October 16, 2014 – Idaho Statesman – Rocky Barker and Cynthia Sewell –
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter said in two debates this month that he “had nothing to do with” a settlement between the state of Idaho and Corrections Corp. of America, a private prison contractor whose contract ended amid a federal investigation of fraudulent billing and understaffing at the facility it ran south of Boise.
But emails obtained by the Idaho Statesman under the state’s open records law show that top members of Otter’s staff were involved directly in negotiations with CCA, reviewed the settlement and urged lawmakers to support it prior to its approval.
The staff also coordinated public release of the news about the settlement and about the no-action-warranted conclusion of a state investigation into CCA that later was revealed not to have occurred. The FBI now is investigating CCA.
Otter’s statement that he had recused himself from settlement talks pertained only to himself, not to members his staff, said press secretary Jon Hanian.