Stories credited to East Idaho News, by publication date. ChamberLight collects articles that mention the officials it tracks, so this shows its own coverage of this source, not how much the source publishes.

Stories from East Idaho News
Shaded: ChamberLight collected no stories, or almost none, from any outlet (a gap in its collection, not in the outlet’s publishing)

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Month	Stories	All outlets
April 2026	3	3,220
May 2026	0	none collected
June 2026	0	none collected
July 2026	0	none collected
August 2026	0	1 (collection gap)
September 2026	0	1,320

Who they cover

Party of the officials these stories are mainly about, across all 6 officials named. A story counts once for each official it is mainly about, so the split is over 6 story–official pairs, from 3 stories.

Republican67% · 4 pairs
Democrat17% · 1 pair
Party not recorded17% · 1 pair

Most covered

Stories mainly about each official, and their share of the source’s 3 stories.

Article tone

ChamberLight’s article analysis assigns each story a tone toward the official it covers. It describes the coverage of that official, not East Idaho News’s stance, and reader votes do not change it. 3 stories.

Good Look: 0 (0%)
Mixed: 2 (67%)
Informational: 0 (0%)
Bad Look: 1 (33%)

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Articles served from eastidahonews.com

Forest Service restructure will see Idaho managed under new state office

A summer day on Golden Trout Lake in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, in east-central Idaho. | USDA Forest Service photo via Idaho Capital Sun BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) — Recently announced changes to the U.S. Forest Service are prompting concern and also some cautious optimism from Idahoans interested in protecting the Gem State’s vast forests. Idaho is home to more than 21 million acres of forest land. Under the new proposal, Idaho lands would be managed by a single office in the state, rather than split between two out-of-state regional offices, which some advocates see as an advantage. But other changes at the agency also include limits on public comment periods for proposed projects, which alarms environmentalists. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, announced at the end of March it would move the Forest Service’s headquarters to Salt Lake City, consolidate research offices, and close regional offices while adding new state facilities — including one in Boise. The Forest Service is led by Idahoan Tom Schultz. RELATED | Idahoan chosen as US Forest Service chief “This is about building a Forest Service that is nimble, efficient, effective and closer to the forests and communities it serves,” Schultz said in a press release. “Effective stewardship and active management are achieved on the ground, where forests and communities are found—not just behind a desk in the capital. Idaho’s congressional delegation has responded with support for the move. Some conservationist groups and former Forest Service employees, however, are concerned about how the restructuring will affect the agency’s mission on public lands. The USDA last week also announced the finalization of new rules around the National Environmental Policy Act, known as NEPA. The new rules are meant to minimize regulations and streamline review, but they also allow for more limited or no public comment on projects. “The Forest Service reorganization is designed to bring decision-makers closer to the ground and closer to the forest, closer to the communities, and put more boots on the ground. And maybe it will do that,” said John Robison, public lands and wildlife director at the Idaho Conservation League. “… but at the same time the administration is eliminating the actual forums for the public to communicate to the Forest Service.” Idaho leaders responds positively to announcement Most of Idaho’s Republican congressional delegation said they approved of the restructuring announcement, and said it may benefit Idaho. U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo said in an emailed statement the reorganization, “represents an opportunity to bring together the state’s national forests under a more cohesive, Idaho-focused management structure.” “As I review further details, I look forward to working collaboratively with the agency to better understand the full scope of the proposal and ensure these changes deliver meaningful benefits for our forests and the people who depend upon them,” Crapo said. U.S. Sen. Jim Risch also highlighted a benefit to Idaho. “Idaho’s public lands are best managed by those who understand the Gem State,” Risch said in a written statement. “This move places a stronger focus on the West and local input. I look forward to working with the Forest Service to ensure Idaho’s voices are heard when it comes to decisions about our cherished national forests.” U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson also expressed support for the move because most Forest Service lands are located in the West. “I have spoken directly with the Chief of the Forest Service, Tom Schultz, and I agree that bringing leadership closer to the field and hiring state-based directors will enhance the effectiveness of the Forest Service in fulfilling its mission,” Simpson wrote in an emailed statement. Fellow Idaho U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher echoed other members of the state congressional delegation. “Having government agencies—especially one as vital as the Forest Service—closest to the people and regions it serves is common sense,” Fulcher said in the emailed statement. “This reorganization should improve the management and health of our nation’s vast lands and resources.” Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s office also responded positively in an emailed statement. “Governor Little supports efforts to bring federal decision-makers closer to the communities and landscapes they serve,” Little’s press secretary Joan Vargas said. “He welcomes the addition of a new state director for Idaho to help advance the administration’s goals of strengthening rural communities, reducing wildfire risk, and improving the health and accessibility of our lands. The Governor’s Office remains engaged with the USDA on these positive organizational changes.” Reorganization may bring agency closer to forests, but could be ‘disruptive’ USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a press release announcing the reorganization that the move was intended to concentrate decision-makers in the West, where the vast majority of national forests are located. “President Trump has made it a priority to return common sense to the way our government works. Moving the Forest Service closer to the forests we manage is an essential action that will improve our core mission of managing our forests while saving taxpayer dollars and boosting employee recruitment,” Rollins said in