A federal judge threw out Idaho’s Wi-Fi contract, which was for public schools AND state offices (although not for radiation purposes, but for violating the state’s procurement law) and not until after the state of Idaho spent $750,000 in taxpayer dollars to defend the indefensible:
The Education Networks of America (ENA), a Wi-Fi contractor from Tennessee gave $38,750 in campaign donations over to the Governor, the Legislators, and the State Schools Superintendent. In return they got a $31.5m contract over 15 years to roll and maintain Wi-Fi out in the Idaho schools. Pretty cheap for them, about $1 purchase for every $1,000 of revenue…
http://www.idahoednews.org/the-edge-blog/the-wifi-contractors-election-money-trail/
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jul/25/contract-awarded-to-luna-backer/
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/jul/30/gov-butch-otter-tepid-on-school-wi-fi-deal/
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/mar/08/idaho-schools-that-opt-out-of-wi-fi-will-get/
The amounts range from $250 to $6,000, but believe it that these are significant amounts in the coffers of someone running for state office. The federal judge sees it as graft/ crony capitalism but re: the education piece, the deal also constituted money getting exchanged at the price of children’s health.
The Campaign for Radiation Free Schools calls it like it is in their press release to the National Association of Independent Schools (which seems to have the same mentality as the Idaho school superintendent):
“We also wonder, with all due respect, whether the support NAIS has received over the years from wireless and technology industry businesses mentioned in its Annual Reports, such as from LaptopSchools.com, Lenovo, Qualcomm and Google Chrome, has in any way biased NAIS or influenced the content of the NAIS statement issued on wireless risks.”
Here is the breakdown of Wi-Fi political graft in Idaho:
$6,000 State superintendent Tom Luna
$4,250 Gov. Butch Otter
$2,250 Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene
$1,250 Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise
$1,000
Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell
Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover
Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Idaho Falls
Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star
Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon
Sen. Jim Patrick, R-Twin Falls
Sen. Russell Fulcher, R-Meridian
$750
Former Sen. Diane Bilyeu, D-Pocatello
Former Sen. Mitch Toryanski, R-Boise
Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley
Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa
Rep. Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale
Rep. Paul Shepherd, R-Riggins
Rep. Stephen Hartgen, R-Twin Falls
Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Three Creek
Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene
Sen. Clifford Bayer, R-Boise
Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls
Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls
$500
Former Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg
Former Rep. Marge Chadderdon, R-Coeur d’Alene
Former Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls
Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls
Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls
Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb, D-Boise
Sen. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian
Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot
$250
Former Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls
Rep. Brandon Hixon, R-Caldwell
Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa
Rep. James Holtzclaw, R-Meridian
Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian
Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene
Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome
Rep. Reed DeMordaunt, R-Eagle
Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry
Rep. Rick Youngblood, R-Nampa
Rep. Scott Bedke, R-Oakley
Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens
Sen. Brent Hill, R-Rexburg
Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert
Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise
Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint
Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood
Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens
Sen. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa
Predictably, the Idaho Department of Public Health parrots the “wireless is safe! wireless is safe!” mantra and has ignored Idahoans who have shown them studies showing Wi-Fi is not safe.