Monday, August 24, 2009 3:03:27 AM
Idaho GOP leader who helped spur coup arrested
By JOHN MILLER - Associated Press Writer
Published: 08/20/09
BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho Republican Party leader who helped oust the state GOP chairman in 2008 faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after an altercation escalated while he photographed a home with a delinquent mortgage.
Challis McAffee, 33, the GOP chairman from the Boise suburb of Garden City and one of 231 voting members of the Idaho Republican Central Committee, was arrested after being accused of pointing a gun at the homeowner. He was released from Ada County jail on Thursday after family members and friends posted a portion of the $50,000 bond.
McAffee works for a contractor hired by Wells Fargo & Co. to document the condition of homes where mortgages are past due or in foreclosure. A Wells Fargo spokesman condemned McAffee's behavior, calling it "horrific and absolutely inexcusable."
McAffee, a backer of libertarian-leaning former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul and an activist in this year's anti-big-government "Tea Party" protests, helped organize Paul backers who aligned at last June's Idaho State Republican Convention in Sandpoint with other foes of then-state GOP Chairman Kirk Sullivan. Sullivan was voted from office in favor of Norm Semanko.
According to police in the Boise suburb of Meridian, resident Robert Lutes called officers just before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to report McAffee had pointed a .357 Magnum handgun at him during a verbal confrontation. McAffee acknowledged he pointed the gun at Lutes, according to the police account.
"I'm unarmed, I'm an old man," Lutes, 51, told The Associated Press on Thursday. "I'm trying to find out why he's taking pictures of my house. I said, 'Knock on my door, let me know what you want.' Then, I think he's reaching for his business card and he pulls out a concealed weapon and I think he's going to blow my head off."
Lutes said the gun was beneath a cloth on the floor of the passenger side of McAffee's vehicle.
The Idaho Republican Party said the arrest of one of its southwestern Idaho leaders was a "personal matter."
"It's not a party matter," said Jonathan Parker, state GOP director in Boise.
McAffee didn't return a phone call seeking comment Thursday evening.
But Ryan Davidson, another Paul supporter who has gained attention by pushing pro-marijuana voter initiatives in the central Idaho town of Hailey, said McAffee told him a different version of the altercation in a phone call from jail:
Lutes confronted McAffee, becoming increasingly hostile, Davidson said. When Lutes struck McAffee's Ford Escort with his hand, McAffee brandished the weapon to de-escalate the conflict, Davidson said.
"Challis is one of the most mild-mannered, good-natured guys," Davidson said. "The conversation wasn't going anywhere, the guy smacked the car window. At that point, he (McAffee) felt threatened enough, he picked up the firearm in front of the seat that he carries for protection. The nature of the job is, you're going to run into some unhappy people."
Tony Schewmaker, the Wells Fargo contractor who hired McAffee, knew him through libertarian-leaning groups such as We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education.
Schewmaker objected to the $50,000 bond amount, saying the steep figure resulted from 4th District Magistrate Judge Kevin Swain's objections to the weapon. Schewmaker also keeps a handgun in his vehicle, in particular for business in isolated, rural areas.
"Apparently, we can't use a gun in our own protection," Schewmaker told the AP. "You can have it to look pretty. But if somebody is attempting to attack you, you can't pull it out of the holster. That's what I'm gathering from this."
After a call from the AP, Wells Fargo said it would investigate the incident.
"Mr. McAffee's behavior is horrific and absolutely inexcusable," said Jason Menke, a spokesman for the bank. "Our policy is to ensure that our customers, including those in financial distress, are always treated respectfully and with dignity. We have already begun to look into this with our contractor to make sure they are reinforcing these policies."
Meanwhile, Lutes, who concedes he's fallen behind on mortgage payments, said he may hire a lawyer to pursue a civil complaint against the bank, McAffee, and Schewmaker's company.
"The contractor is liable, he (McAffee) is liable and Wells Fargo is liable," Lutes said. "He wouldn't have been there if it wouldn't have been for Wells Fargo strong-arming people."
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/871989.html [with comments] [also at http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/20/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-arrest_6800906.html ]
==========
Idaho GOP leader has no concealed weapons permit
Associated Press, 08.21.09, 06:41 PM EDT
BOISE, Idaho --
An Idaho Republican Party leader charged in 4th District Court with assault with a deadly weapon doesn't have permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Challis McAffee, an Idaho Republican Party Central Committee member and District 16 chairman, was arrested Tuesday.
Robert Lutes told police in Meridian, Idaho, that McAffee retrieved a .357 Magnum revolver from the passenger side of his car where it had been concealed beneath a cloth.