the release. However, some groups are concerned that moving around employees will take leaders away from key policy and budget decision-making and coordination efforts with other federal agencies in Washington, D.C. Bill Avey, board chairman of the National Association of Forest Services Retirees, said his concerns are compounded by mass layoffs at the agency last year instigated by the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. “U.S. Forest Service leadership needs to acknowledge the losses that have occurred, that this organization is going to reduce productivity and set realistic expectations for the work that’s going to get done,” Avey said in a phone interview. “You’re not going to get more work done with less people. It just doesn’t work that way.” Around 500 employees are expected to relocate under the new plan, according to the federal agency. Robison and Avey both said they had been told the major reorganization wouldn’t occur until the current fire season ended. When the Sun asked the Forest Service press office to confirm the timing, a USDA spokesperson didn’t directly address the question. The spokesperson responded in an email, “The transition will occur in phases. Employees will receive clear information about relocation timelines, available options, and resources to support their decisions.” “The number of relocations beyond those already identified in the National Capital Region is unknown at this time.” Multiple critics of the restructuring announcement pointed to a similar effort during President Donald Trump’s first term. In 2019, the first Trump administration announced the relocation of the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Grand Junction, Colorado, citing similar reasons regarding placing land managers closer to the public lands they manage. A 2020 Government Accountability Office report found that, of the 311 positions scheduled to move west, 90 accepted the reassignment. Many positions were vacant ahead of the reorganization, according to the report, and 81 people out of the 179 active staff members at the time declined reassignment or separated from their position. In 2021, the headquarters move was reversed. “That was intended to result in a bunch of cost savings, but it really ended up leading to a drastic loss of institutional knowledge with staff leaving,” Robison said of the BLM move. “I think it’s fair to say we have a lot of the same concerns here.” Idaho will get its own office under new plan, but details aren’t clear Idaho’s national forests are overseen by leaders in two regional offices, both located out-of-state. The southern part of the state is covered by a Forest Service office in Ogden, Utah, and the northern panhandle is covered by an office in Missoula, Montana. The plan calls for more state-based leadership with 15 new state directors to oversee operations. Robison, of the Idaho Conservation League, noted that the BLM operates under a similar state-office model. “I think that this is one where it could make some sense, and we already have a long standing example of the BLM,” Robison said, “where this could be a logistical step that could benefit Idaho.” An unanswered question remains as to how the reallocation of staff and services will be carried out, he said. Existing offices support ranger districts, coordinate activities between national forests and grasslands, and allocate budgets for forests in their area. The state offices are expected to have fewer staff, and it hasn’t been announced how many of the services will be retained. Avey said he believes Forest Services leaders are trying to limit the effects of the changes, but he remains skeptical of the changes. “I think they took a mandate that was given to them by the political appointees of the Trump administration, and have done what they were directed to do, but also tried to, as much as they could, minimize disruption to employees and minimize disruption to field level units,” Avey said. “With that being said, we still have a lot of questions and concerns about this reorganization.” He said he believes the move is driven more by “political ideology” than solving a problem, because the people who work in the forests are already located near those forests. It’s also unclear how state directors will be chosen. On the Forest Service website, the agency said it’s a “myth” that the positions will become political. “State directors will be filled exclusively by career federal employees,” the website said. “These positions are being created to bring leadership closer to the work and ensure the right span of control over forests and programs. They include the same line authority needed to operate effectively, and those authorities are not being diminished.” New limited public comment rules already in effect on Forest Service projects Rollins, the USDA secretary, also recently announced the finalization of new regulatory rules, meant to streamline environmental reviews of projects on public forest lands. The new rules have been in place on an interim basis since July. “Since last July, agencies at USDA have shown they can reduce environmental review timelines by up to 80%. These faster, more efficient reviews are saving the Department millions in taxpayer dollars,” Rollins said in a press release. The new rules have already affected Idaho. In December, a project that includes commercial timber harvesting covering around 2,500 acres of the Sawtooth National Forest was proposed. Under previous rules, the project would’ve had a 30-day scoping period and another 30-day comment period of a draft environmental review. “These public comments provide community members with opportunities to shape the project to optimize treatment activities and minimize negative effects,” Robison said in an email. “(Idaho Conservation League) has seen substantive project improvements in numerous projects as a result.” RELATED | Idaho partners with US Forest Service with goal to double timber sales Under the new rule, the Forest Service has fewer requirements for notifying people of proposed projects, which could include timber harvesting, road or trail repairs, environmental restoration work, or mining and other permits. There are also new rules for emergency authorizations, which can eliminate requirements for public comments completely. The harvest proposal in the Sawtooth National Forest is proceeding under this emergency authorization, with no official public comment period. An informational open house for stakeholders is planned for May 11. “We are concerned that projects like these are going to be developed and implemented without critical public feedback and support,” Robison said. “The fact that there has been so much USFS staff turnover recently highlights the need for community involvement.” Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com. The post Forest Service restructure will see Idaho managed under new state office appeared first on East Idaho News.

