Otter, B

<p style="font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; line-height: 20px;">=<div></div><div>
</div><div>https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/these-are-trump-staffers-who-left-their-financial-disclosure-forms-blank-and-one</div><div>
</div><div>...fore accepting a position at the U.S. Department of the Interior last October, Benjamin Cassidy championed gun rights for nearly seven years as a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, collecting a peak annual salary of $288,333 for his work on Capitol Hill.</div>The public wouldn’t know that by looking at Cassidy’s government <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4550757-Cassidy-OGE-278-Old.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">financial disclosure report</a>. The form, which he filed soon after taking a job as senior deputy director of the office of intergovernmental and external affairs, doesn’t list his old job at the NRA — or any past job, for that matter. Cassidy’s form was nearly blank, save for his name, title and some bank holdings and investments. In the <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4550757-Cassidy-OGE-278-Old.html#document/p2/a431969" style="text-decoration-line: none;">space allotted</a> to show his income, it incorrectly stated “None.”Benjamin Cassidy’s Financial Disclosure ReportFederal law requires nearly all executive branch employees to submit reports intended to reveal and resolve conflicts of interest that might arise from their personal finances. The reports are supposed to be carefully reviewed, preferably by agency ethics attorneys, before being made public.After we asked the Interior Department about the failure of Cassidy and at least three other staffers to disclose their work histories and finances, the agency responded with a bullet-pointed <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4560254-Statement-From-the-Interior-Department.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">assessment</a> that acknowledged ongoing problems while also noting that they “predated the current administration.”Among the department’s findings:<ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li>The Interior Department’s ethics office did not “have adequate resources to accomplish its legally required compliance functions, including its responsibilities relating to the financial disclosure report program.” Just one ethics specialist, who is not an attorney, is responsible for reviewing hundreds of reports and advising thousands of employees on issues relating to those reports. This contributed to the certification and release of inaccurate reports.</li><li>Government employees are responsible for the accuracy of their forms. But Interior’s ethics office “is culpable in certifying forms that appeared ‘blank’ without conducting a certain level of due diligence to ensure that the filers submitted correct forms.”</li><li>Four Interior staffers ultimately had to re-submit their disclosure reports following ProPublica’s inquiry. As part of that process, they were interviewed by a senior career ethics attorney who went over their reports with them. The interviews revealed some staffers “were confused about what information was supposed to be reported,” according to the agency’s statement.</li><li>Other employees “thought they had filled out the form correctly when, in fact, they had not.” None of them appeared to intentionally hide information they were required to disclose, the department said.</li></ul>Many of the problems and omissions were easy to spot. For example, an attorney for the DOI’s Bureau of Land Management, <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/trump-town/staffers/cally-ann-younger" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Cally Younger</a>, submitted her financial disclosure <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4550759-Younger-OGE-278-Old.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">form</a> in September, days after joining the agency. An ethics official, Tia Barner, reviewed and <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4550759-Younger-OGE-278-Old.html#document/p1/a431972" style="text-decoration-line: none;">approved the form</a>, concluding that it complied with federal law.But Younger’s form was blank, apart from her electronic signature and some perfunctory investment details. It completely neglected basic employment information, such as her old job as an attorney in Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s office. Ironically, it also left out Younger’s past role as a “public records ombudsman” in Idaho, whose mission included examining how the state’s public record laws could be improved.
Younger should have been questioned by ethics officials when she filed her original form, said Don Fox, who served as acting director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics during the Obama administration. “It may be, honestly, she just didn’t read the instructions and she just started filling out paperwork,” Fox said, “because if you’d even done a cursory review of the instructions, she should have known that she should have listed her position with the state of Idaho.”After we asked about the batch of blank forms, a senior ethics official, Kim Hintz, determined that Younger “<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4550758-Younger-OGE-278-New.html#document/p6/a431975" style="text-decoration-line: none;">inadvertently omitted certain information</a>.” A revised version of her form now includes more employment and financial information.Younger’s original form was a veritable font of information compared to one filed in the name of <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/trump-town/staffers/thomas-p-baptiste" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Thomas Baptiste</a>, who is now an advisor to the Bureau of Land Management. Baptiste’s form was <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4550755-Baptiste-OGE-278-Old.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;">completely blank</a>, with no information beyond his name, and no signature or indication that it was reviewed or approved. Baptiste previously worked as a records manager for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, as a project director at a consulting firm that works for conservative political clients, and before that at Tepeyac OB/GYN, which calls itself a “pro-life obstetrics and gynecology medical practice....<div></div><div>---</div><div>http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/08/how_republicans_are_extorting_trump_into_killing_daca.html</div><div>
</div><div>...Republicans criticized DACA as executive overreach and <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/06/23/united_states_v_texas_ties_obama_immigration_executive_actions_blocked.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">successfully sued</a> to block Obama from expanding the program to the undocumented parents of lawful residents. The 2016 Republican Party platform <a href="https://www.gop.com/the-2016-republican-party-platform/" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">slammed DACA</a> as “unlawful amnest[y],” and Trump <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/12/07/trump-plan-for-dreamers/95084408/" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">promised</a> to end it. But his Department of Homeland Security has continued to issue and renew DACA permits even as its law enforcement wing <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/03/ice_says_daniel_ramirez_medina_can_be_deported_for_no_reason_that_s_wrong.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">occasionally targets</a> DACA recipients for deportation. In June, DHS <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/us/politics/trump-will-allow-dreamers-to-stay-in-us-reversing-campaign-promise.html" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">announced</a> that DACA would remain in effect for the time being.</div><div class="text parbase text-4 section">Shortly thereafter, a coalition of Republicans sent Attorney General Jeff Sessions <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/files/epress/DACA_letter_6_29_2017.pdf?cachebuster:5" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">an ultimatum</a>: Kill DACA by Sept. 5 or we’ll take you to court. The letter argued that DACA is illegal and that the signatories were prepared to sue the Trump administration for allowing its continuation. Idaho Republican Gov. Butch Otter signed the letter, as did the GOP attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Idaho, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2017/06/29/texas-leads-10-states-urging-trump-end-daca/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">spearheaded</a> the effort.</div><div></div><p style="font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; line-height: 20px;">==

