Latest news with #LaRocco
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Idaho Congressmen Stallings, LaRocco to host bipartisan town hall in Boise
Larry LaRocco (left) represented Idaho's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 1995. Richard Stallings (right) represented Idaho's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House from 1984 to 1992. Former U.S. Reps. Richard Stallings and Larry LaRocco, both D-Idaho, will hold a bipartisan event titled 'Boise Town Hall on Accountability, the Economy, and the Future of American Democracy' on Saturday. The event, which will be held from 2-4:30 p.m. in Downtown Boise at the Egyptian Theatre (700 W. Main St.), is the latest in a series of public forums held by the former Idaho congressmen. They have previously visited Nampa, McCall, Lewiston, Moscow, Post Falls and Idaho Falls. 'Reps. Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, along with Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, have refused to hold public town halls or explain their votes,' the press release said. 'In response, Stallings and LaRocco are doing the job Idaho's current members of Congress won't: showing up, listening, and standing up for the people. Boise marks the next stop in this statewide effort to give Idahoans the voice their current leaders deny them.' 'Reps. Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, along with Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, have refused to hold public town halls or explain their votes,' a press release announcing the town hall said. 'In response, Stallings and LaRocco are doing the job Idaho's current members of Congress won't: showing up, listening, and standing up for the people. Boise marks the next stop in this statewide effort to give Idahoans the voice their current leaders deny them.' Stallings and LaRocco will be joined by former Republican Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones and former Republican Montana Gov. Marc Racicot. 'Together, these bipartisan voices will lead a discussion on the growing threats facing Idaho families, the economy, and American democracy — and offer the public a chance to ask real questions and get real answers,' the press release said. The town hall is sponsored by the Idaho Democratic Party, Idaho Women Forward and the Idaho Young Democrats. The event is free and open to the public, but attendees are encouraged to reserve tickets online. LaRocco represented Idaho's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 1995. Stallings represented Idaho's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House from 1984 to 1992. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Citizens vent frustrations in town hall
Mar. 23—A Lewiston town hall hosted by former United States Congressmen Richard Stallings and Larry LaRocco drew roughly 200 attendees on Saturday morning at the Lewiston Community Center. The congressmen, both Democrats, have been holding town halls around the state, and they said the meeting was one of the largest they'd drawn. They spoke at a similar event Saturday night at the 1912 Center in Moscow, and that event also drew about 200 people. LaRocco said they plan to write a report based on feedback from the town halls to present to Congress. "Richard and I are preparing a little report for our congressional delegation so they can hear what the constituents say, because they don't give a damn and they're not here listening to you," LaRocco said. The former congressmen said congressional representatives were complicit in what they believe to be illegal action by the presidential administration, including immigration crackdowns on legal residents, and allowing Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency access to sensitive information of citizens. It's a sentiment that seemed to be shared by many of the constituents who came to the town hall. Barbara Bird, 83, has lived in Lewiston for 40 years. "I worry about DOGE getting into Social Security. I worry about our safety," she said. "Our representatives are not doing their job, they're not representing us. They're not listening to the people who elected them. They should remember that when the next election comes up." Many other attendees said they were worried about Social Security. One audience member asked for a raise of hands among those who would be in trouble without their Social Security check, to which roughly a third of the room's hands went up. "We've gotta prioritize," she said. "For me, that looks like something about Social Security, because if we don't have income, how can we stand up and fight for anything else?" Some, including former Idaho state Rep. John Rusche, discussed concerns that the local Social Security office might eventually be closed by DOGE. Rusche said he had investigated and that the office had been on a list to close before DOGE received blowback. "I don't know what's gonna happen with the Social Security office," Rusche said. "But ... (if it did close), that would be just a disaster." Stallings said the one branch of government where he believes people are doing their job is the courts. Daily headlines, straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date, delivered daily at 7 AM "The courts are holding. If Trump defies a court order, then we really are at a constitutional crisis," he said. "Then, I think the only recourse we have is to demonstrate in such huge numbers that we make the Martin Luther King 'I have a dream' march look small in comparison." Attendees spent much of the town hall discussing political strategy in a time when they feel unheard by their representatives. One man said he had sent questions to both U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher and U.S. Senator Jim Risch. "Handwritten questions, and I've still received no response. I don't expect those gentlemen to answer me, but they have staff that could," the man said. Several people, to loud applause, expressed frustration with the Democratic party for not taking more decisive action in moments when they had the chance. "Democrats talk and talk and Republicans steal Supreme Court justices. They make things happen. And I think people see that," said Alex Church. "Republicans every time make things happen while Democrats say, 'Well, maybe next time in two