Apr 16, 202611 votes

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, right, and President Donald Trump look at documents at the Federal Reserve on July 24, 2025, in Washington. On Wednesday, Trump again threatened to fire Powell.| Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors made an unannounced visit this week to a construction site at Federal Reserve headquarters that is the focus of an investigation into a $2.5 billion renovation project, according to two people familiar with the visit. Two prosecutors and an investigator from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office were turned away on Tuesday by a building contractor and referred to Fed attorneys, one of the people said. The two people familiar with the visit spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation. The visit underscores that the Trump administration is not backing down from its investigation of the Fed and its chair, Jerome Powell, even though the probe has delayed the confirmation of a new chair nominated by President Donald Trump. The investigation is focused on cost overruns and brief testimony about the project last summer by Powell. Trump confirmed in an interview that aired Wednesday on Fox Business that he wants to continue the probe. Last month, during a closed-door hearing before a federal judge, a top deputy from Pirro’s office conceded that they hadn’t found any evidence of a crime in their investigation of the headquarters project. Robert Hur, an attorney for the Federal Reserve board of governors, sent an email to Pirro’s prosecutors about their visit and their request for a “tour” to “check on progress” at the construction site. Hur’s email, which The Associated Press has viewed, noted that U.S. District Judge James Boasberg concluded that their interest in the Federal Reserve’s renovation project was “pretextual.” “Should you wish to challenge that finding, the courts provide an avenue for you; it is not appropriate for you to try to circumvent it,” Hur wrote. Republican Tillis is key vote Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who is a key member of the Senate Banking Committee, has vowed to vote against Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to replace Powell as Fed chair, until the investigation is dropped. With the committee closely divided on partisan lines, Tillis’ opposition is enough to block Warsh. The Banking panel said yesterday that it will hold a hearing on Warsh’s nomination April 21. Powell’s term as Fed chair ends May 15, but Powell said last month he would remain as chair until a replacement is named. Powell is serving a separate term as a member of the Fed’s governing board that lasts until January 2028. Chairs typically leave their posts as governor when their terms as chair end, but they can remain on the board if they choose. Last month, Powell said, “I have no intention of leaving the Board until the investigation is well and truly over, with transparency and finality.” If he remains in his seat, even after Warsh is confirmed, it would deny Trump the oppotunity to fill a seat on the seven-member board. Late Tuesday, Tillis posted a link on social media to The Wall Street Journal’s article on the visit below an image of the Three Stooges and wrote, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. at the crime scene.” Investigation centers on building renovations The investigation by Pirro’s office centers on an appearance by Powell before the Senate Banking Committee last June, when he was asked about cost overruns on the Fed’s extensive building renovations. The most recent estimates from the Fed suggest the current estimated cost of $2.5 billion is about $600 million higher than a 2022 estimate of $1.9 billion. “It is probably corrupt, but what it really is, is incompetent,” Trump said on Fox Business. “Don’t you think we have to find out what happened there?” The president’s support for the investigation threatens a time frame set out by Sen. Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican who chairs the Banking Committee. Scott said Tuesday on Fox Business that he believed the investigation would be “wrapped up in the next few weeks,” allowing Warsh to be confirmed soon after. Threat to fire Powell News of the unannounced visit by prosecutors comes as Trump has again threatened to fire Powell, if the Federal Reserve Chair decides to stay on the central bank’s governing board after his term as chair expires next month. “Well then, I’ll have to fire him, OK?” Trump said when reminded that Powell has said he won’t leave the Fed while the Justice Department investigates a $2.5 billion renovation project at the bank. Powell has also said he will remain as chair of the Fed’s rate-setting committee until a replacement is confirmed by the Senate, following the precedent of previous chairs. Trump has for months wanted to remove Powell as chair of the Fed, saying he has been too slow in orchestrating interest rate cuts that would give the U.S. economy a quick boost. Powell has said the investigation is a pretext to undermine the Fed’s independence to set rates. Powell’s term as Fed governor expires May 15, but his term as a Fed board member lasts until January 2028. Supreme Court weighing another Trump removal Trump’s threat to fire Powell comes as the Supreme Court is weighing the president’s effort to remove another central bank governor, Lisa Cook. Lower courts have so far allowed Cook to remain in her job while her legal challenge to the firing continues. The Supreme Court also seemed likely to keep her on the Fed when the court heard arguments in January. A decision could come any time. The issue in Cook’s case is whether allegations of mortgage fraud, which she has denied, is a sufficient reason to fire her or a mere pretext masking Trump’s desire to exert more control over U.S. interest rate policy. The Supreme Court has allowed the firings of the heads of other governmental agencies at the president’s discretion, with no claim that they did anything wrong, while also signaling that it is approaching the independence of the nation’s central bank more cautiously, calling the Fed “a uniquely structured, quasi-private entity.” The post Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell appeared first on East Idaho News.

