Press Releases

Saddened by Risch & Crapo Refusal to Participate

Washington, DC – Today, in an historic Christmas Eve vote, the Senate voted to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  The bill passed with unanimous support from Democrats after Republican Senators decided not to participate in addressing this decades-long problem. In this season of hope, it is encouraging that hard work and a vision for the future well-being of our country overcame Republican stall tactics and attempts to keep the bill from coming to a vote. Keith Roark, Chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party issued this statement today:

Read more: Idaho Democrats Applaud Historic Action on Health Care

From gun-toting Democrat to newsroom peacemaker, Chuck Oxley was remembered as a man who lived with passion and purpose. Oxley died October 3 when his pickup truck rolled on U.S. Highway 26 in Eastern Idaho. More than 100 of his family, friends and colleagues gathered for a memorial service October 7 in a picnic shelter near the Boise River, where he loved to canoe. They shared stories of his long career in newspaper journalism, which he had resumed this summer as managing editor of the Blackfoot Morning News, as well as his three years (2005-2008) as communications director for the Idaho Democratic Party.

Oxley relished the irony of being a Democrat who unabashedly championed his right to bear arms. Randy Johnson told of one day when Chuck's voice boomed from his office: "Has anyone seen my bullets?" he asked. "They're about the size of my thumb." Michael Ames, who worked with Oxley on several campaigns, noted how they'd sometimes blow off steam on lunch breaks by driving to the desert near Kuna for some target practice. "We shot at empty propane tanks and refrigerators," Ames recalled. "You always felt big in his presence."

Doug Lindley, a former colleague from the Idaho State Journal, agreed, saying that Oxley "was like Teddy Roosevelt. His whole attitude was, 'Damn everything. I'm going up the hill." Bill Manny of the Idaho Statesman recounted canoeing adventures with Oxley, while other friends told of time spent hunting together.

Richard Neves had recently become Oxley's flight instructor and told of the joy that Oxley had found in his new hobby. The day before he died, Oxley had made his first unassisted landings as a pilot, and Neves had told him he was ready to solo. Neves noted how Oxley's flight books would become a lending library for aspiring pilots and how the Eastern Idaho aviation community had already established a scholarship in Oxley's name.

But another side of Oxley emerged during the memorial service as well. Idaho Statesman reporter Dan Popkey recalled a time when he and fellow Statesman staffer Rocky Barker had almost come to blows in a newsroom argument, but Oxley was the one who calmed them down. Dawna Rasmussen Burket, an Idaho Democratic Party colleague, remembered the days when Oxley brought his young daughter Susannah to work with him. "Those were some of the best days for Chuck, and for everyone at the Idaho Democratic Party." "Chuck was most proud of his role as a father to his daughter Susannah, whom he loved deeply and who thoroughly returned his love," his obituary read.

In addition to the Boise memorial service, a service for Oxley is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday, October 17, at 10 a.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 3424 Forest Ave., in Des Moines, Iowa.

Here's the press release the Idaho Democratic Party sent out upon hearing of Oxley's death:

The Idaho Democratic Party is saddened to learn of the death of Chuck Oxley, who served as party communications director from July 2005 through August 2008. Oxley died in a one-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 26 in Eastern Idaho on Saturday afternoon, October 3, 2009.

Oxley played a key role in directing media for the record-setting 2008 Idaho Democratic presidential caucuses, including the Ada County caucuses that drew more than 8,000 voters to Qwest Arena. A former reporter for the Associated Press and editor at the Idaho Statesman, he had recently resumed his journalism career as managing editor of the Blackfoot Morning News.

R. Keith Roark, chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party, made this statement on learning of Oxley's death: "We lost Chuck Oxley this past Saturday.  Chuck was the IDP’s first communications director and a Democrat to his very core.  In my first few months as IDP Chairman, Chuck helped me get up to speed for a tumultuous year that included Barack Obama’s speech at Boise State University, our wildly successful caucuses, the Frank Church Banquet, Primary Election, State Party Convention and the National Convention in Denver.  He had a great sense of humor and a great sense of just how important politics is to the quality of our lives."

"Our hearts go out to his precious daughter, whom he loved deeply," Roark added. "He lived his life fully and freely and he stood up for what he believed in – we will miss him."