McAffee, who at the time of the altercation was working for Wells Fargo & Co. documenting homes where mortgages are delinquent, pointed the gun at Lutes, according to Lutes' account.
McAffee doesn't have a license to carry a concealed weapon, Ada County Sheriff's spokeswoman Andrea Dearden said Friday.
McAffee didn't immediately return a phone call.
He was released from jail Thursday after posting a portion of his $50,000 bond.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/21/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-weapon_6804806.html
==========
Republican Honcho Snaps
Submitted by Sisyphus on Thu, 08/20/2009 - 4:01pm.
Challis McAffee is reportedly an Idaho and Ada County Republican Central Committee, member albeit of the Ronulan variety, and a serious teabagger. His day job is to exploit the Republican legacy and document the condition of foreclosures. He was just moseying along minding other people's business when a resident took umbrage at his home being photographed. Argument ensued, and since Challis is Republican and therefore trained to both own a gun and to become angry when he doesn't get his way, he pulled the weapon and pointed it at the homeowner, (allegedly). Cause people don't settle disputes, guns do.
KTVB [ http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvba-aug2009-gop_leader_arrest.fcea3fb6.html ] and Idaho Statesman [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/westada/story/871165.html ]
Updated 8/21: As the borg [ http://onetwothreeidaho.blogspot.com/ ] noted in the comments John Miller's ap story [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/871989.html (above)] was picked up by Forbes [ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/20/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-arrest_6800906.html ]. Also Crooks and Liars [ http://crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/idaho-gop-leader-tea-party-organizer ] posted on it this morning. Think Progress here [ http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/21/idaho-deadly-weapon/ ]. Its going viral.
Update II: Well, well, color me shocked. He's a Glenn Beck kook [ http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:Z6Booy9md2QJ:912projectidaho.com/+Challis+McAffee&cd=27&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us ]. A fact they are now trying to hide [ http://912projectidaho.com/ ].
Update III: Our boy has a website [ http://www.challism.com/ ]. It contains links to other teabagger sites including his baby Idahoans For Liberty [ http://www.id4l.com/ ], where they sell a pre-tied hemp noose [ http://www.challism.com/id4l/pitchfork.htm (below)], "one size fits all" and invites you to ask about their congressional package.
Update IV: He's had previous brushes with the law which reflect his tea bagger leanings, like his multiple failures [ https://www.idcourts.us/repository/partySearch.do ] to get registration and license plates for his car. Interesting that he changed his name [ https://www.idcourts.us/repository/caseHistory.do?roaDetail=yes&schema=ADA&county=Ada&partySeq=291993&displayName=Mcaffee%2C+Challis+Eugene ] from Challis Eugene Ralls in 1996. Most recently he was wrapped up in the Chris Pentico trespassing charge in the Borah Post office, when in true tea bagger form, he expressed ignorance of a law keeping cameras from the courthouse. Of course, Wayne Hoffman came to his defense [ http://www.idahofreedom.net/blog/hoffman-officials-overstep-restrictions-against-video-recording ]. He's qualified for a public defender [ https://www.idcourts.us/repository/caseHistory.do?roaDetail=yes&schema=ADA&county=Ada&partySeq=2000280&displayName=Mcaffee%2C+Challis+Eugene ] so that [begin strike-through]$50,000 bond looks very out of reach.[end strike-through] He's out [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/873624.html ]! Nice picture of him
here [ http://www.restoretherepublic.net/profile.php?user=challism ] with his lord and master. (Who signs up for a cheesy website on Christmas Eve?)
Update V: Ed.Note 8/21/09 11:10PM -- And now Countdown with Keith Olbermann gets into the act:
[video embedded; original (better viewed) at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/32514811#32514811 ]
Update VI 8/22: In an oddly titled follow up piece [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/873624.html ] John Miller hodge podges his other pieces trying to find a lede. While stoking a non-existent controversy over gun rights, he fails to mention other reports [ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/21/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-weapon_6804806.html (above)] that Chally Mac lacks a concealed weapons permit. I wonder if they'll be asking for donations to Chally Mac's cause at his teabagging event tonight [ http://www.43sb.com/?q=node/6131 ] and what Congressman Minnick's reaction to that will be [ http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/why-blue-dog-walt-minnick-meeting-gu ].
Copyright ©2009 43SB.com L.L.C.
http://www.43rdstateblues.com/?q=node/6130 [with comments]
-----
Sorry, we are currently sold out of pitchforks.
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- One Size Fits All
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By JOHN MILLER - Associated Press Writer
Published: 08/20/09
BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho Republican Party leader who helped oust the state GOP chairman in 2008 faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after an altercation escalated while he photographed a home with a delinquent mortgage.
