Ada County rejects doctor for health board appointment, reappoints Raúl Labrador
One of Idaho’s top experts in infectious diseases was up for consideration for the Central District Health board.
The Ada County Commission picked a lawyer with no medical experience.
New Commissioners Rod Beck and Ryan Davidson, both Republicans, reconfirmed their controversial selection last week of Raúl Labrador, a former U.S. congressman and former state GOP chair, during the commission’s meeting Tuesday. Commissioner Kendra Kenyon, a Democrat, voted against it.
That appointment was controversial for two reasons. The first: Labrador has repeatedly said he is against COVID-19 lockdowns. He called the use of masks “overrated,” came under fire last month after being photographed at a Boise mall while not wearing a mask, and was heavily criticized in 2017 when, during a Lewiston town hall, he said that “Nobody dies because they don’t have access to health care.”
The second: It appeared the decision had been made by the new GOP majority on the three-person commission outside of a public meeting, which could be a violation of Idaho’s open meeting law. Canyon County Prosecutor Bryan Taylor is acting as a special prosecutor to review whether any laws have been violated. Some people expressed concern after commissioners said they had been approached by Labrador about serving on the board.
‘No opportunity to voice concerns’
Emails obtained by the Idaho Statesman through a records request showed that within a day of the appointment, the Ada County Commissioners received more than 85 emails about it. More than 75 questioned Labrador’s credentials or said the appointment may have violated the state’s open meeting law.
Emailers called the decision “inappropriate,” “asinine,” and “disheartening.”
“Not only is he unqualified but we, the people had no opportunity to voice concerns or questions,” wrote Karolyn Crowley, a Boise resident.
Several emails supportive of Labrador’s appointment appeared to be form letters thanking the commission for its “quick response to filling a board vacancy” and calling Labrador “uniquely qualified to lead Central District Health back to a proper balance of maintaining our liberties in alignment with the Constitution.”
Laurel Morgan, of Meridian, wrote that Labrador’s “previous service to the people of Idaho makes him the perfect person to be able (to) listen and appropriately represent the people of Ada County!!”
Beck, the commission chair, insisted Tuesday that no laws had been violated. He said Labrador had been added to the agenda Monday morning.
“I’m confident my original statement will stand, that there was no open meeting violation, and we’ll get vindication on that,” Beck said. “We follow the law and didn’t do anything beyond the law.”
Infectious diseases expert considered
Kenyon asked that the appointment be reconsidered. Several doctors came forward to be considered for the board, which makes health recommendations for Ada County as well as Boise, Elmore and Valley county. But it was Dr. Sky Blue, who specializes in infectious diseases, who spoke to the commission about his qualifications in person on Tuesday after Kenyon said his name came up again and again as a suggestion from medical experts in the area.
Blue sees patients through Sawtooth Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, an independent physician-owned practice, the Statesman reported Saturday. He also is the medical director of the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho’s Wellness Center, which provides care to patients with HIV/AIDS.
Labrador is a lawyer with Skaug Law in Nampa who has been involved in Idaho politics for years. He was a member of the Legislature representing District 14, which includes Eagle and Star, for two terms. He then represented Idaho’s 1st Congressional District, which covers western Idaho from Canada to Nevada, including all of Canyon County and the western part of Ada County, for eight years in the U.S. House.
For this legislative term, he is registered to lobby for Treasure Valley Hospital on medical issues. On Tuesday, he also registered to lobby on medical issues for two new groups: Primary Health Medical Group, which has clinics around the Treasure Valley, and Independent Doctors of Idaho, Inc.
Labrador was the chairman of the Idaho Republican Party from 2019 to 2020, when he resigned to start practicing law again.
He said last week that he wanted to be appointed to the board so that he could be “somebody who has a little bit of common sense” on the political, scientific and personal implications of COVID-19.
“I think clearly, Dr. Blue is a better candidate than Mr. Raúl Labrador,” Kenyon said.
Davidson, who wore his mask under his nose despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that say to cover your nose and mouth, said he worried about “monopolizing” an infectious diseases expert’s time with the more trivial parts of the job. The board, in addition to COVID-19 health measures, also deals with restaurant inspections and septic tanks. Beck said his reading of Idaho code is that a district board of health cannot have more than one member of a profession on the board, and Ted Epperly, a doctor, is already on the board.
Epperly’s term expires later this year, Beck said. Beck asked if Blue would be interested in filling that spot instead. Blue said he would consider it.
What comes next
The appointment must now go to county commissioners of the other counties represented by Central District Health’s board. That process can take a few weeks. If seven votes affirming Labrador come in, he will be on the board.
The new appointee may receive payment of $75 per day, according to state law. No formal public health training is required for board members beyond an orientation process, a CDH spokesperson said.
The board seat was previously held by then-Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo. She resigned from the board at the end of her term as commissioner. She ran for re-election against Davidson in November but lost. Lachiondo had been a vocal supporter of mask orders, including one in Ada County that remains in effect.
This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 11:37 AM.
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