Idaho legislative intern reports rape, is ID'd by lawmaker

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Idaho legislative intern reports rape, is ID’d by lawmaker

By REBECCA BOONE
May 4, 2021

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The harassment began soon after a report by a 19-year-old intern, who alleged an Idaho lawmaker raped her, became public.

One state representative sought a copy of the police report and made inquiries into how the young woman herself could be referred for criminal charges for reporting the alleged rape.

Another shared links to a far-right blog post that included the intern’s name, photo and personal details about her life with thousands of people in a newsletter and on social media.

And members of a far-right, anti-government activist group tried to follow and harass the young woman after she was called to testify in a legislative public ethics hearing.

“I can take criticism. I can take people laying out their opinion on me,” the intern told The Associated Press in a phone interview Sunday evening. “But this, it’s just overwhelming.”

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/idaho-ade08d8d48b315a3eb3deaff302c1bb4

[TigressDem]

1. Figures... how can we criminalize reporting rape? nt

[bottomofthehill]

2. Stunning, attack the victim is the mantra of the Republican party

She is brave, imagine being raped, trying to take charge back of your life after that horror and have people respond by claiming you are the criminal and outing you and your traumatic experience. Have they no shame.

She shows such courage…

“I can take criticism. I can take people laying out their opinion on me,” the intern told The Associated Press in a phone interview Sunday evening. “But this, it’s just overwhelming.”

[Grokenstein]

3. Worst part: her identity was made public by OTHER WOMEN.

Rep. Priscilla Giddings, a Republican from the tiny community of White Bird, shared the link with Doe’s name and photo in a newsletter to constituents and said the allegations were nothing more than a “liberal smear job.”

She also shared the blog post with thousands of followers on social media, making the intern’s identity widely known. Giddings has not responded to repeated requests for comment from the AP.

Rep. Heather Scott, a Republican from the community of Blanchard, filed a public record request with the city of Boise seeking a copy of the young woman’s police report.

Scott approached Rep. Melissa Wintrow, a Democrat from Boise, to ask about how a person who files a false police report alleging sexual assault could be charged. Wintrow is a board member for the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence, which is representing Jane Doe.

Read the whole thing. Get mad.

EDIT: Oh boy, check THIS out. (KTLA.com link)

Several far-right blogs, one of von Ehlinger’s former attorneys and White Bird Republican Rep. Priscilla Giddings have all publicly released the teen’s identity, making disparaging remarks about her and the allegations. Giddings scoffed and laughed at times during the hearing, including when the intern’s attorneys suggested that the bullying the intern had experienced would make other women less willing to report sexual assault.

Rapey von Rapist has already resigned (WaPo link), but Giddings' and Scott's political careers also need to end, and end yesterday.

EDIT: Still more here! (KTVB.com link)

The Idaho 97 Project is calling on Idaho lawmakers to investigate the conduct of Rep. Giddings after she shared links identifying an alleged sexual assault victim.

[dickthegrouch]

4. Why is this not witness tampering?

Every threat or unauthorized release of info should be met with swift retribution by the court.