Clement Leroy "Butch" Otter is the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Republican" title="Republican" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Republican</a> governor of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Idaho" title="Idaho" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Idaho</a> since 2007. He is a former lieutenant governor of Idaho (1987-2001) and represented the state's 1st Congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007. He declined to run for reelection for his House seat in 2006, choosing instead to pursue the governorship of Idaho.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#cite_note-1" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Background" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">1.1 Background</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Congressional_Career" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">1.2 Congressional Career</a>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#2006_election" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">1.2.2 2006 election</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#2010_election" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">1.2.3 2010 election</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Meet_the_cash_constituents" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">2 Meet the cash constituents</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Controversy" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">3 Controversy</a>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Committees_and_affiliations" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">4 Committees and affiliations</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Committees_in_the_109th_Congress_.282005-2006.29" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">4.1 Committees in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Coalitions_and_caucuses" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">4.2 Coalitions and caucuses</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Boards_and_other_affiliations" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">4.3 Boards and other affiliations</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#More_background_data" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">5 More background data</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-15" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Contact" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">6 Contact</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Articles_and_Resources" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">7 Articles and Resources</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-17" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#References" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">7.1 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#External_articles" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">7.2 External articles</a>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-19" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#Local_blogs_and_discussion_sites" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">7.2.1 Local blogs and discussion sites</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</div>

<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">Background</h3>

Otter was born May 3, 1942 in Caldwell, Idaho. Otter earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from the College of Idaho (now known as Albertson College of Idaho) in 1967. He served the Idaho Army National Guard's 116th Armored Cavalry from 1968 to 1973. He received specialized training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Otter's business experience includes spending 30 years with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Simplot&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Simplot (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Simplot International</a>, a potato, livestock and feeding operation. He eventually rose to that company's presidency.

Otter's first bid for elective office was in 1972 when he was elected a member of the Idaho State House of Representatives from Canyon County. He returned to private life in 1977. Otter remained active in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_Republican_Party" class="extiw" title="w:Idaho Republican Party" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Idaho Republican Party</a>, holding several state and county positions.

