and his supporters for the past two years.
Raney is an outspoken supporter of The Idaho 97, one of the many left-wing groups here in Idaho that masquerade as common sense and nonpartisan. This group supports mandatory vaccination and masks, said that Dr. Ryan Cole is dangerous, demanded an investigation into Ada County Commissioner Ryan Davidson, and called for the expulsion of Representative Priscilla Giddings from the legislature. They also oppose the school choice movement. This is what Gary Raney thinks Idaho should be.
It doesn't seem like Raney wants to protect Idaho from federal encroachments or a corrupt oligarchy. He doesn't seem all that interested in liberty or virtue. They try to sound like they love Idaho, but they want to see it transformed. I guess Raney didn't think the name "Submit Idaho" would play very well in Grangeville.