BY KAREN BOSSICK
Republicans moved a reception and dinner for Donald Trump Jr. and his
partner Kimberly Guilfoyle to Stanley Tuesday night after security
challenges and COVID restrictions made it difficult to land at Friedman
Memorial Airport in Hailey.
The couple was to have landed at the Smiley Creek Airport, instead. They were schedule to arrive at 5:15 p.m. but didn't show up until 7.
Attendees were asked to dress in red for photos to appear as if they
were painting Blaine County red.
The dinner cost $2,800 per individual and included Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who skipped a vote on education funding to attend the dinner after having just come from a Trump Rally in Nevada. Attendees had to complete a Secret Service questionnaire on line. A small group of protesters organized to greet attendees at the home where the dinner was held.
Custer County where the dinner was to be held recently enacted
mandatory face masks and other COVID precautions following a record
numbers of vacationers there this summer. The county has reported 54
confirmed cases of COVID since the first was confirmed in Idaho on March
13.
It had 12 active cases as of last week, putting it in the moderate
risk category for transmission of the virus. The county had only amassed
five cases as it entered July and seven as it entered August.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Alan Blinken is hosting a special event for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at 6 p.m. Sept. 17.
His nephew Tony Blinken, former Deputy Secretary of State for the
Obama Administration, National Security Advisor to Vice President Biden
and now a Senior Adviser to the Campaign, will provide updates and answer questions via Zoom that evening.
Normally, Blinken said, a campaign event would have been at his home. But it’s being staged via Zoom because of COVID.
To learn more contact Luke Branscum at lbranscum@joebiden.com. To RSVP click on https://secure.joebiden.com/a/0917-idaho?attr+100885199.
Blaine County Democrats are also planning a socially
distanced Candidate Picnic at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Reinheimer
Ranch south of Ketchum. Live music will start at 3:30 p.m. Attendees should bring their own picnic. Beer
and wine will be provided.
Blaine County Commissioner Jacob Greenberg and legislators Muffy Davis, Sally Toone and Michelle Stennett will offer brief remarks.