Story Archive

Consider Yourself Lobbied

Police in Boise, Idaho, received a report that a man was ...well... pleasuring himself and looking in windows in a residential neighborhood. They found Jonathan Parker, 39, saw that he was near his estranged wife’s home — in alleged violation of a restraining order — and arrested him. Police say Parker was hiding in the bushes wearing a wig as a disguise. Parker was defended in court by former Idaho Attorney General David Leroy, who told the judge the whole thing was “grand misunderstanding.” The judge apparently understood things better than Leroy thought: he set Parker’s bond at $80,000, and ordered him to stay at least 500 feet away from his wife. How did Parker get the AG to defend him? Parker is a political lobbyist — and the former Idaho Republican Party chairman. He resigned the latter post three months ago, and wrote in his resignation letter the reason was “so that I can focus on the priorities I place above all others.” (RC/Idaho Statesman) ...And now we know what that meant.