Walt Minnick on offense at IPTV debate

For the fourth time in six days, Walt Minnick had Congressman Bill Sali on the defensive at a debate between the two candidates in Idaho's First Congressional District.

Minnick challenged Sali on his opposition to legislation on bridge safety, on Sali's push to privatize Social Security and on his ineffectiveness as a member of Congress. Sali tried to defend his inability to get things done as a freshman member of the minority party.

"Let me tell you how that works for you," Sali said. "You cross the Speaker of the House and you'll be on the Entertainment Committee."

Minnick also sharply criticized Sali for the Idaho Congressman's poor record on a host of ethics issues.

"I think it's imperative that the people we send to Congress ... should obey the laws," Minnick said.

• Sali's Congressional staff is working on his campaign, according to media reports (click here and here), and Sali staffers have previously been rebuked for the practice.
  
• Taxpayers pay almost $4,000 per month so Sali can rent a Congressional office outside his district. And although Sali has been running a vigorous campaign since before his May primary, his campaign finance reports showed no expenditures for office rent prior to July 16.
  
• Sali is well-known for sending out bogus "surveys" and propaganda at taxpayer expense which do nothing more than reiterate the talking points of his Congressional campaign. It also appears as though Sali sent such mail after the pre-election deadline.
  
• Sali has also refused to pay off more than $125,000 in debt from his last campaign, including thousands to corporations Blue Point Consulting and SPARTAC, which have not charged Sali any interest on the debt, a clear violation of campaign finance laws.

Minnick and Sali debated tonight live on the statewide Idaho Public Television network. The debate was co-hosted by the Idaho Press Club and the League of Women Voters.

Comments

[bernard]

Um, why are you bringing up this matter about the Sali Congressional office being in the Hoff Building? If Minnick wins are you planning to open an office in the mall or something and skip downtown? It's really a bad idea to not have an office in downtown Boise because it's sort of the center of government and business. Besides, about 40,000 residents of the 1st Congressional District work in the 2nd CD. Mostly downtown.

[John Foster/Minnick for Congress]

I'm not sure where Walt will open his Congressional offices, but I know that Walt will follow the law. Sali ignores the rules, at huge taxpayer expense and at the expense of his West Boise, Meridian and Eagle constituents.

[Johnny]

Mr. Minnick is a terrible debater. He had no self confidence. Larry Grant was a much better public speaker than the guy you put up there. All he wanted to talk about was the bridge. Mr. Sali clearly won the debate.

[Irwin Horowitz]

I disagree that Bill Sali "won" the debate, however it is true that Walt is not the most inspiring debater or speaker in public. Both sides scored points last night IMO, however, Sali does need to address the concerns with regards to the ethical lapses in his congressional office.