years.'" Kenneth Parham of Lewiston spoke in favor of a more aggressive political strategy. "When you look at how things are going, it's —it's there. So, we have to play hardball and not softball," he said. Other residents noted the need to engage with young people. Several mentioned the energy young people expressed for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders during his presidential campaign in 2016. One speaker, who identified herself as Mariah, said she works as a teacher and believes the Democratic party hasn't done enough to engage young voters. "Young people, they've never felt they were the target audience. They never felt like they were heard, and they never felt like their vote mattered in this state, honestly," she said. "We don't believe that they (Democratic leaders) have a backbone. And the high road is not working anymore." Stallings said one of his goals is to recruit more people to run for office. "I'd like some people that are a little more responsible to their constituents. And I don't care if it's Democrats — I might prefer Democrats obviously — but if Republicans take a step up to that, I'll give them the same support because this is a constitutional crisis," he said. Sun may be contacted at rsun@ or on Twitter at @Rachel_M_Sun. This report is made in partnership with Northwest Public Broadcasting, the Lewiston Tribune and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Long Island lawmakers sue Nassau County executive for creating taxpayer-funded militia of armed civilians ‘in secrecy'
NEW YORK — Long Island lawmakers have sued Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and a local sheriff for a program sanctioning a taxpayer-funded militia of armed civilians shrouded 'in secrecy.' The suit challenges the legality of the 'special deputy sheriffs' program announced in March 2024 to public outcry by Blakeman, which authorizes the activation of 'minimally trained, unregistered private civilians to act as special sheriff's deputies with authority to use deadly force and make arrests under color of law' if Blakeman declares an emergency. The suit, filed Tuesday by Democratic members of the Nassau County legislature's public safety committee, Debra Mulé and Scott Davis, alleges that Blakeman — a prominent Republican and ally of President Trump— and Nassau County Sheriff Anthony LaRocco have stonewalled their requests for basic information about the program's development and withheld details of how it's being funded in their 2025 budget proposal to the local legislature. In a statement Wednesday, one of their lawyers, civil rights attorney Carey Dunne, said allowing local leaders to arm civilians and grant them police powers could have nationwide implications. 'County Executive Blakeman's militia endangers public safety in Nassau County and the health of our democracy nationwide,' Dunne said. 'Our lawsuit alleges an authoritarian power grab in the heart of suburban America, where a handpicked group of armed vigilantes operates secretly at the beck and call of an unchecked executive.' One request for information denied by Blakeman and LaRocco last year sought details about what training the militia members — paid $150 daily stipends — were undergoing, where they were receiving it, who was conducting the training, how many hours were required, and how much it was all costing New York taxpayers, according to the lawsuit. The suit says the militias are illegal under New York law, which, in emergencies, allows local police departments to enlist officers from municipalities' law enforcement agencies, and questions the need for civilian paramilitaries when Nassau County — ranked last year as the safest county in the U.S.— has a police department with 2,500 members, hundreds of unarmed civilian volunteers, and the ability to request assistance from 60,000 registered officers statewide. 'Defendants have not publicly explained how a group of less than one hundred armed civilians would materially aid the thousands of trained, registered, sworn, and armed police and peace officers available to meet the needs of Nassau County residents in the event of an emergency,' the suit filed in Nassau County Supreme Court reads. It's also unclear who has been recruited so far, the suit details, referencing reporting in Newsday that said 25 people had been signed up as of September, six of whom Blakeman and LaRocco had refused to share details about publicly. The suit seeks a court order finding Blakeman and LaRocco's creation of the civilian militia with taxpayer funds illegal, an order barring them from continuing to use public funds and resources to deputize private citizens, and a directive they respond fully to an outstanding Freedom of Information Law request, which also seeks information on what weapons recruits are being armed with. The suit was brought on the same day Blakeman announced a never-before-seen initiative that will see 10 Nassau County detectives partner with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help carry out Trump's mass deportations. At a press conference Tuesday, Blakeman and Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder refused to rule out that local detectives 'working on behalf of ICE' would not target undocumented immigrants who have not been accused of violent crimes. The Trump administration has made clear it regards anyone in the U.S. without documentation to be a criminal. Asked whether the civilian militias would be enlisted to work alongside ICE, Blakeman said, 'They have nothing to do with this.' Representatives for Blakeman and LaRocco did not respond to the Daily News's inquiries Wednesday. At a press conference Wednesday announcing the suit, Seth Koslow, a Democrat who plans to challenge Blakeman in the general election in November, said that although Blakeman denied the militias would be involved in the ICE partnership, it was impossible to confirm given the lack of transparency. 'I don't believe when he says he won't use them. I'm concerned he will activate them and declare an emergency where an emergency doesn't exist,' Koslow said. 'He's already said he can use the militia for protests or for anything he deems to be an emergency. We don't know what he wants to do. We don't know what they're trained to handle because he hasn't told us.' _____