Challis McAffee, 33, the GOP chairman from the Boise suburb of Garden City and one of 231 voting members of the Idaho Republican Central Committee, was arrested after being accused of pointing a gun at the homeowner. He was released from Ada County jail on Thursday after family members and friends posted a portion of the $50,000 bond.
McAffee works for a contractor hired by Wells Fargo & Co. to document the condition of homes where mortgages are past due or in foreclosure. A Wells Fargo spokesman condemned McAffee's behavior, calling it "horrific and absolutely inexcusable."
McAffee, a backer of libertarian-leaning former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul and an activist in this year's anti-big-government "Tea Party" protests, helped organize Paul backers who aligned at last June's Idaho State Republican Convention in Sandpoint with other foes of then-state GOP Chairman Kirk Sullivan. Sullivan was voted from office in favor of Norm Semanko.
According to police in the Boise suburb of Meridian, resident Robert Lutes called officers just before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to report McAffee had pointed a .357 Magnum handgun at him during a verbal confrontation. McAffee acknowledged he pointed the gun at Lutes, according to the police account.
"I'm unarmed, I'm an old man," Lutes, 51, told The Associated Press on Thursday. "I'm trying to find out why he's taking pictures of my house. I said, 'Knock on my door, let me know what you want.' Then, I think he's reaching for his business card and he pulls out a concealed weapon and I think he's going to blow my head off."
Lutes said the gun was beneath a cloth on the floor of the passenger side of McAffee's vehicle.
The Idaho Republican Party said the arrest of one of its southwestern Idaho leaders was a "personal matter."
"It's not a party matter," said Jonathan Parker, state GOP director in Boise.
McAffee didn't return a phone call seeking comment Thursday evening.
But Ryan Davidson, another Paul supporter who has gained attention by pushing pro-marijuana voter initiatives in the central Idaho town of Hailey, said McAffee told him a different version of the altercation in a phone call from jail:
Lutes confronted McAffee, becoming increasingly hostile, Davidson said. When Lutes struck McAffee's Ford Escort with his hand, McAffee brandished the weapon to de-escalate the conflict, Davidson said.
"Challis is one of the most mild-mannered, good-natured guys," Davidson said. "The conversation wasn't going anywhere, the guy smacked the car window. At that point, he (McAffee) felt threatened enough, he picked up the firearm in front of the seat that he carries for protection. The nature of the job is, you're going to run into some unhappy people."
Tony Schewmaker, the Wells Fargo contractor who hired McAffee, knew him through libertarian-leaning groups such as We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education.
Schewmaker objected to the $50,000 bond amount, saying the steep figure resulted from 4th District Magistrate Judge Kevin Swain's objections to the weapon. Schewmaker also keeps a handgun in his vehicle, in particular for business in isolated, rural areas.
"Apparently, we can't use a gun in our own protection," Schewmaker told the AP. "You can have it to look pretty. But if somebody is attempting to attack you, you can't pull it out of the holster. That's what I'm gathering from this."
After a call from the AP, Wells Fargo said it would investigate the incident.
"Mr. McAffee's behavior is horrific and absolutely inexcusable," said Jason Menke, a spokesman for the bank. "Our policy is to ensure that our customers, including those in financial distress, are always treated respectfully and with dignity. We have already begun to look into this with our contractor to make sure they are reinforcing these policies."
Meanwhile, Lutes, who concedes he's fallen behind on mortgage payments, said he may hire a lawyer to pursue a civil complaint against the bank, McAffee, and Schewmaker's company.
"The contractor is liable, he (McAffee) is liable and Wells Fargo is liable," Lutes said. "He wouldn't have been there if it wouldn't have been for Wells Fargo strong-arming people."
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/871989.html [with comments] [also at http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/20/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-arrest_6800906.html ]
==========
Idaho GOP leader has no concealed weapons permit
Associated Press, 08.21.09, 06:41 PM EDT
BOISE, Idaho --
An Idaho Republican Party leader charged in 4th District Court with assault with a deadly weapon doesn't have permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Challis McAffee, an Idaho Republican Party Central Committee member and District 16 chairman, was arrested Tuesday.
Robert Lutes told police in Meridian, Idaho, that McAffee retrieved a .357 Magnum revolver from the passenger side of his car where it had been concealed beneath a cloth.
McAffee, who at the time of the altercation was working for Wells Fargo & Co. documenting homes where mortgages are delinquent, pointed the gun at Lutes, according to Lutes' account.
McAffee doesn't have a license to carry a concealed weapon, Ada County Sheriff's spokeswoman Andrea Dearden said Friday.
McAffee didn't immediately return a phone call.
