How to Spot Propaganda and Fake News in Idaho
This guide reveals how a few far-right insiders use fake news sites, ghostwritten Substacks, and social media amplification to help their agenda from behind the scenes.
Idaho's political information landscape is crowded with websites, podcasts, Substack newsletters, and social media accounts that all seem to say the same thing. They present themselves as independent media or concerned citizens, but a closer look reveals that many of them are part of a coordinated network. This article outlines how a small number of people connected to the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF), the Citizens Alliance of Idaho, and the Idaho Freedom Caucus work to publish and promote partisan narratives. These narratives often mislead voters, pressure legislators, and present a false appearance of widespread grassroots support.
What looks like a chorus of independent voices is often just a handful of individuals operating under different names, domains, and accounts. Their content is published across multiple platforms with little transparency, using coordinated language, story timing, and messaging. This guide aims to help Idaho voters identify the signs of coordinated propaganda, understand who is behind it, and avoid spreading or acting on misleading content.
Who is behind it? The key players include Ron and Maria Nate (Idaho Freedom Foundation and State Freedom Caucus Network), Cliff Maloney (Citizens Alliance of America), and a group of far-right legislators and operatives often called the "Gang of 8.” Many of these legislators publish identical narratives on Substack newsletters, which appear to be coordinated or ghostwritten by Maria Nate with the obvious overuse of AI.
They work closely with the Citizens Alliance of Idaho, which is the Idaho branch of the national Citizens Alliance of America, operated by Cliff Maloney, the former president of Young Americans for Liberty. This group is supported by donors with specific legislative goals and is known for candidate slates, scorecards, and coordinated door-to-door campaigns.
How does the content get distributed? This network relies on a series of media outlets that cross-promote and recycle each other’s content:
Gem State Chronicle is run by Brian Almon, a former communications director for the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Almon has published white nationalist-aligned content and previously helped with a site called Action Idaho with support from Scott Yenor’s SACR organization. After quietly being separated from his job at the IFF, he launched the Gem State Chronicle to continue pushing aligned narratives. He frequently republishes or links to content from far-right legislators and PACs.
The Gem State Chronicle also publishes a biased voter guide that promotes IFPAC and Citizens Alliance-backed candidates. Almon is a major cog in the far-right propaganda machine.
Idaho Dispatch is operated by Greg Pruett, who also runs Keep Idaho Free, the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance, and several defunct propaganda sites like NWGun News and Freedom Bros podcast. He admitted under oath in a deposition that he had knowingly published false content and did not always write his own articles. He is part of the Dorr Brothers Network and is known for publishing outrageous narratives and misinformation.
As part of his role in helping the far right shield one of their own from accountability, Greg Pruett posted Aaron von Ehlinger’s exclusive “polygraph” results on the Dispatch site that never bother to ask if he raped his victim. The former “conservative” legislator is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for rape.
The Bushnell Report is the platform of Summer Bushnell, a far-right content creator who lost a $1 million defamation lawsuit for publishing edited and false video content about a drag performer. Bushnell is closely aligned with IFF and regularly amplifies their messaging alongside Greg Pruett and Brian Almon.
Idaho Tribune is run by Dave Reilly, a former IFF communications staffer with ties to white nationalist figures and the Groyper movement. He has used fake author names, staged false-flag stunts like the cruel Pizzagate flyer campaign, and worked with Erin Bernard on design and promotion. He now collaborates with David Pettinger and others in the Aryan Bros network.
True Idaho News was operated by Daniel Bobinski, a Christian nationalist who teaches Constitution-themed Bible study classes with Mark Fitzpatrick at the Old State Saloon. His publication pushes frequent anti-LGBTQ+ content and amplifies IFF-aligned candidate slates and ballot measures. According to sources, he has since sold the site to Shane Klaas. Klaas was a devoted Ammon Bundy supporter who was one of the biggest promoters of Bundy’s BBQ standoff. Klaas later faced criminal charges for disturbing the peace while causing a disturbance at a wedding while armed.
Stop Idaho RINOs is run by John Heida, a digital operative who also operates idahoscorecards.com, idgopscorecard.com, emailidaho.com, thinklibertypac.com, and assists in digital campaigns for far-right candidates. He has posted manipulated media, fake endorsements, and amplified IFF messaging while attacking traditional Republicans who are not bought and paid for by the far-right political machine, the same machine that keeps him in business.
