Dan Foreman is embarrassing.
The Idaho State Senator representing parts of Latah and Benewah counties has delivered a confrontational brand of politics more fit for reality television than public service.
On at least four occasions he has shown remarkable hostility toward the people he represents.
The first instance was at last fall’s Latah County Fair. A video obtained by the Moscow Pullman Daily News shows Foreman telling a constituent, “Go straight to hell, you son of a bitch.” According to the Associated Press, Foreman stood by his vulgar remarks and demanded an apology from the constituent, who Foreman says was lecturing him on the Constitution.
The second was in April, when Foreman described the greater Moscow area as a “cesspool of liberalism” according to the Spokesman-Review. He then cast a petty vote — one of only two in the Senate — against the University of Idaho’s budget, citing the school’s “left-wing, exceedingly liberal agenda.”
Danny Bugingo | Argonaut
The third can be seen in a viral Facebook video obtained by The Argonaut, where Foreman barks “I think what you guys do stinks,” at a group of University of Idaho students advocating for expanded access to contraceptives. He then abruptly cancels their pre-arranged meeting and threatens to call the police.
While Foreman is ardently pro-life, the students had scheduled a meeting with him to discuss sex education, birth control and other issues separate from abortion according to The Argonaut.
Lastly, the Lewiston Tribune reports Foreman responding to an email from a constituent concerned about climate change by saying “too many people are falling victim to these scams foisted on us by liberal zealots.”
Foreman referenced “credible scientists in the former Soviet Union who have concluded the Earth is actually cooling.” For the record, post-Cold War scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have found 16 of the 17 hottest years on record have occurred in this millennium.
In these four incidents, Foreman has shown an appetite for partisan conflict and a profound sensitivity to criticism that ought to make voters question his seriousness as an elected official.
Idaho’s 5th Legislative District contains voters with a variety of political views, all of which should be at least respectfully listened to by its representative in Boise. But — at least for now — we are represented by a profane, climate science denying, thin-skinned Fox News pundit in the guise of a public servant.
Dan Foreman won his last general election by only 336 votes according to Balletopedia. For this district to be represented by someone who respects its constituents, it would take a small, critical mass of voters standing for decency and respect.
It’s time to end this embarrassing spectacle.
Danny Bugingo can be reached at [email protected]