GOP lawmaker under fire for employing analyst advocating 'hunting down' cops and federal agents: report

According to a report for the Daily Beast by William Bredderman, Idaho's Republican Lt. Governor is facing scrutiny over an analyst she has been employing who has written about "hunting down" and killing law enforcement officers he believes are interfering with citizens' rights.

Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin (R) is facing new scrutiny as she makes a run to become Idaho's next governor and her relationship with rightwing extremist Parrish Miller -- who she has paid $26,785 for "professional services" since she assumed office in 2019.

According to Bredderman's research, Miller has also served as analyst for the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank involved "in an illegal lobbying scandal," during that time.

The Daily Beast report states, "What has received less attention is Miller's frothing animosity toward government in general and toward police officers and federal agents in particular," noting that he wrote two opinion pieces in 2020 that, "...urged confronting police who arrested a pandemic lockdown protester in Meridia, Idaho," with Miller asserting there is "an army of heavily armed citizens who won't tolerate their tyranny any longer."

Bredderman reports, "The articles also noted Miller frequently equates arrest with kidnapping on his page, and has written that 'shooting someone who is attempting to kidnap you is always justified,' that 'there is nothing wrong with hunting down active kidnappers to bring them to justice.'"

In May of 2016, Miller wrote on Facebook, "Each and every day innocent people are murdered, kidnapped, and caged by government functionaries. Voting has never and will never change these facts. Shooting the offending government functionaries might."

He later said any attempt to take away his guns would be met with "lethal force," writing to a friend and proclaiming, "ANY person—including politicians and cops—who EVER attempts to disarm ANYONE who is not actively involved in harming another person is the true criminal and thus defensive force—up to and including lethal force—is fully justified to prevent their attempted confiscation."

As for McGeachin, she has sidestepped queries about Miller's employment -- calling them "a ridiculous line of questioning" -- while issuing a statement to the Beast claiming, "I have been a strong and consistent supporter of law enforcement throughout my life and my political career."

Bredderman's report goes on to note that McGeachin's relationship with Miller has not gone unnoticed by law enforcement officials.

"We are not privy to the exact nature of that relationship or what boundaries are set between Mr. Miller and the Lt. Governor, but what I can tell you is when any elected official has ties to someone who is clearly anti-law enforcement and who openly advocates for the killing of cops it naturally raises concerns and questions from our membership," said Sgt. Bryan Lovell of the Idaho State Fraternal Order of Police.

You can read more here.