Apr 15, 202613 votes

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Apr 15, 202625 votes

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Apr 15, 2026

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Apr 15, 202610 votes

Rep. Eric Swalwell of California says he will resign from Congress after sexual assault allegations

California gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., appears at a town hall meeting in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, April 7, 2026. | AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced Monday he will resign from Congress following multiple sexual assault allegations that prompted loud bipartisan calls for him to step down. The decision caps a swift political fall for the seven-term lawmaker, who had been seen as a frontrunner in California’s gubernatorial race before dropping out as the allegations surfaced, claims he has continued to deny. “I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said on social media. “I will fight the serious false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.” THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee has begun an investigation into whether Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under his supervision, the panel announced Monday. The announcement comes one day after Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor after the emergence of allegations that he continues to deny. Democrats quickly abandoned support for Swalwell after allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him. The reports published in the San Francisco Chronicle and later by CNN came as Swalwell began to emerge as a leading contender in the crowded race. “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s,” Swalwell said in a social media post. The Ethics Committee said the mere fact that it is investigating these allegations, and publicly disclosing its review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred. A growing number of lawmakers, from both political parties, have called on Swalwell to resign from Congress. Conversations have even moved toward a potential House vote to expel the congressman, but no floor action has been scheduled. The Ethics panel’s decision to launch its own probe could potentially stall, for now, any other immediate action in Congress. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said over the weekend that she would be filing a motion to expel Swalwell from Congress, but that could prompt Democrats to force similar votes against Republicans. The most likely target would be Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who acknowledged an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide. Many Democrats sought to distance themselves from Swalwell after the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday that a woman said Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019 and 2024. The newspaper reviewed text messages about the alleged 2024 assault and spoke to people whom she had told about it. She told the newspaper she did not go to police because she was afraid she would not be believed. The woman worked for Swalwell in 2019 when the first alleged assault occurred, and the 2024 assault allegedly occurred after a charity gala, the newspaper reported. She said in both cases she was too intoxicated to consent to sex. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said she believes both Gonzales and Swalwell should resign from Congress. “I think that this is very important that we believe women, and that we show people across the Capitol and across the country that we will not accept this kind of behavior,” Jayapal said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.” On the same show, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said he would vote to expel Swalwell and Gonzales if such a vote were presented on the House floor. “These things are just completely unacceptable. And as far as I’m concerned, both gentlemen need to go home,” Donalds said. The post Rep. Eric Swalwell of California says he will resign from Congress after sexual assault allegations appeared first on East Idaho News.

Apr 13, 202623 votes

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Articles served from eastidahonews.com

Forest Service restructure will see Idaho managed under new state office

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Prosecutors seek access to Federal Reserve building as Trump threatens to fire Powell

Rep. Eric Swalwell of California says he will resign from Congress after sexual assault allegations