Lawmaker who ID'd rape accuser may lose committee assignment

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A legislative ethics committee decided Tuesday that an Idaho lawmaker who publicized the name of a Statehouse intern who reported that she was raped by another lawmaker should be stripped of one of her committee assignments for acting in an a manner 'œunbecoming'ť to the state's House of Representatives.

The bipartisan committee unanimously approved its recommendation against Republican Rep. Priscilla Giddings at the end of a two-day hearing, with members saying she violated basic standards of conduct in targeting the 19-year-old intern.

Committee members also said Giddings was evasive and disrespectful to her House colleagues during her testimony on Monday and accused her of lying to the public in an attempt to paint herself as a victim of the ethics investigation.

Giddings didn't attend the hearing on Tuesday after missing much of it on Monday. In a statement released after the hearing ended, Giddings claimed the committee was corrupt and called its decision 'œa mockery of Idaho's ethical standards.'ť

Idaho's full House will next be asked to vote on the panel's recommendation, but will have to reconvene for the vote. It's unclear when that will happen, but it could be any time before the Legislature's next session begins in January.

Giddings became the subject of two ethics complaints by about two dozen lawmakers earlier this year after she shared links to a far-right blog that included the name, photo and personal details about the intern who reported being raped by the lawmaker, Republican Aaron von Ehlinger. Giddings posted the link on social media and in a newsletter to constituents.

Von Ehlinger resigned earlier this year after the ethics committee recommended his removal from the Statehouse. He has denied all wrongdoing and police are investigating the rape allegation.

The intern later said the publicization of her name and personal details led to overwhelming harassment at a time when she was already struggling. The Associated Press does not typically identify sexual assault victims without their permission.

Giddings declined to attend much of the hearing, appearing only on Monday to make an opening statement and again when she was called as a witness.

When she first entered Monday, she was greeted by shouts of support and applause from some in the audience, including militia members, participants in anti-government activist Ammon Bundy's far-right 'œPeople's Rights'ť group and anti-vaccination protest organizers.

Giddings said during her testimony that she felt she had an an obligation to share the article on the blog when the ethics committee was investigating von Ehlinger because she said the committee did not disseminate a written response he had made about the rape allegation.

In her newsletter when she shared the article, Giddings said the rape allegations 'œwere nothing more than a Liberal smear job.'ť

Giddings during her testimony said she did nothing wrong, claimed the intern wasn't a crime victim and repeatedly refused to answer questions that she said she considered 'œirrelevant.'ť

Five of the lawmakers who signed on to one of the complaints testified Monday that they were concerned that Giddings apparently told half-truths while under oath in von Ehlinger's ethics hearing about her social media post and that exposing the identity of the intern for reporting a crime - often referred to as 'œdoxing'ť - amounted to victimizing her a second time.

Republican Rep. Julie Yamamoto, told the committee that if Giddings had admitted her errors and apologized, Yamamoto would have removed her name from the complaint. Giddings never did.

'œI do believe that when someone has made a mistake, which we all have ... that we have a loving God who is willing to forgive,'ť Yamamoto said. 'œBut we have to own it.'ť

Rep. John Gannon, a Democrat, said Idaho does not have a 'œrape shield law'ť that protects the identity of people who report sexual assaults - but added that the state's 'œwhistleblower'ť law protects public employees who report crimes. He said the intern was similar to a public employee, and Giddings may have put the state at risk of legal liability.

Republican Rep. Wendy Horman said Giddings lied to the committee and the public and noted that Giddings had repeatedly used the ethics complaints against her to fundraise - ostensibly for her own defense.

But Giddings apparently didn't use the money to hire an attorney or to serve potential defense witnesses with subpoenas. Horman also took issue with Giddings' claim that she takes 'œa backseat to no one in protecting victims' rights.'ť

Rep. Brent Crane, a Republican, accused Giddings of repeatedly making 'œpatently false'ť statements in media interviews and to the committee, including her claim that she was being targeted because she was running for lieutenant governor and that the committee worked with one of her political opponents. Giddings didn't declare her intent to run for the post until after both complaints were filed.

'œYou can go ahead and report that narrative, but it is a baldfaced lie,'ť Crane said.

If a majority of the House votes in favor of the recommendation, Giddings will lose her seat on the House Commerce and Human Resources Committee. She would remain on the powerful Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee and the Agricultural Affairs Committee.

The intern's attorney, Annie Hightower with the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence, said the committee's recommendation was 'œincredibly disappointing" and that she and the intern had hoped that Giddings would be met with 'œan appropriate consequence.'ť

'œThe recommendation does not demonstrate the level of accountability we expected for absolutely abhorrent behavior of pushing out private information about someone who reported a rape,'ť Hightower said. 'œIt certainly won't undo the chilling effects on future reporting of sexual assault that was created by the postings at the center of the complaints.'ť

The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence provides free civil legal services for sexual assault survivors aged 11 to 24.

After the hearing, some of Giddings' supporters expressed dismay on social media about the recommendation that she be stripped of the committee assignment.

Rep. Heather Scott, a Republican and close ally of Giddings, called the lawmaker the 'œLatest victim of the Ethics Kangaroo Court'ť in a Facebook post.