Idaho Democrats are saddened to learn of the passing of Forrest Church, the son of party matriarch Bethine Church and the late U.S. Sen. Frank Church. Rev. Church died Thursday, September 24, in New York City. He had marked his 61st birthday just the day before.

“The Church and Clark family legacies have always been ones of public service,” said Idaho Democratic Party chair R. Keith Roark. “As the author of more than a dozen books, a minister with more than 30 years of service and a strong voice for social justice, Forrest Church more than lived up to the examples set by his parents, our beloved Frank and Bethine, and his grandparents.”

“Idaho Democrats mourn Forrest’s death and celebrate his life, especially the strong spirit that helped him live and work several years beyond the time his doctors expected him to die,” Roark added. “Those extra years were a gift to his mother, Bethine; his brother, Chase; his wife, Carolyn; his children Frank, Jacob, Nathan and Nina; and all of us who knew him.”

The Idaho Democratic Party today criticized state Republicans for undermining Idaho’s once-stable finances and shifting the state’s tax burden onto Idaho families and homeowners.

“It’s true that these are difficult times for individuals and government, but based on their tax-shifting track record, Republicans cannot be trusted to do what needs to be done in a fair and family-friendly way,” Idaho Democratic Party Chairman R. Keith Roark said after Gov. Butch Otter ordered further budget holdbacks this morning.

“For years, Idaho Republicans have been giving special tax breaks to huge corporations at the expense of Idaho families, neighborhood schools and homegrown businesses, which have seen their state taxes climb more than three times as fast as corporations over the past decade. We’re now seeing the full impact of that decision, and it’s not pretty,” Roark added.

Read more: Budget holdbacks are a legacy of GOP’s tax-shifting policies

Today, the White House released a report showing that health insurance premiums in every state - including Idaho - are growing far in excess of wage growth.  The report shows that premiums for employer-sponsored insurance in Idaho have risen by 96 percent since 1999 while wage growth in that period has grown by only 43 percent.  In response to the report, Idaho Democratic Party Chair R. Keith Roark released the following statement:

“This report is just further proof that Idahoans need health insurance reform, and we need it now.  Family budgets are increasingly being consumed by the high costs of health care, and as a result Idahoans are being forced to cut back on groceries, mortgage payments, child care and college savings. The status quo is a recipe for disaster.  But instead of working with Democrats to bring about reform, Republicans are trying to delay change and vowing to ‘break’ the President.

“Our current system works better for the insurance companies than it does for working families. We need a health insurance reform plan will increase stability and security for Americans who have insurance by holding insurance companies accountable and make quality affordable coverage available to those without insurance.  It is imperative that we lower the cost of health care for Idaho’s families, businesses and government. The time to curb the sky-rocketing cost of health insurance premiums and offer security and stability to Idahoans is now.”

New studies and disturbing public service announcement ads have most Americans convinced that it’s time to stop texting while driving. Now a bipartisan group of Idaho lawmakers are working together to enact legislation in 2010 that will raise awareness and save lives.

Senator Les Bock, a Boise Democrat who brought forth similar legislation during the 2009 session, will be the sponsor of two bills: one to prohibit texting and other similar messaging while driving and another to limit cell phone use without a hands-free device. Co-sponsors to the bills will include JoAn Wood, the Republican chair of the House Transportation & Defense Committee, along with Assistant Senate Minority Leader Elliot Werk and House Democrats Liz Chavez, Elfreda Higgins and Anne Pasley-Stuart.

“Public awareness of the dangers of texting while driving has increased exponentially this summer,” Bock said. “We now know that the longer we wait to act, the more lives will be lost.” 

In July, Virginia Tech released a study based of driver distraction and cell phone use based on more than 6 million miles of real‐world driving conditions. It found that texting commercial truck drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision than non-texters.

At the start of 2009, only a handful of states had laws banning texting while driving, but there are now at least 24 states plus the District of Columbia that have enacted some restrictions on texting while driving.

“This issue was a bit under the radar when we brought it up last winter,” Bock said. “But clearly, the time has come to enact legislation that will help drivers realize that it’s neither safe nor smart to text while driving.”