Idaho Freedom Foundation
Established2009 (2009)[1]
PresidentRon Nate
BudgetRevenue: $763,312
Expenses: $697,821
(FYE December 2017)[2]
SubsidiariesIdaho Reporter[3][4]
Location
Boise, Idaho
Websiteidahofreedom.org

The Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) is a conservative and libertarian think tank located in Boise, Idaho.[3][5][6][7] In January 2024 Ron Nate replaced Wayne Hoffman as President of IFF.[8]

Founding

IFF was begun in 2009 by Wayne Hoffman, who had been the Canyon County Republican Party vice chairman and spokesman for U.S. Rep. Bill Sali. Formerly, Hoffman was a newspaper reporter for the Idaho Statesman, leaving in 2005, and before that had worked for the South Idaho Press in Burley, the Idaho Press Tribune in Nampa, and a southern Idaho radio station.[1]

Issues and influence

The IFF is influential within the Idaho Legislature and the state's broader politics.[9][10][11] Politico described the IFF as "an arch-conservative group that has driven challenges to so-called RINO politicians in the state."[12] The IFF's website says it works to defeat "the state’s socialist public policies." Its Freedom Index rates Idaho legislators on their votes.[13]

In 2012, the IFF was one of the chief opponents of an Idaho state legislative bill that would have placed restrictions on tanning bed usage.[14] In 2013 and 2014, IFF put up billboards criticizing Idaho legislators for their votes to implement a state health insurance exchange.[15][16]

In October 2020, the IFF published a video questioning the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic and decrying governmental measures to combat the spread of the pandemic. Several Idaho Republican elected officials, including Janice McGeachin and a number of state legislators, appeared in the video.[17]

In 2021, the organization criticized Boise State University for holding a "Black Graduation" meant to celebrate Black students in addition to the traditional graduation ceremony. IFF called the event "segregationist." It has urged Idaho lawmakers to cut funding to Boise State.[18]

In a December 2021 opinion editorial published in the Post Register, former Idaho attorney general and former chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court Jim Jones criticized the IFF, writing "It's time to clean Idaho's House of disruptive lawmakers who worship at the Freedom Foundation altar and ignore their duty to act responsibly in the interests of their voters."[19]

The IFF has mounted various legal challenges to state and city laws and regulations.

  • In 2009, IFF was successful in requiring officials from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to release public records in regards to the names, genders, salaries of all public employees.[20]
  • In 2014, IFF and the American Civil Liberties Union threatened legal action against Boise State University when the school required a student group to pay security fees for bringing a pro-gun speaker to campus. Boise State refunded the student group the cost of the security fees.[21][22]
  • In 2015, IFF sued the Boise School District over its contract with a local teachers union, the Boise Education Association. The case was dismissed due to lack of standing.[23][24]
  • In 2016, IFF Board Chair Brent Regan and IFF sued Butch Otter and others about Idaho's Common Core State Standards Initiative testing. The case was dismissed due to the lack of standing by the plaintiffs.[25]
  • In 2019, IFF Board Chair Brent Regan sued Lawerence Denney, arguing that Medicaid expansion was unconstitutional in part because it delegated lawmaking authority to the federal government. The case was dismissed due to the ruling that the foundation of the lawsuit lacked a basis in the law.[26][27][28][29]
  • In 2019, IFF sued Boise due to the establishment of two new urban renewal districts which prevents cities from taking on debt or liabilities without a super-majority of voter approval. The case was dismissed and appealed where it was upheld.[30][31]

Funding

The organization has received funding from Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, two donor-advised funds which are not required to disclose their donors. IFF is a member of the State Policy Network, a consortium of conservative and libertarian think tanks that focus on state-level policy.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 Russell, Betsy (April 19, 2010). "Hoffman: 'A rising leader'". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Idaho Freedom Foundation Inc" (PDF). GuideStar. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  3. 1 2 Prentice, George (March 2, 2011). "Wayne Hoffman Idaho Freedom Foundation director talks taxes, journalism and his growing influence". Boise Weekly. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Idaho Reporter". Project for Excellence in Journalism. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Main Street's revenge". The Economist. May 24, 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2015. the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a libertarian think-tank
  6. ↑ Krusesi, Kimberlee (March 30, 2015). "Idaho House passes tax bill overhaul, hikes fuel tax 7 cents". Idaho Statesman. Associated Press. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Russell, Betsy (July 5, 2012). "Popkey: Idaho Power joins forces with libertarian Idaho Freedom Foundation". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Idaho Freedom Foundation Announces New Leadership". Idaho Freedom. 2024-01-08. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  9. ↑ Ridler, Keith (October 7, 2021). "Mainstream Republicans seek to 'rescue' Idaho – from the GOP". Associated Press. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  10. ↑ Butts, Mike (March 14, 2011). "Idaho Freedom Foundation carries conservative weight at Legislature". The Idaho Press-Tribune. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  11. ↑ Malloy, Chuck (August 1, 2021). "Like them or hate them, the Idaho Freedom Foundation's power grows as attacks mount". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  12. ↑ Montellaro, Zach; Bustillo, Ximena. "Idaho GOP riven by primary civil war". POLITICO. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  13. ↑ Duggan, Alexandra (March 8, 2022). "Republicans see divide due to Idaho Freedom Foundation politics". Idaho Press. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  14. ↑ Yardley, William (March 6, 2012). "Big Sky, Bright Sun and Melanoma". New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  15. ↑ Russell, Betsy (October 29, 2013). "Billboards target Idaho lawmakers in their districts". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  16. ↑ Russell, Betsy (January 15, 2014). "Freedom Foundation now up to half a dozen anti-incumbent billboards around the state". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  17. ↑ Idaho Republicans, including Lt. Gov. McGeachin, decry pandemic measures in new video, Spokesman Review (October 27, 2020).
  18. ↑ Patel, Vimal (July 2, 2021). "President on a Tightrope: Boise State's leader must tread carefully through the culture war. Others may soon walk the same line". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  19. ↑ Jones, Jim (12 Dec 2021). "Opinion: What's worse than 'hell to pay?' — Idaho being ruled by the IFF". Post Register. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "CDA Press article: IFF wins release of city employee names". Idaho Freedom. 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  21. 1 2 Telerico, Kate (22 March 2019). "The Idaho Freedom Foundation keeps losing in court. So why does it keep suing?". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  22. ↑ "ACLU of Idaho Joins Idaho Freedom Foundation, Fire in Calling on Boise State University to Fix Event Policies". ACLU of Idaho. 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  23. ↑ "Idaho Freedom Foundation Legal Challenge | PDF". Scribd. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  24. ↑ Richert, Kevin (2014-10-09). "Conservative group targets Boise labor deal". Idaho Education News. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  25. ↑ "Regan, IFF sue Idaho over Common Core tests | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  26. ↑ "The breakdown: 4 things to know about the Medicaid expansion Supreme Court case". Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  27. ↑ "Regan v. Denney" (PDF).
  28. ↑ Betsy, Posted by. "What the justices said; link to my full story on failure of legal challenge to Medicaid expansion". Idaho Press. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  29. ↑ "Regan v. Denney" (PDF).
  30. ↑ Carmel, Margaret. "Freedom Foundation lawsuit over urban renewal appealed to the state Supreme Court". Idaho Press. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  31. ↑ Suppe, Ryan. "Supreme court upholds dismissal of urban renewal complaint against Boise". Idaho Press. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
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