Chenoweth attends Ketchum fund raising

Peaceful protesters on hand

s2chen.gif (9491 bytes) Members of U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth’s camp, left, meet with protesters outside the Knob Hill Inn in Ketchum Thursday. (Express photos by Willy Cook)

Thursday’s $500-a-plate fund-raising for U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth at the Knob Hill Inn in Ketchum was quiet, in contrast to a similar event held a year ago.

At that time, a supporter attending the dinner got in a scuffle with a local resident who was standing outside the inn, holding a sign protesting Chenoweth’s policies.

This year, though two Ketchum police officers and a guard dog were present, the event was without incident.

About half a dozen concerned citizens held their signs peacefully and left.

Opponents of the congresswoman, who is running for re-election against Democrat Dan Williams, were not organized by any particular group, though Mike Medberry of the League of Conservation Voters said he did inform local environmentalists of Chenoweth’s visit to the area.

Medberry is heading up a campaign against Chenoweth on behalf of the League of Conservation Voters, a non-partisan group that ranks Congress members on their environmental voting record. The League gives Chenoweth a score of 2 percent out of a possible 100 percent.