In 1986, Otter returned to politics and was elected lieutenant governor of Idaho. He was re-elected in 1990, 1994 and 1998. He served under three different governors, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/United_States_Democratic_Party" title="United States Democratic Party" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Democrat</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Cecil_D._Andrus" title="Cecil D. Andrus" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Cecil Andrus</a>, and Republicans <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Phil_Batt&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Phil Batt (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Phil Batt</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Dirk_Kempthorne" title="Dirk Kempthorne" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Dirk Kempthorne</a>. In 1991, when the Idaho Senate was evenly divided between 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats, Otter's tie-breaking votes kept the body under Republican control. Otter left the post midway through his fourth term in 2001 to take his congressional seat. He is the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Idaho history.

Otter will not be a candidate for re-election in 2006, instead running for governor of Idaho.

<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">Congressional Career</h3>

First District Congresswoman <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Helen_Chenoweth-Hage&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Helen Chenoweth-Hage (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Helen Chenoweth-Hage</a> had promised to serve only three terms in the House when first elected in the Republican wave of 1994, and kept that pledge in 2000 even after calling term limits "bad policy." Otter handily won the Republican primary, capitalizing on his name recognition as lieutenant governor. He breezed to victory in the November general election. He was re-elected in 2002 and 2004 with no substantive Democratic opposition.

In Congress, Otter was largely conservative with a slight <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/libertarian" class="extiw" title="w:libertarian" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">libertarian</a> streak, as reflected in his opposition to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Patriot_Act" title="Patriot Act" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Patriot Act</a>. He was one of three Republicans (along with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bob_Ney" title="Bob Ney" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Bob Ney</a> of Ohio and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ron_Paul" title="Ron Paul" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Ron Paul</a> of Texas) to vote against the act in 2001. He was also very critical of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W.Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Bush Administration</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N.S.A.surveillance_without_warrants_controversy" class="extiw" title="w:N.S.A. surveillance without warrants controversy" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">domestic spying efforts</a>. He served as a deputy majority whip for most of his time in Congress despite his opposition to many key Bush Administration policies.

Otter voted for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Iraq_Resolution_of_2002" title="Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002</a> that started the Iraq War.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#cite_note-2" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a>

<div style="background-color: rgb(220, 232, 248); margin: 0.5em 0.75em; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid rgb(92, 121, 181); padding: 0.25em;">For more information see the chart of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._House_of_Representatives_votes_on_the_Iraq_War" title="U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War</a>.</div>

<h4 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">2006 election</h4>

On December 15, 2004, Otter announced his candidacy for the open gubernatorial seat in 2006. Although Otter drew some opposition in the Republican primary, he was widely considered to be a heavy favorite in both the primary and general election. He won both to become Idaho's governor.

[Republican Party|Republicans]] nominated <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=William_T.Sali&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="William T. Sali (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">William T. Sali</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Democratic_Party" title="Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Democrats</a> nominated <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Larry_L.Grant&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Larry L. Grant (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Larry L. Grant</a> to contest the November 2006 election for his vacant seat. (See <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._congressional_elections_in_2006" title="U.S. congressional elections in 2006" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">U.S. congressional elections in 2006</a>) <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=AL&year=2006" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">[1]</a>

<h4 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">2010 election</h4>

In 2010, Otter easily won a second term by beating <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Democrat" title="Democrat" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Democrat</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Keith_Allred&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Keith Allred (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Keith Allred</a>.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#cite_note-3" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);">Meet the cash constituents</h2>

<table class="prettytable" style="background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249); margin: 1em 1em 1em 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="3" style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em; background-color: rgb(242, 242, 242); text-align: center; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Links to more campaign contribution information for Butch Otter

from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">OpenSecrets.org</a> site.</th></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Fundraising profile:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00009637" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?cid=N00009637" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Top contributors by organization/corporation:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00009637" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?cid=N00009637" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Top contributors by industry:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00009637" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allindus.asp?cid=N00009637" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Career totals</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);">Controversy</h2>

In 1992 Otter was pulled over on Interstate 84 near Meridian, Idaho for suspicion of driving under the influence. He claimed the arresting officer observed him swerving was he was reaching for his cowboy hat, which had been blown off by the wind in his open car.

