Idaho Gov. security measures criticized

BOISE, IDAHO - Since Gov. Dirk Kempthorne ordered concrete barriers and other security measures at the state Capitol in response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks, critics have flooded his office and the capital city&#39;s newspaper with letters about what some call ``Fort Kempthorne.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Some complain about the $335,000 price tag when the rest of state government has been forced to cut spending. Others are simply ashamed. <br> <br> ``I&#39;m embarrassed that our governor feels he needs to hole up in the state compound like a frightened king,&#39;&#39; said Robin R. Rowe of Boise in a letter to The Idaho Statesman last week. ``The rest of the nation must look upon the good people of Idaho as irrational reactionaries headed up by a paranoid leader.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Acting on advice of top aides, the Republican governor on Nov. 1 fortified the Statehouse with a wall of concrete barriers. He limited access to just two entries, closed streets north and south of the building and brought in dozens of state troopers and National Guardsmen to patrol the Capitol Mall. <br> <br> During the first days of the new rules, police asked visitors to show identification and state their business. That rule was later relaxed. <br> <br> Kempthorne said his security decision ``is not based on politics or polls. It&#39;s based upon the professional recommendations of people you have to rely on. <br> <br> ``I wasn&#39;t seeking it,&#39;&#39; he said in an interview with The Associated Press. ``But I inherited it. I had to do what I thought was right based upon what those gentlemen told me.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> In other western states, most governors have taken a more light-handed approach. Some have increased security guard staffing, some have reduced vehicle access. <br> <br> In Utah, home to the 2002 Olympics, concrete barriers will be installed around the Statehouse in January. In Montana, Gov. Judy Martz initially took measures similar to Kempthorne&#39;s, banning parking close to the building and requiring Capitol visitors to sign in and specify their destination. The visitor restrictions were dropped in mid-November, though some of the barricades remain. <br> <br> Most of the reaction in Idaho has come from Ada County, home to Boise and a quarter of the state&#39;s registered voters, and the heart of Kempthorne&#39;s political base. <br> <br> ``I hope the governor feels secure sitting in his fortress while the rest of us are sitting in traffic,&#39;&#39; Laurie Poe of Boise wrote in a letter to The Idaho Statesman. ``The office of the governor is not for cowards, something to think about next election.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Many have said Kempthorne&#39;s security decisions are rooted in fear for his own safety. <br> <br> ``People who want to personalize it, people who want to attack me personally, yes, you&#39;ve seen them take their shots,&#39;&#39; Kempthorne said. ``I think that&#39;s unfortunate. It&#39;s not my style.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The controversy fades beyond Idaho&#39;s largest county. Drive more than an hour outside of the capital city, and most Idaho residents don&#39;t seem to care one way or another. <br> <br> ``I would guess Kempthorne has the same popularity he has always had,&#39;&#39; said Bill Hall, editorial page editor of the Lewiston Morning Tribune, which is published in a mid-sized Idaho mill town about 270 miles north of Boise. ``This is almost entirely a Boise Valley thing.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Kempthorne, a former U.S. senator and Boise mayor, won by a landslide in 1998 for his first term as governor. He has not said whether he will seek re-election. <br> <br> Idaho is facing its worst budget crisis in 18 years, brought on by the flagging state and national economy. Fallout from the security response wouldn&#39;t help, if he runs again. <br> <br> ``The security issue could have some negative fallout if it is viewed as symbolic of the continuing issues this governor has had, especially in terms of his lack of accessibility,&#39;&#39; Boise State University political scientist James Weatherby said. ``There is a sense that he is not fully engaged in meeting with the general public.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> It is no secret that Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson of Blackfoot, a former Idaho House speaker, has wanted to be governor. But he denies any inclination to challenge Kempthorne. <br> <br> ``I think Dirk is doing a pretty good job overall. I know he&#39;s taking some abuse on this security thing, but that is no reason to challenge him,&#39;&#39; Simpson said. ``I also think he&#39;d be difficult to beat.&#39;&#39;