John Heida is particularly insidious. He’s been known to publish knowingly false information, use AI to create deepfake-style content against rational Republican legislators, and once even used my child’s brain cancer to attack me online. Next to Greg Pruett, he is one of Idaho’s most abusive and nasty political operatives.
Kootenai Journal is associated with Charity Joy and promotes messaging aligned with the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC). It works closely with the Citizens Alliance and often repackages IFF content for a North Idaho audience.
KC Spectator is published by Erin Bernard and tied closely to Candlelight Church and the KCRCC. She has allegedly collaborated with Dave Reilly and others on politically charged stunts and promotional materials that align with the broader IFF narrative.
Pocatello-Chubbuck Observer is managed by John Crowder, a local far-right candidate in eastern Idaho. He consistently promotes IFF-favored candidates and legislative positions, while publishing columns from far-right lawmakers and candidates.
Idaho Freedom Caucus publishes its official content via its website. It pushes voter guides, and issues endorsements to non-Republican candidates like Ammon Bundy. It reflects a close partnership with Citizens Alliance, frequently publishing legislative alerts, and scorecard breakdowns, and issuing advocacy written in the same language found across all the above platforms. They along with their paper-thin separation from Idaho Freedom Foundation (shared people, offices, staff, board members, etc.) help craft the narratives and pick which candidates get funding support in the next election cycle. It’s no surprise to see IFPAC-endorsed candidates getting exclusive interviews by Greg Pruett on Idaho Dispatch or his failed podcast venture, “The Freedom Bros.”
Substack newsletters from legislators also follow the same pattern. Lawmakers like Christy Zito, Kent Marmon, and Lucas Cayler publish near-identical talking points within days of each other. The content focuses on common themes such as fear of ranked-choice voting, attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals, and false claims of election fraud or government overreach. These newsletters mirror language found being promoted on sites like Almon’s Gem State Chronicle.
What is the goal?
The goal is to create the illusion of a broad, grassroots conservative movement supporting specific policies and candidates. In reality, the same people are writing, promoting, and reinforcing each other’s content across platforms. This creates a feedback loop where voters are exposed to the same talking points through multiple sources, making it seem like the views are widely held and independently confirmed.
Idaho.one is an anonymous website that provides additional cover for this coordination. Despite wide promotion from IFF-aligned accounts, no one has taken public responsibility for building or managing the site. Its purpose is to further amplify selected narratives without any transparency or accountability. The site owner’s X account posts nasty personal attacks against its critics, taking the cowardly position of hiding behind a fake account.
How to spot coordinated propaganda
Multiple websites publishing the same political narrative within a short timeframe
Anonymous websites or social accounts with no transparency about ownership
Articles that lack independent sources or rely solely on partisan groups
Repetition of terms like "freedom," "liberty," “conservative, “RINOs,” or "patriot" in place of facts
Political scorecards or endorsements with a self-serving methodology
Why this matters
This network seeks to dominate the narrative online, in mailboxes, and on social media. The narratives will flood your inbox from different sources all trying to get you to hate the rational Republican because they did not do as they were told by the IFC or IFF. Their influence on local elections and legislation grows when voters are unaware of how coordinated and misleading this content is.
Idaho voters deserve accurate, transparent information. Recognizing the difference between real independent journalism and coordinated political messaging is a critical step in protecting the integrity of Idaho’s elections.
If you see content from these sites or figures, it’s okay to ignore it, unfollow it, or call it out. The best defense against coordinated propaganda is informed skepticism and a commitment to truth.
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 strategic communications and political consulting firm based in Eagle, Idaho. You can follow Graf’s work on X, Threads, or Facebook.
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.
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Thank you MR Graf. We are in a VERY Difficult Time, not just in the State of Idaho, NATIONALLY as Well. Technology is advancing at a Pace that is hard to keep track of. Chaos Creates More Fear, Distrust, and a HUMAN Tendency to PULL BACK, Tune out, Turn off, and that is what CHAOTIC CREATORS Want. I Appreciate your work, Please Continue, it is the 21st Century, a NEW AGE , NEW COMMUNICATIONS.
I appreciate how in-depth you went for this article. I hope it reaches enough people.