Otter offered several excuses for failing the field sobriety test including: his stocking feet were stung by weeds and gravel, he had run eight miles and his knee hurt, he was hungry, and that he had soaked his chewing tobacco in Jack Daniels.

A jury convicted Otter in 1993. He was sentenced to 72 hours of community service and 16 hours at an alcohol treatment program. This incident allegedly forced Otter to abandon an anticipated run for governor in 1994 and instead seek re-election for lieutenant governor.

Source:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050216/NEWS010702/502160335/1002/NEWS01" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Idaho Statesman story</a>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);">Committees and affiliations</h2>

<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">Committees in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</h3>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/House_Committee_on_Energy_and_Commerce" title="House Committee on Energy and Commerce" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">House Committee on Energy and Commerce</a>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">Coalitions and caucuses</h3>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Congressional Biotechnology Caucus</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Congressioanl Immigration Reform Caucus</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Horticulture Caucus</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Liberty Caucus</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">National Guard & Reserve Components Congressional Members Organization</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Nuclear Cleanup Caucus</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Member, President's Task Force on International Private Enterprise</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Republican Study Committee</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">U.S. Navy-Marine Caucus</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Policy Chair, Western Caucus</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Member, World Bank's Agricultural Advisory Committee</li>

</ul>

<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">Boards and other affiliations</h3>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Grand Slam Member, Ducks Unlimited, 1970-present</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, Maple Grove State Grange, 1958-present</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, National Cowboy Hall of Fame, 1991-1992</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, American Legion</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, Boise Chamber of Commerce</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Chair, Canyon County Republican Party</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Member, Center for International Private Enterprise</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Idaho 4-H Million Dollar Club</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Member, Idaho Assocaition of Commerce and Industry</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, Idaho Cowboys Association</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, Idaho International Trade Council</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Member, Idaho Young President's Organization</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, Maple Grove State Grange</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Regional Advisory Board Member, Museum of the Rockies</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Board Member, National Cowboy Hall of Fame</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, National Rifle Association</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Member, Northwest Food Producers</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Member, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Lifetime Member, Safari Club International</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Member, World Bank Agricultural Advisory Committee</li>

</ul>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);">More background data</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BG075050" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Background information on Butch Otter from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BG075050" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Interest group scorecard ratings for Butch Otter from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/o000166" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Voting record for Butch Otter from the Washington Post database</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=ID01&site=congressmerge" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Information on Butch Otter from Congress Merge</a></li>

</ul>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Wikipedia</a> also has an article on <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Otter" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Butch Otter</a>. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GFDL" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">GFDL</a>.

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);">Contact</h2>

State Capitol

700 West Jefferson 2nd floor

Boise, Idaho 83702

Phone: 208-334-2100

Fax: 208-334-2175

Email: governor AT gov.state.id.us

Web: <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://gov.idaho.gov/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">http://gov.idaho.gov</a>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);">Articles and Resources</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.house.gov/otter/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Official website</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.otter4idaho.com/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Campaign website</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050216/NEWS010702/502160335/1002/NEWS01" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Idaho Statesman Article on DUI</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://opensecrets.org/races/index.asp" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Open Secrets</a> - 2006 congressional races database</li>

</ul>

<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">References</h3>

<li id="cite_note-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#cite_ref-1" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up↑</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=1679" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Butch Otter profile</a>, Project Vote Smart, accessed January 2011.</li>

<li id="cite_note-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#cite_ref-2" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up↑</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll455.xml" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Roll call vote</a>, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.</li>

<li id="cite_note-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter#cite_ref-3" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important;">Jump up↑</a> Rocky Barker, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/11/03/1402951/otter-cruises-to-an-easy-victory.html" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Butch Otter cruises to an easy victory in governor's race</a>", IdahoStatesman.com, November 3, 2010.</li>

</ol>

<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">External articles</h3>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Brian Murphy, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/03/18/1121452/health-freedom-act-challenges.html" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Butch Otter is the first governor to sign a law saying the state will defy a requirement to buy insurance</a>", IdahoStatesman.com, March 18, 2010.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.journalnet.com/news/local/article_364fd158-1b12-11e0-b3ea-001cc4c03286.html" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">C.L. "Butch" Otter sworn in for second term as Idaho governor</a>", Idaho State Journal, January 8, 2011.</li>

