Idaho representative blames media bias for bomb threat, town hall melee 

The report’s going viral after a protestor was forcibly dragged from an Idaho legislative town hall over the weekend, but the state representative who was targeted says it was an orchestrated attack “ginned up” by false reporting in the media. 

Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’ Alene, says police increased security at the event Saturday after they received a credible bomb threat against him. The suspect, who was later caught by police, didn’t attend the event but a group of Democrat protestors came to agitate during the discussion. 

After Teresa Borrenpohl, a Democrat who has run unsuccessfully for office, interrupted repeatedly, she was told to either leave or be forcibly removed, the Associated Press reported. A struggle ensued as three security guards, who were not wearing uniforms or security tags on their clothing, removed her, with the confrontation caught on multiple cell-phone cameras.  

Borrenpohl, who has a PhD, bit one of the men who was removing her on his hand, leading to a charge of battery. 

“I think that it was clearly orchestrated,” Redman told Matt Edwards on the Idaho Signal podcast Monday. “There was probably 40-50 people there that clearly had a mission. And I was told before that, like, ‘hey, there’s going to be this group that’s going to try to disrupt.’” 

All charges against Borrenpohl were later dropped, but not before more than $120,000 was raised in a GoFundMe account for her legal fees. The security company also lost its business license for violating local policy that its guards display the word “security” on their uniforms, local media reported.  

But Redman says the bomb suspect and protestors were upset by misreports in the media that he wants to cut Medicaid. 

The conservative legislator has proposed restricting Medicaid expansion, which would extend Medicaid coverage to able-bodied adults, but has not proposed any cuts for minors, the disabled or pregnant women – populations Medicaid typically serves. 

The would-be bomber “was worried about his insulin benefits from Medicaid being taken away,” Redman told the Signal. “Nothing I’m doing impacts that at all, right? However, the media has spun this out that this is repealing Medicaid and this is what we’re doing. 

“Tell the truth,” he continued, addressing the media, “because you are inciting this kind of stuff and ginning people up to come do this themselves.” 

Redman, who had his sons, 5 and 8, with him at the event, said he wasn’t scared because “I’m protected by the Lord,” but that comments have continued online saying “this is not the last time, we’re coming for you.” 

His bottom line is that violence isn’t the answer and truthful, open dialogue is, as well as fair reporting in the media. 

“I think this is part of what you see from the extreme left that just want to create chaos instead of having reasonable, civil debate and talk through things,” says Redman, who stayed after the town hall to talk to people that had more questions. 

“Maybe you have a good point, and maybe I should change something, but if you do it this way, I’m not going to hear your point. I’m not going to hear what you’re trying to say because you’re just being disruptive and creating chaos.”