Idaho AG to investigate ‘newspaper’ mailed to voters

Idaho’s Secretary of State’s office has asked Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to investigate a complaint alleging that a publication purporting to be a conservative newspaper is really a cleverly disguised political campaign mailer.

Deputy Secretary of State Tim Hurst said Monday that the office had handed over the investigation to the attorney general’s office and was no longer handling the case.

Scott Graf, Wasden’s spokesman, declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.

The Idaho Democratic Party filed a complaint last week asking Secretary of State Lawerence Denney to look into a new 48-page publication known as “The Idahoan.”

The letter also demanded Denney should not be involved in the investigation because the publication’s co-editor and publisher Lou Esposito, a longtime political consultant, has close ties to the Republican politician.

Officials with the Idaho Democratic Party argue “The Idahoan” is an attempt to circumvent campaign and election laws by improperly classifying it as a newspaper.

Esposito has denied these allegations.