Governor Dirk Kempthorne praised organizers of a Human Rights banquet being held tonight in Coeur d'Alene. Attached is text of a letter Kempthorne wrote to Tony Stewart, a Political Science professor at North Idaho College, and Vice President of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. The letter will be read at the banquet. The Governor is chairing the Council of State Governments meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and unable to attend tonight's event. However, be assured that I'm definitely with you in spirit.
Tonight is a great night for Idaho.
For far too long, the people in this beautiful part of our state have had to contend with a small group of malcontents. A group that has espoused hatred, and engaged in acts of violence against private citizens. But in this past year, we marked a milestone. The Aryan Nations was brought to the bar of justice for their actions, and a jury of 12 courageous Idahoans found them responsible for their actions. And as a result of their verdict, they've been forced to surrender their compound.