Politics can get chaotic at times. This latest example is proof of that.
As a top Democrat candidate was forcibly removed from the scene during a high-stakes meeting.
A legislative town hall hosted by the GOP in northern Idaho took a chaotic turn when three security guards drug a woman away who was heckling the speakers during the event.
The Saturday town hall at Coeur d’Alene High School, which was first reported on by the Coeur d’Alene Press, quickly gained massive attention as videos of the confrontation circulated online. The aftermath has sparked intense debate, with more than $120,000 raised for Teresa Borrenpohl’s legal expenses and the local police chief calling for the revocation of the security firm’s business license.
Adding to the fallout, the city attorney’s office dismissed a misdemeanor battery charge against Borrenpohl “in the interest of justice,” according to Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White. Detectives are now reviewing video footage to determine if the security officers broke any laws during the incident.
Approximately 450 people attended the town hall, which was organized by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC). Brent Regan, the committee’s chairman, stated that attendees were informed about the presence of security personnel and warned that “anyone who refused to respect the rights of others would be removed from the event.”
Despite this, the atmosphere inside the town hall was far from calm. Videos show moments of both cheers and heckling from the crowd — particularly when a lawmaker mentioned legislation designed to protect doctors from “being forced to do abortions.”
“Women are dying,” someone in the audience shouted. “And doctors are leaving our state!” another voice added. The moderator attempted to restore order, reprimanding the crowd for “popping off with stupid remarks.”
It was at this point that Borrenpohl, a Democratic legislative candidate, joined in. “Is this a town hall or a lecture?” she stated, with others repeating the question.
Regan claimed Borrenpohl had been warned at least three times to quit interrupting the speakers.
“We’re trying to respect the rights of the 450 people that were there to listen. One person can’t stand up to bring a halt to the whole event,” he said.
Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, dressed in plain clothes but with his badge visible on his belt, approached Borrenpohl, introduced himself, and told her she needed to leave or face removal. He then stepped back and began recording the situation on his phone as three unidentified men moved in and grabbed Borrenpohl.
Tonya Coppedge, who was seated behind Borrenpohl and recorded the incident on her phone, said the men refused her multiple requests to identify themselves. One of the individuals bent Borrenpohl’s wrist into a flexed position, and as the confrontation escalated, Borrenpohl bit one of the men on the hand in response to being physically restrained, according to Coppedge.
“They were not very kind to her — it was pretty violent and traumatic,” Coppedge explained.
Alicia Abbott, a friend of Borrenpohl’s who put together a GoFundMe campaign for her legal defense, said Borrenpohl was left with bruises from the altercation. Abbott questioned the legitimacy of the security officers’ actions.
“Who were these people to detain Teresa in the first place?” Abbott said. “This is not the first time we’ve seen this kind of security presence in public meetings or town halls. If they’re going to be detaining people, do they even have knowledge of the law? Are they trained to safely remove people?”
The men involved worked for LEAR Asset Management, a private security company based in Hayden, Idaho. The security team appeared to violate Coeur d’Alene city ordinances, which require security personnel to wear clearly marked uniforms with the word “Security” displayed in letters at least one inch tall on the front.
According to what Police Chief White said to the Associated Press, he has formally requested the revocation of LEAR Asset Management’s business licenses, along with the security agent licenses of the men involved with detaining Borrenpohl.
Event organizers had arranged for heightened security due to recent threats. Regan explained that Rep. Jordan Redman (R-Dist. 3B) had received bomb threats on social media, prompting the KCRCC to notify the sheriff’s office and secure additional security measures. Officers from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department were also placed outside in the parking lot.
On Monday, Kootenai County Undersheriff Brett Nelson announced that an “independent investigation of the incident” would be conducted by an outside agency, ensuring a thorough review of the events that unfolded at the town hall.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
