‘I won’t be muzzled!’ Idaho Republican who doxxed rape victim basks in criticism

An Idaho Republican lawmaker who revealed personal information belonging to a rape victim is basking in the criticism.

State Rep. Priscilla Giddings (R-White Bird), shared a right-wing blog post that revealed the name and photo of a woman who accused another GOP legislator of rape, is running for lieutenant governor and claims the criticism she has faced for her actions are an attack on her political values, reported the Idaho County Free Press.

"I will not be muzzled," Giddings told a crowd of about 80 supporters at a town hall event, with another 30 or so waiting outside a veterans center.

She told supporters at the "Pie with Priscilla" event that she had received more than 200 nasty or threatening emails, which she perceived as attacks "all for sticking up for my conservative values."

"My daughter has even been named in some of those," Giddings said, tearing up. "I don't have a flying career, my husband won't be hired by some people — but we have to fight back."

Organizers stood watch outside the event with firearms as a security precaution as Giddings railed against coronavirus mandates and relief funding, along with hot-button issues frequently mentioned on Fox News and other conservative media outlets, including anti-racism education and efforts to make LGBTQ students feel welcome in school.

"When the China virus first hit, the governor nullified many laws," Giddings said. "[Gov. Brad Little] should not just be able to get rid of laws, and he has to know all Idaho businesses are essential."

Giddings, who has a perfect legislative score from the public education-hating Idaho Freedom Foundation, disparaged the legislative intern as a "honey trap" after the 19-year-old woman accused state Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger of raping her at his apartment, and then defended herself for publicizing the woman's identity.

"It was my understanding there was no criminal proceeding going on at the time," Giddings told the Ethics Committee last month, "and if Rep. von Ehlinger's name was going to be made public, I believe that everybody should be innocent until proven guilty, and that both sides of the story should be equally represented."

Von Ehlinger, who a GOP colleague said had displayed a "predatory pattern," resigned under the cloud of an ethics investigation.