What Kind of Conservative Are You?

Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.

What kind of conservative are you? That is the question every Idaho Republican should ask themselves as they read about Bryan Smith, a man who proclaims himself the righteous and moral authority on conservatism while wielding power like a blunt instrument against anyone who dares to challenge him. His version of conservatism is not about principles, integrity, or ideological debate—it is about control. It ensures that only those who bow to his authority are elevated while his political enemies are buried under the weight of legal battles, public smears, and financial ruin.

Smith’s latest ploy to extract attorney’s fees from the Bingham County Republicans volunteer chairman Matt Thompson follows a familiar script. He and Moon likely knew that the Idaho GOP’s case could win through attrition, likely banking on the possibility that they could overwhelm their opponents with a lengthy legal fight they could not afford. It’s a tactic ripped straight from Smith’s legal playbook—drag opponents into expensive litigation, drain their resources, and then, win or lose, do what they can to ensure their enemies pay.

What’s worse is the chilling message it sends to those who raise their hand to volunteer to help serve within the Idaho Republican Party: do not go against Smith and Moon, or you could get dragged into expensive litigation and potentially be personally liable for significant legal fees, which might wipe you out financially.

This is not the behavior of a principled conservative leader; it is the strategy of a ruthless political operative who seems to treat the courts as an extension of his political machine. Smith often relies on good old Republican party members who chastise others for “rocking the boat” or “poking the bear” for speaking up against abusive behavior while saying nothing when he engages in contentious acts.

Smith presents himself as the ideal conservative. He presents his version of conservatism as beyond reproach and codified in the Idaho GOP's platform—which he and his closest allies essentially control. By shaping the party’s rules and guiding its ideological direction, Smith and his comrades appear to dictate what it means to be a Republican in Idaho. They’ve used contention and confrontation to dissuade long-time volunteers from pushing back and make clear that dissenters will face swift and severe retaliation.

These tactics are ripped straight from the Marxist playbook.

Dustin Hurst, a long-time IFF-paid operative, appeared to coordinate with Smith, Chad Christensen, and others in a scheme to defame me and set up a lawsuit that their side ultimately lost. I filed a counter-claim against Hurst, and Smith represented him, dragging the process out with unnecessary motions to compel—clearly designed to hurt me financially. Hurst later admitted that he did not have to pay any legal fees, as Smith represented him for free. This hypocrisy is glaring, as Smith attempts to collect legal fees from Bingham County Republican Central Committee chairman. Smith worked hard to protect the IFF and prevent Hurst from saying too much, demonstrating that his “pro bono” work was anything but altruistic.

Smith’s involvement in a defamation lawsuit against Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Dan Gookin follows a similar lawfare pattern. Gookin had publicly questioned the integrity of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee by suggesting that the group “rigged” its rating and vetting system used to endorse local candidates, often favoring ones loyal to the chairman. The committee, led by fellow IFF board member and chairman Brent Regan, sued Gookin for defamation. The case appears to be yet another attempt to punish those who scrutinize the backroom dealings of Smith and Regan’s political machine in Idaho.

Bryan Smith graduated from the University of the Pacific and earned his law degree from a school ranked 159th out of 196 U.S. law schools—hardly the pedigree of a legal mastermind. Perhaps that explains why Smith went into collecting medical debt, and his ability to profit off those facing unplanned medical expenses made him wealthy.

His extraordinary medical collection tactics (albeit allowed under Idaho law) became so notorious that the Idaho legislature passed a bill to curtail the ability of attorneys like Smith to collect hefty legal fees on medical debt collection cases. Later, Smith’s client, a medical practice, sued David Lyon over a medical debt. Lyon, a former Smith employee and precinct committeeman under his GOP leadership, hired attorney Edward Dindinger—known for representing figures tied to Smith’s political machine, including Chad Christensen and Aaron von Ehlinger (who was later convicted of raping Christensen’s legislative intern.) The case appeared to be a coordinated attempt to undermine the Idaho Patient Act, which curbed Smith’s debt collection practices. A judge initially ruled in Smith’s favor but later reversed course after the local press exposed the scheme. A complaint was filed with the Idaho State Bar over the alleged collusion.

Damond Watkins, a former Idaho Republican National Committeeman, resigned after facing pressure from Dorothy Moon and Bryan Smith. He had witnessed firsthand the lengths Smith and Moon would go to push him out and take over the position he was elected to serve. It is widely believed that Smith coordinated the release of a video of Watkins speaking at an LDS sacrament meeting with Stop Idaho RINOs, a website run by John Heida, which is frequently used to support IFF-backed legislators. The move appeared coercive and nasty, signaling how low they would go to help Smith defeat an enemy.

Ever the perennial candidate, Smith’s hubris has yet to align with the reality that Idaho voters do not want to elect him to office.

Smith touts himself as a faithful member of the LDS Church, yet his actions reveal a profound contradiction. He cloaks himself in righteous indignation, wielding his faith as a shield while practicing politics in a way that contradicts the teachings he claims to uphold. Christ’s own ministry condemned hypocrisy and self-righteous piety, reserving his strongest rebukes for those who manipulated faith for power and personal gain. If Christ cast out the money changers for their abuse of the temple, what would he say of a man who uses a false moral authority to justify crushing his political opponents?

So, what kind of conservative are you? One who believes in true conservative principles—honor, integrity, personal freedom, and small government—or one who is willing to look the other way while Smith turns the party into a tool for personal vengeance?

As the saying goes, “The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” Bryan Smith’s greatest trick is convincing Idaho Republicans that his ruthless ambition is defining and protecting conservatism. But now that you see the game he’s playing, will you stand by and do nothing and allow this abusive behavior to persist?

We must overcome our fear of confronting contention. Silence and inaction embolden those who delight in the suffering of others. Good people will continue to be hurt by those who’ve mastered dishonesty to quench their insatiable lust for power.

Please join me in opposing this abusive behavior by adding your support and sharing this message with everyone who needs to hear it.

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About the Author
Gregory Graf is the creator of Political Potatoes and a lifelong conservative Republican. His articles often criticize the hypocrisy committed by far-right grifters who’ve taken control of the GOP. Graf is the CEO of Snake River Strategies, a communications and political consulting firm based in Eagle, Idaho. He and his family moved to Idaho Falls from Utah in 2013 and reside in Star.

Disclaimer
The following is intended to convey an opinion on newsworthy events of public concern regarding public figures and/or public officials in exercising their official duties. No implications or inferences—beyond those explicitly stated in the preceding— are intended to be conveyed or endorsed by the Author. Wherever available, hyperlinks have been provided to allow readers to directly access any underlying assertions of fact upon which this opinion is based.

As someone who has personally faced Smith in multiple depositions and lawsuits, my experience with him has been less than pleasant. I admit I have a personal bias against someone whom I believe has schemed to destroy me and my family for years in retaliation for standing up to those engaged in abusive behavior and extremism. I believe in standing up against evil and will remain steadfast in my efforts to do what is right. I expect that Smith and his comrades will likely falsely call me a “leftist, a democrat, a liberal, or even a communist” because their fragile egos can’t handle that a lifelong Republican would dare call out their bad behavior.