I recently did some research into local candidates donations using the Idaho Sunshine Database. After this research, I have a few questions:
What is Boundary Educational Services Int.? This entity, which seems to be registered in Wyoming, has contributed about $1,000 to Travis Stolley’s campaign in separate payments. Why is this entity interested in the sheriff’s election?
Boundary Educational Services Int. appears to be registered at 30 N Gould St, an address with a questionable history.
According to a 2021 story (which was updated in 2023) titled “Another scam recorded from business related to 30 N. Gould St. registered agent” from thesheridanpress.com, a registered agent company located at this address “represents an estimated 53,267 businesses.” That company, according to the article, appears to be one of 21 registered agents at that address.
Also, why does Mark Sauter have so many donations from companies? For the most part, the vast majority of contributions to local candidates’ campaigns are from individuals. However, Mark Sauter has received about $14,000 from companies and about $7,000 from people. Out of 47 total listed contributions, almost half (22) are from companies.
The Idaho Sunshine database can be accessed at sunshine.voteidaho.gov. On the home page, scroll down and enter a candidate’s name to view information. Business information and documents can often be found at state Secretary of State websites.
Bud Franklinson
Bonners Ferry
It’s great to “do your research”. It’s great to have questions after “doing your research”. To publicly air those questions, while they are still unanswered, though, which sows doubt and distrust in the minds of others? Not so great.
A few minutes of being a little more thorough (just like in sports, it’s always all about the follow through) reveals there is nothing nefarious going on here. Who is Boundary Educational Services Int.? Well, a simple web search shows they have a website and you can find out all about their work there: https://www.besi.university/. Further, a search on the Wyoming SOS business search page (see https://wyobiz.wyo.gov/Business/FilingDetails.aspx?eFNum=110121084074168057132232005147173112220040081002) shows under “Parties”, that the director is a local Boundary County resident. Still curious (I guess I am more curious than most), I did a search on that director’s name and found that individual also connected as a President of the 9B Foundation, website here, https://9-b.org/, which is concerned with supporting Boundary County emergency services and first responders. And so, I think there is the connection you were seeking. At least I’m satisfied.
I am not endorsing any candidates here, my only concern is to try to improve the political discourse in the place I call home. I am tired, as I think are many others, of the seemingly endless sewing of mistrust and discord in our community. I have noticed in my three years here, that many times, this is done by making (usually) unfounded assertions or insinuations about local public servants and institutions and letting the half-accusations hang mid-air without any follow through.
This has the unfortunate result of creating an unsubstantiated and unjustified atmosphere of fear and paranoia. Especially in people who assume that because someone ended their article or letter-to-the-editor with the words, “do your research” or some such similar words, that it’s not necessary for them to do their research because the person who wrote those words must have done that already. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
In a court of law, it’s necessary for the prosecutor to actually charge someone with a concrete crime, then they are required to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. In the court of public opinion, it’s often enough to throw out a half-baked, kinda-sorta-accusation and then provide no proof at all. But as individuals, we can learn to be more demanding. And I wish it wasn’t so, but it seems that we need to be.