Political Violence is Never Ok.
However, if you are Dorothy Moon and one of her far-right allies, political violence is often part of the playbook to make the opposition afraid to speak up
Political violence takes many forms. It includes physical attacks, destruction of property with political motives, and more insidious tactics like stalking, doxxing, and threats meant to silence dissent or participation in public discourse. Any attempt to use social media, publish content, incite action, or take physical action to make another person and their children feel unsafe in their home and or community is political violence.
Political violence is wrong. It must be condemned no matter the target.
That being said, when a political organization or leader selectively condemns violence while ignoring or even encouraging it when it serves their interests, it demonstrates their lack of integrity and basic human dignity.
Last week, the Idaho GOP issued a statement warning of threats made against Chairwoman Dorothy Moon and other Republicans. The threats included a voicemail left at Moon’s home and a social media post from a fringe LGBTQ+ influencer suggesting that Idaho Republicans “need a Luigi or Boelter sent to them”—a reference to recent high-profile murders.
The post was disgusting and rightly warranted a report to law enforcement. But few had seen it until far-right social media personalities began amplifying it. Idaho GOP media surrogate Brian Almon published a dramatic piece in Gem State Chronicle, then helped push the narrative through national fringe influencers like “Catturd” and “LibsofTikTok,” claiming this as proof of widespread, targeted violence against conservatives. Dorothy Moon and the Idaho GOP issued a statement on the incident, claiming that a threatening voicemail had also been left. Once again, legitimate threats of violence should receive law enforcement attention. Even Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador posted a statement condemning this political violence.
While the threat is serious, there is also a problem when the people crying foul have repeatedly endorsed, encouraged, and overlooked political violence when it comes from inside their circle of loyal operatives and legislators.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation and its political network have a long record of using fear, intimidation, and harassment as tools to control the narrative. In April 2020, an IFF staffer posted the name and photo of a Meridian police officer on social media after he was involved in a staged playground arrest organized by Sara Walton Brady. Hours later, dozens of Bundy-aligned protesters showed up at the officer’s home—a clear act of intimidation and political violence.
In December of that same year, former Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo’s home was targeted. Protesters used air horns, shouted accusations of tyranny, and played audio from Scarface, terrifying her 12-year-old, who was home alone at the time. Any act designed to make children feel unsafe in their own home because of their parents’ stance on public policy is political violence, as is violating someone’s residence.
In early 2021, the home of former Rep. Greg Chaney was targeted for similar reasons—he had co-sponsored legislation to restrict residential protests.
In 2022, Ammon Bundy encouraged his supporters to show up at the home of a judge during his ongoing campaign of harassment against St. Luke’s Hospital. That same year, Bundy was endorsed for governor by Idaho Freedom Action, the political arm of the IFF.
Members of Bundy’s People’s Rights network have a documented history of threatening behavior, including one close supporter, Sean Anderson, who ended up in a gunfight with police and is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence. This is the same network that was backed by the Idaho Freedom Foundation, the same way they latched onto Mark Fitzpatrick, “straight white pride” supremacy marketing stunts.
Dorothy Moon and her new Idaho GOP far-right partners at the Idaho Freedom Foundation and Citizens Alliance of Idaho have never condemned these incidents of political violence.
Nor did they speak out last year when State Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld used information provided by Dave Reilly to publicly attack Christa Hazel—a North Idaho Republican and critic of extremism in her community—for speaking at a private community event in Twin Falls. Zuiderveld’s post included personal information about Hazel’s family, including their contact details, places of work, information on her children, and other personal family information. The intent seemed pretty clear: don’t you dare say things we don’t like or we’ll make your life hell. Sen. Zuiderveld’s use of personal information to intimidate and cause harm was a clear act of political violence.
Hazel wasn’t alone. Many others across this state have faced traumatic political violence from those who demand we call them “conservatives” and “good Christians.” When it happens to critics of the far-right machine, the silence from Moon, the IFF, and their allied political machine is deafening. Instead of condemning this abusive behavior, they often offer justifications—or worse, applause.
Zuiderveld received an award for her “bravery” from Brian Almon following the doxxing of Hazel.
There’s also the case of former State Rep. Priscilla Giddings, who published the name and personal file of a 19-year-old legislative intern who had reported being raped by another lawmaker. Giddings not only defended her actions but also used the incident to raise money for herself until Anedot removed her fundraising page for violating its terms. Moon for her part stood up and testified the help sheild the rapist and support Giddings because they were part of their trusted circle. Not once did they condemn the actual sexual violence against a legislative intern for which the perpetrator is serving 20 years in prison.
These are not isolated incidents. They are part of the confrontational playbook —encouraging political violence, tolerating harassment, and protecting perpetrators as long as they remain loyal to the ideological agenda. And when they get caught, they always double down on bad ideas.
While Brian Almon, Raul Labrador, Dorothy Moon, and their allies wring their hands over a “trans activist” who threatened to use public data against Republicans, they said nothing when an IFF operative published the names and home addresses of every Idaho voter, including individuals protected due to domestic violence.
Their choice to lead with the activist’s trans gender identity in their propaganda campaign wasn’t incidental; it was a calculated signal to their anti-LGBTQ+ base, using selective outrage to virtue signal to their perceived “straight white pride” base, which, as we’ve seen, is not as big as they thought.
So when Dorothy Moon claims that the Idaho GOP “will not be silenced,” it rings hollow. Not because the threats against her are acceptable—they’re not. But her team has spent years creating an environment where threats, intimidation, and silence are part of their playbook to silence opposition.
Selective outrage is disengenuous and dishonest, yet Moon and her far-right allies keep telling us they are right and we should trust them. The evidence suggests otherwise.
Idaho voters deserve a political culture where safety, decency, and truth are applied equally, regardless of which side of the political aisle you are on. Nobody should be made to feel unsafe to speak up out of fear of harm to their family, their livelihood, and their freedom.
Political violence is never ok. See, it’s not that hard to say it and mean it.
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 Idaho GOP.
Do you want to help support Political Potatoes? Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription and/or leave a tip 😊 Your support keeps this work going and is appreciated.
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.
The hypocrisy of these “people” is breathtaking.
Hmm, could it be possible the threat against Moon could have been staged to garner outrage and hoping to persuade support for far-right objectives?