According to an article written by the , A legislative town hall hosted by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee erupted into chaos on Saturday when a woman was forcibly removed after voicing concerns about the potential repeal of Medicaid expansion and other legislative issues.
Teresa Borrenpohl of Post Falls was asked to leave after making remarks to legislative members on stage. When she refused, Borrenpohl was pulled from her seat, wrestled to the ground, and dragged out of the Coeur d’Alene High School auditorium by three unidentified individuals.
In a video circulating on social media, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris is seen telling Borrenpohl to "get up or be arrested" before the men intervened. "This is not a negotiation," Norris said. Borrenpohl shouted, "Women deserve a voice," before being removed.
The incident sparked outrage among attendees, with many leaving the event as emcee Ed Bejarana continued speaking about Borrenpohl. "Look at this little girl over here, everyone. Look at her," Bejarana said, prompting boos and shouts from the audience.
Bejarana accused Borrenpohl and others of "filibustering" and continued discussing the Department of Government Efficiency. "We’ve got to be a little aggressive with some of these folks here," Bejarana said. "Your voice is meaningless right now. ... I can talk over all of you."
Audience members expressed frustration, with one woman shouting, "Is this a town hall or a lecture?" Several women held signs in silent protest, displaying messages such as "Save Voter-Approved Medicaid."
Ed DePriest, an attendee, described the events as "a microcosm of what has been going on in the last three to five years." He added, "There’s been so much divisiveness and anger. It’s very, very sad."
The Idaho Democratic Party issued a statement from Chair Lauren Necochea, emphasizing the importance of First Amendment rights. "If we can’t question leaders elected to represent us without fear of reprisal, we are not free," Necochea said. She criticized the town hall organizers for not allowing dialogue and condemned the physical removal of Borrenpohl. "Idaho deserves better," Necochea said.
johnboy43214321 on February 24th, 2025 at 09:50 UTC »
That took a lot of courage to speak out, especially in northern Idaho, which is extremely maga
The woman was interviewed about the incident later:
https://cdapress.com/news/2025/feb/23/update-on-town-hall-chaos-woman-who-was-dragged-out-speaks-police-chief-condemns-security-name-of-security-firm-confirmed/
A few quotes:
“It was really violent and really traumatic,” she said. “They had grabbed my wrists. They contorted my body. They lifted me up and dropped me down. My only thought was to maintain my airway. They were forcing me down on the ground. I just wanted to make sure I could still breathe.”
“I didn’t know if I was being detained by what I now knew to be the sheriff’s office or if these were private hired guns,” she said. “I was so confused and I didn’t know if I was being arrested by the sheriff’s office or if I was being kidnapped.”
“I think that my civil rights were stripped from me in that moment in a really embarrassing way,” she said. “Admittedly, I spoke out of turn. But do we live in a country where you speak out of turn and the result is three men assaulting a woman?”
Ok-Tie6106 on February 24th, 2025 at 09:44 UTC »
That is kootenai county off-duty sheriff Robert “bob” Norris on the left. A single internet search offers a list of disparaging qualities, ranging from tax evasion to slander. The slander being a publicly made false accusation against a woman for being a pedophile, at a public event, and only with the intention of harming her image. Feel free to call his commissioner stating any concerns of the behavior of this LEO at 208-446-1600.
Harlot_Of_God on February 24th, 2025 at 09:31 UTC »
The incident sparked outrage among attendees, with many leaving the event as emcee Ed Bejarana continued speaking about Borrenpohl. "Look at this little girl over here, everyone. Look at her," Bejarana said, prompting boos and shouts from the audience.
Bejarana accused Borrenpohl and others of "filibustering" and continued discussing the Department of Government Efficiency. "We’ve got to be a little aggressive with some of these folks here," Bejarana said. "Your voice is meaningless right now. ... I can talk over all of you."
Audience members expressed frustration, with one woman shouting, "Is this a town hall or a lecture?" Several women held signs in silent protest, displaying messages such as "Save Voter-Approved Medicaid."
Ed DePriest, an attendee, described the events as "a microcosm of what has been going on in the last three to five years." He added, "There’s been so much divisiveness and anger. It’s very, very sad.
WTF? Your voice is meaningless…