Republicans scrutinizing McCann’s voting record

Lori McCann, a representative of Idaho’s 6th Legislative District, will appear at a meeting of Latah County Republicans this week during which her party will consider giving her a reprimand or censure over her voting record.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the 1912 Center, 412 E. Third St., Moscow. The meeting is open to the public but only registered Republicans who live in the 6th District will be allowed to give testimony for or against McCann.

McCann’s voting record during this past legislative session “appears to conflict with the Idaho Republican Party Platform,” according to the documents associated with Tuesday’s meeting. Those documents list 13 votes McCann made that are being objected to.

“My position is that I am following my constituents, and I am following what I’m hearing from them, what I read from them,” McCann said in an interview with the Tribune. “And I also try very hard to follow Republican principles, but there are a few things that have been adopted by the GOP that I am not in favor of. They’re just going to have to determine who I am representing — am I representing the central committee, or am I representing the people?”

McCann said she got official rebukes from the Nez Perce County Republicans in March and the Lewis County Republicans in April. Her district includes all of Latah and Lewis counties, and part of Nez Perce County.

The actions taken so far have no effect on her status as a member of the Idaho House. She is scheduled to return for the 2024 session.

McCann said three of her votes seem to be the primary bones of contention. She voted against HB 314, which would have restricted children’s access to materials deemed harmful in libraries, and allowed parents to sue libraries and school districts if their child obtained these materials; against HB 265, the “drag show bill,” which would have required reasonable steps to prevent minors from attending sexually explicit performances and created a civil penalty; and in favor of HB 24, which funded the Idaho Launch Grant Program to aid people going into in-demand careers.

The two bills she voted against didn’t become law. The one she supported was signed into law.

McCann said she wasn’t allowed to offer rebuttal when the Nez Perce County GOP gave her a vote of no confidence. She also said she is not allowed to take part in any of that group’s events.

When she appeared before the Lewis County GOP committee, she was permitted to make her case, but was ultimately reprimanded.

“I very succinctly said, ‘I was elected by about 87% of the vote in Lewis County. You five did not elect me.’ I kept hounding them on that, that I am representing the people, not the central committee.”

McCann said the Latah County Republicans have set up Tuesday’s meeting in a “fair and equitable” way.

“I really appreciate Dan Schoenberg, who is the chair of that, giving me the opportunity,” she said.

She offered an example of following the will of her constituents when it came to the library bill.

“The majority I heard from — 2 to 1, at least — were, ‘Please don’t take our rights away.’ It’s a parent’s right to decide what their child should and shouldn’t read.”

She also said she rarely hears voting recommendations from central committee members in her district.

“I’m standing strong and I’m going to go before them and tell them my side of the story,” she said, “and hopefully the Latah folks will realize Moscow and Latah County is a swing district, and there are many moderate or more mainstream Republicans than a lot of other places. I think they need to realize ... the Republicans do not only represent the far right.”

Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2262. Follow him on Twitter @MattBaney_Trib.