Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko is calling an invitation by the state’s Democratic Party to join its ranks bogus, and said Democrats in Idaho have more stringent loyalty requirements than Republicans.

After Republicans’ state convention last month, the Idaho Democratic Party’s chairman, Keith Roark, invited people who were “tired, irritated and frightened by the right wing extremism of the Idaho Republican Party” to join with the Democrats.  Roark criticized several parts of the GOP’s platform, including a disclosure statement for Republican candidates, often referred to as a loyalty oath.

“The facts make it clear that the only party using a ‘loyalty oath’ in Idaho is Keith Roark’s very own Idaho Democratic Party,” Semanko said in an e-mail to reporters.  “For example, at their closed caucus meetings in presidential election years, where Idaho Democrats’ select nominees for the President of the United States, participants must sign a statement of allegiance (or a ‘loyalty oath’) to the Idaho Democrat Party prior to participation.”  Semanko called this signature requirement for caucus-goers stricter than the Republicans’ candidate disclosure requirement, which he said isn’t a loyalty oath.

Semanko also repeated attacks at Democrats from a message earlier this month, saying Democrats didn’t allow reporters to observe platform discussions, and that Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C., are out of control in their spending.

Read Semanko’s full statement below.

Chairman Semanko Response to Idaho Democrats' Bogus Invitation

I find it sad that Keith Roark, the Chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party, would attempt to mislead Idahoans and spread falsehoods about what took place at the Idaho Republican Party State Convention in Idaho Falls when he wasn’t even there.  However, since Keith Roark is the leader of the Idaho Democratic Party, the Party that believes in big government and higher taxes, the Party that takes its marching orders straight from Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, I guess it is understandable why he would try to redirect the attention away from himself. Keith Roark must be taking a lesson from Harry Truman who said, “if you can’t convince them, confuse them.”

While I am given the chance, I would like to point out the double standard in what Keith Roark and his friends in the liberal media are referring to as the “loyalty oath.”  The facts make it clear that the only party using a “loyalty oath” in Idaho is Keith Roark’s very own Idaho Democratic Party.  For example, at their closed caucus meetings in presidential election years, where Idaho Democrats’ select nominees for the President of the United States, participants must sign a statement of allegiance (or a “loyalty oath”) to the Idaho Democrat Party prior to participation.  Contrast that with what was added to our Party platform this year that simply asks candidates in the primary election to disclose to their fellow Republicans if they agree with the principles of the Idaho Republican Party Platform, and if they disagree to point out where.  No loyalty oath here.  Can you say Double Standard?!

I also find it ironic that Keith Roark would criticize the Idaho Republican Party in the media, when his Party banned the press from participating in their platform discussions at the Idaho Democrats’ State Convention last month.  As the Party of ideas, our Convention delegates proposed, debated, and voted on rules, resolutions and platform planks that reiterated our core principles of limited government, lower taxes, personal responsibility and family values, under the full scrutiny of the media.  If you still have doubts, I would encourage you to see for yourself exactly what our Party Rules and Party Platform states by going to our website at www.idgop.org.

Finally, like many of you, I am frustrated with the direction Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi are taking our country.  I have had enough of big government, out-of-control spending, government takeovers and health care mandates.  If you too are frustrated with the Democrats’ liberal agenda, I invite you to join me and the Idaho Republican Party in taking back our nation one Congressional District at a time.  Once again, I ask you to join me in returning our great nation back to its promise of the American Dream, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.