Former Democratic Candidate Forcibly Removed After Heckling Legislators, While Sheriff's Own Disability Benefits Draw Scrutiny

Two days after private security guards dragged a woman by her arms out of a legislative town hall in Coeur d'Alene at the signaling of Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, he and others at the event are now facing investigations into their conduct.

A legislative town hall organized by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee devolved into chaos Saturday when unidentified, plainclothes security personnel dragged a Post Falls woman from the Coeur d’Alene High School auditorium for heckling legislators.

Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White condemned the actions of private security guards who pulled a woman from her chair and dragged her out of an Idaho legislative town hall.

COEUR d’ALENE — City prosecutors will dismiss a misdemeanor battery citation issued to the Post Falls woman who plainclothes private security guards dragged out of a legislative town hall Saturday, and the city of Coeur d’Alene has revoked the security company’s business license.

The woman refused to leave the meeting after speaking out against the possible repeal of Medicaid expansion and other bills working their way through the Idaho Legislature.

A Republican town hall in north Idaho has gone viral after a woman who voiced concerns over the repeal of Medicaid expansion was forcibly removed by three men.

The incident spurred a disagreement between the Kootenai County sheriff and Coeur d’Alene’s police chief over the First Amendment implications of the incident.