Commissioner Chat with Prosecutor Louis Marshall
I have been steered away [from criminal issues] because of the dysfunction in the county. ~Louis Marshall
by Shari Dovale
Commissioner Asia Williams brought in the county prosecutor, Louis Marshall, for a chat with the community. Marshall is a very good guest as he is personable and intelligent, not bypassing any questions and giving thorough answers.
The two main topics during this hour long discussion consisted of Open Meeting Laws (OML) and violations, as well as the dysfunction within the county.
He did clarify that he is the main facilitator for complaints, and if there is enough evidence found, he will send it to either the Attorney General or a special prosecutor.
However, his office also serves as the attorney for the county commissioners, therefore that must be taken into consideration.
Marshall did emphasize that there were numerous complaints received recently concerning the county and his office was becoming overwhelmed.
That being said, it is still the best choice to begin the process, so send your complaints to him. You can contact his office at:
127 South First Avenue
Sandpoint, Idaho 83864
Phone: (208) 263-6714
Fax: (208) 263-6726
When asked about District 2 Commissioner Asia Williams not being allowed to vote due to whatever reason Steve Bradshaw decides, Marshall made the comment that this was currently being looked into.
Though it was a good discussion, some felt that there was too much left unsaid. Such as:
Since he is looking out for the commissioners, who is looking out for the citizens in the county? Are they reduced to having to hire a personal attorney and pay for litigation to receive satisfaction?
We are told over and over again that our only recourse is to “Vote them out” at the next election, or to spend the resources to have a recall election. When there are less than 2 years to go in a term, it is generally not fiscally reasonable to attempt a recall election, as that can take many months to get it to a ballot.
In the meantime, the damage that someone can do to the county is tremendous.
Enjoy the highlights from the discussions, in these two videos.
