I cannot either verify nor deny the veracity of the claims made here. From the Moscow-Pullman Daily News:
Here is the real story behind John Freeland’s withdrawal from the District 5 Senate race.
For years, the Idaho GOP has been abandoning its principles of limited government, self-determination and individual liberty in favor of crony capitalism and elitist establishment nest feathering. A scan of John Freeland’s Facebook page will reveal a mixture of hash tags like #ProudEstablishmentRepublican, childish rants and schizophrenic policy positions. Freeland is a cacophony of self-contradiction.
John Freeland was originally only supposed to hold the ballot position until a more qualified candidate could be found. Freeland’s ego simply could not handle being a second stringer, and he decided he was going to run with the ball. Freeland was the Latah GOP’s Frankenstein monster that escaped the laboratory and wound up face to face with a very unhappy electorate who were not about to let an immature, unashamedly establishment opportunist take us for a ride.
Freeland’s online antics combined with threats of GOP protest votes for Dan Schmidt and other possible consequences, forced the hand of the state GOP chairman, who called a meeting to discuss the problem on June 6, where it was decided to call for Freeland’s resignation.
A growing number of us are tired of the status quo. We’re tired of crony capitalism. We’re tired of establishment Republicans like John Freeland gaming the system to their own benefit. We are also no longer afraid to go outside the Republican Party’s “burning house” to effect change. Hence my independent candidacy for Seat 5B.
There is a rebellion brewing in District 5 and self-described establishment candidate John Freeland is simply the first casualty in a cold war turned hot.
One down, one to go.
Ken De Vries St. Maries