Caldwell’s mayor facing new investigation tied to failed recall effort
Efforts by some voters in Caldwell to recall their mayor and four of the city’s council members failed this month after the organizers weren’t able to secure enough signatures to earn a recall election.
Now, Caldwell Mayor Jarom Wagoner is facing an external investigation after one of the recall organizers filed a complaint against him.
Jim Hollis told the Idaho Statesman that he filed a complaint over a statement Wagoner issued in mid-April, accusing Hollis of sharing “excessive amounts of false and inaccurate information” during the recall effort. Hollis alleged that Wagoner’s statement, which was sent to local news outlets by the city’s spokesperson, used city resources to influence voters against the recall.
Under state law, elected officials are prohibited from using public resources — such as communications staff — to advocate for or against a candidate or ballot measure.
The recall petitions, which were filed in March, largely stemmed from city leaders’ approval of a Marriott hotel despite public opposition; paid parking meters that the city installed, and then removed; and statements supporting Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram after he was accused of sexually harassing a female officer.
In addition to Wagoner, four of the city’s six council members were named in the petitions: Brad Doty, Geoff Williams, Chris Allgood and Mike Dittenber.
For organizers to have gotten the recall effort on the ballot, they needed close to 5,000 signatures. They collected more than 4,200, Hollis said, but when they realized they were going to fall short at the deadline, they decided not to submit the signatures at all, as a lot of participants were concerned about possible retaliation.
“We did it to protect everyone that signed,” Hollis said in a phone interview.
Washington County Prosecuting Attorney True Pearce confirmed in an email that he was assigned a case involving Wagoner, but he declined to provide the Statesman with any information on the nature of the allegations, noting that it was an “active and pending prosecutorial review.”
“At this time, no charging decision has been made, and the matter remains under investigation and review,” he wrote in an email.
Wagoner said he hasn’t been contacted by Pearce’s office about any investigation regarding his statement, and added that he couldn’t confirm whether there was an investigation, “let alone provide a specific comment.”
He wrote in his statement during the recall effort that he was addressing what he called false information spread by Hollis, because it was time “people hear the facts.”
“I do want to make clear that I believe it is both appropriate and necessary for an elected mayor to communicate with the public, especially when misinformation is circulating,” he wrote in an email to the Statesman. “My statement did not advocate for or against any ballot measure; it encouraged the citizens of Caldwell to make informed decisions as voters. I firmly believe that this is part of my duty to the residents I am elected to serve as Mayor.”
Complaint sent to Washington County Prosecutor for review
Wagoner took aim at several of Hollis’ claims in his complaint, including the city’s support of Ingram.
The mayor wouldn’t discuss specifics regarding the accusations made against the police chief, but he said that “every allegation made” was investigated and cleared. He also pointed to an Idaho State Police investigation into Ingram’s spending, which was closed after an outside prosecutor said there was no crime.
Regarding complaints over development, Wagoner acknowledged that several requests, like the construction of a Marriott-branded hotel, have been approved, but that it’s up to elected officials to make decisions they feel are in their community’s best interest.
“I would encourage anyone to take the time to learn about the issue and gather the facts rather than listening to the voice that is simply yelling the loudest,” Wagoner said. “God gave us twice as many ears as mouths for a reason; we need to start listening instead of just yelling.
The complaint was initially sent to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office before it was forwarded to the county level, which Canyon County Clerk Rick Hogaboam said is protocol. Hogaboam said in a phone call that he reviewed the complaint and determined that under the parameters of his office, there wasn’t a violation of law, because the statement wasn’t considered political advertising.
But because of the state law barring use of city resources to support one position over another, the case was referred to Washington County to determine whether Wagoner was advocating against the recall measure.
“It’s up to the Washington County prosecuting attorney,” Hogaboam said.