He was released from jail Thursday after posting a portion of his $50,000 bond.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/21/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-weapon_6804806.html
==========
Republican Honcho Snaps
Submitted by Sisyphus on Thu, 08/20/2009 - 4:01pm.
Challis McAffee is reportedly an Idaho and Ada County Republican Central Committee, member albeit of the Ronulan variety, and a serious teabagger. His day job is to exploit the Republican legacy and document the condition of foreclosures. He was just moseying along minding other people's business when a resident took umbrage at his home being photographed. Argument ensued, and since Challis is Republican and therefore trained to both own a gun and to become angry when he doesn't get his way, he pulled the weapon and pointed it at the homeowner, (allegedly). Cause people don't settle disputes, guns do.
KTVB [ http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvba-aug2009-gop_leader_arrest.fcea3fb6.html ] and Idaho Statesman [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/westada/story/871165.html ]
Updated 8/21: As the borg [ http://onetwothreeidaho.blogspot.com/ ] noted in the comments John Miller's ap story [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/871989.html (above)] was picked up by Forbes [ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/20/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-arrest_6800906.html ]. Also Crooks and Liars [ http://crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/idaho-gop-leader-tea-party-organizer ] posted on it this morning. Think Progress here [ http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/21/idaho-deadly-weapon/ ]. Its going viral.
Update II: Well, well, color me shocked. He's a Glenn Beck kook [ http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:Z6Booy9md2QJ:912projectidaho.com/+Challis+McAffee&cd=27&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us ]. A fact they are now trying to hide [ http://912projectidaho.com/ ].
Update III: Our boy has a website [ http://www.challism.com/ ]. It contains links to other teabagger sites including his baby Idahoans For Liberty [ http://www.id4l.com/ ], where they sell a pre-tied hemp noose [ http://www.challism.com/id4l/pitchfork.htm (below)], "one size fits all" and invites you to ask about their congressional package.
Update IV: He's had previous brushes with the law which reflect his tea bagger leanings, like his multiple failures [ https://www.idcourts.us/repository/partySearch.do ] to get registration and license plates for his car. Interesting that he changed his name [ https://www.idcourts.us/repository/caseHistory.do?roaDetail=yes&schema=ADA&county=Ada&partySeq=291993&displayName=Mcaffee%2C+Challis+Eugene ] from Challis Eugene Ralls in 1996. Most recently he was wrapped up in the Chris Pentico trespassing charge in the Borah Post office, when in true tea bagger form, he expressed ignorance of a law keeping cameras from the courthouse. Of course, Wayne Hoffman came to his defense [ http://www.idahofreedom.net/blog/hoffman-officials-overstep-restrictions-against-video-recording ]. He's qualified for a public defender [ https://www.idcourts.us/repository/caseHistory.do?roaDetail=yes&schema=ADA&county=Ada&partySeq=2000280&displayName=Mcaffee%2C+Challis+Eugene ] so that [begin strike-through]$50,000 bond looks very out of reach.[end strike-through] He's out [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/873624.html ]! Nice picture of him
here [ http://www.restoretherepublic.net/profile.php?user=challism ] with his lord and master. (Who signs up for a cheesy website on Christmas Eve?)
Update V: Ed.Note 8/21/09 11:10PM -- And now Countdown with Keith Olbermann gets into the act:
[video embedded; original (better viewed) at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/32514811#32514811 ]
Update VI 8/22: In an oddly titled follow up piece [ http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/873624.html ] John Miller hodge podges his other pieces trying to find a lede. While stoking a non-existent controversy over gun rights, he fails to mention other reports [ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/08/21/business-financials-financial-impact-us-idaho-gop-leader-weapon_6804806.html (above)] that Chally Mac lacks a concealed weapons permit. I wonder if they'll be asking for donations to Chally Mac's cause at his teabagging event tonight [ http://www.43sb.com/?q=node/6131 ] and what Congressman Minnick's reaction to that will be [ http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/why-blue-dog-walt-minnick-meeting-gu ].
Copyright ©2009 43SB.com L.L.C.
http://www.43rdstateblues.com/?q=node/6130 [with comments]
-----
Sorry, we are currently sold out of pitchforks.
Hot New Item:
Pre-Tied Hemp Noose
- One Size Fits All
- Strong
- Durable
- Washable
- Reusable
Wholesale Pricing For Bulk Orders
ASK ABOUT OUR CONGRESSIONAL PACKAGE
FREE after the conviction of treasonous politicians!!
http://www.challism.com/id4l/pitchfork.htm
Greensburg, KS - 5/4/07
"Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty."
from John Philpot Curran, Speech
upon the Right of Election, 1790
F6
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