</ul>

<h4 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none;">Local blogs and discussion sites</h4>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://f-words.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">f-words</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.redstaterebels.com/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">Red State Rebels</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newwest.net/" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: url(" data:image="data:image" png="png" base64="base64" ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaaaoaaaakcayaaacnms="iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs" aaaaveleqvr42n3pgqkaiaheuxdqj3dqj3e6iotpusqcgj4eq5iluile0jil3pecxhchgbhz8kg4hwxau3mzecgeyfnaxp4hqnqpnt7ql0nadpd6whcclvnakksq8iiaaaaaaelftksuqmcc="AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" padding-right="padding-right" px="px" background-position="background-position" background-repeat="background-repeat" no-repeat="no-repeat" xmlns:data="data">NewWest.net -- A Refreshing, new kind of journalism.</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Categories</a>:

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-style: none; padding: 0px 0.5em 0px 0.25em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Former_members_of_Congress" title="Category:Former members of Congress" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Former members of Congress</a></li>

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Retired,_resigned_and_defeated_members_of_the_109th_Congress" title="Category:Retired, resigned and defeated members of the 109th Congress" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Retired, resigned and defeated members of the 109th Congress</a></li>

<li style=" margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Civil_liberties_(U.S.)" title="Category:Civil liberties (U.S.)" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Civil liberties (U.S.)</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Butch_Otter</a>

===

The land-transfer bills, when paired with recent bills regulating oil and gas development, also point to serious internal conflicts over “local control.” State lawmakers tout the importance of giving locals a strong voice in how land is managed, rather than handing down federal dictates. Yet, because they also want to make it easy for industry to operate, they’re often reluctant to cede authority down to the city and county level.

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, a Republican who often talks about “local control” over natural resources, signed a law in March preventing counties and cities from banning or even regulating oil and gas drilling. While local governments retain some say in zoning and planning, the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has final authority. Colorado has taken a similar stance; two counties tried to pass their own drilling regulations this spring, only to receive a warning letter from the state’s attorney general and its oil and gas commission stating that “responsible government requires uniform regulation” at the state level. Counties can hire their own well inspectors and exercise some limited influence over surface impacts like dust and noise, but can’t prohibit drilling or set rules for “downhole” activities like hydraulic fracturing. Colorado lawmakers are also now considering a bill to punish local governments that “restrict or delay” oil or gas production, by preventing them from receiving their share of severance taxes.

“Legislators say we need one-size-fits-all regulation for oil and gas development at the state level,” says Bruce Baizel, senior staff attorney at Earthworks. “Then they turn that same argument against the federal government and say, ‘One size doesn’t fit all.’” Baizel predicts lawsuits from local governments: “These states have taken away people’s basic right to say ‘no.’”

===

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/28/idaho-ag-gag-law_n_4877042.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/28/idaho-ag-gag-law_n_4877042.html</a>

Idaho (AP) — Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signed a bill Friday that imposes jail time and fines against people who secretly film animal abuse at Idaho's agricultural facilities.

Otter inked the new law swiftly, just two days after it cleared its final legislative hurdle in the House.

The bill came in response to videos released by Los Angeles-based vegetarian and animal rights group Mercy for Animals showing workers at Bettencourt Dairy beating, stomping, dragging and sexually abusing cows in 2012.

Idaho's $2.5 billion dairy industry complained the group used its videos not to curb abuse, but to unfairly hurt Bettencourt's business. Bettencourt operates dairies at numerous locations that include more than 60,000 cows and is one of the largest dairy companies in the U.S.

Otter, a rancher, said the measure will help make agriculture producers more secure in their property and their livelihood.

"My signature today reflects my confidence in their desire to responsibly act in the best interest of the animals on which that livelihood depends," Otter wrote in a statement. "No animals rights organization cares more or has more at stake than Idaho farmers and ranchers do in ensuring that their animals are healthy, well-treated and productive."

Utah, Idaho's neighbor to the south, has a similar law. It's being challenged in federal court on grounds that, among other things, it infringes upon activists' free speech rights to expose cruelty.

Otter, B

Attachments