GOP official censured for council vote outlawing discrimination

The Latah County Republican Party has voted to censure its chairman for his vote as a Moscow city councilor supporting an ordinance outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The Moscow-Pullman Daily News reports that a small assembly of county Republican precinct committee members voted 7-6 earlier this month to censure Walter Steed for his city council vote.

Committee member Gresham Bouma says the ordinance will penalize business owners for their personal beliefs when it comes to hiring.

Moscow, which passed the ordinance unanimously, is not the only city in the Gem State to consider an anti-discrimination law. In Pocatello, a similar ordinance was struck down April 18. The council plans to take a look at a revised version next month.

The censure of Steed follows a no confidence vote by committee members two months ago after he supported a council letter to the Idaho Legislature suggesting ways to prevent gun violence, which committee members viewed as an attack on gun ownership rights.

Steed, on vacation in Europe, has the chairman post through May 2014.

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Information from: The Moscow-Pullman Daily News, http://www.dnews.com