Counsel for the State

The Cooperative Disability Investigations Program, or CDI, is a partnership between the federal government and the State of Idaho to root out fraud and waste in federal and state disability programs. The partnership was established in 2019 and is similar to other operations across the country. In this episode, Counsel for the State Co-host Scott Graf discusses the program and its successes with Deputy Assistant Inspector General fo...

Idaho's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit has long faced a backlog of cases. To help address the problem, the unit this year developed a training program so its investigators can share their specialized skills and processes with other law enforcement agencies across the state. The goal? To increase the number of Idaho law enforcement officers who are equipped to investigate internet crimes against children. In this episode...

Raj Jaladi is researching a book that will highlight the role state AGs play in the American system of government. Raj, 15, is a St. Louis-area high school sophomore who this week visited the Idaho Capitol to interview Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. Co-hosts Brian Kane and Scott Graf talk with Raj about his interest in the work of AGs, its origins, his future goals and what he does for fun when he's not writing books about ...

In this episode of Counsel for the State, we revisit the topic of government transparency by examining a high-profile example that's especially important this time of year: Idaho in Session. The online streaming service is a joint project that allows Idahoans all over the state the opportunity to watch their state government in action. We explore how it works, its history and the role it plays in open government. With Idaho Pu...

The 2020 election was historic for its turnout, the way many Idahoans voted and the fact that it was held during a once-in-a-century pandemic. So how did things go? Why was Idaho able to count its votes so quickly? What are the key takeaways? And what issues will election supervisors be working on as they turn their attention to the next big vote? Chief Deputy Secretary of State Chad Houck and Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane join co-...

Idaho lawmakers will convene in Boise August 24 for a special session associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Special legislative sessions aren't frequent occurrences in Idaho, but they have happened with some regularity at various points in the state's history. In this episode of Counsel for the State, Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane discusses the law around special sessions, the governor's role in the process, an...

Did you know Idahoans donate to more than 4,500 charities and non-profits each year? These entities hold more than $9 billion in assets and employ more than 50,000 people. And during the 2020 legislative session, Idaho lawmakers created a new law to help beef up oversight. During this episode of Counsel for the State, we discuss the new law, its origins and the attorney general's role in enforcing it. With guests Brian Kane an...

The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division interacts with more than 1,000 Idahoans each month. Assisting these constituents is a team of dedicated OAG employees who do some of the division’s most important and visible work. They are not attorneys, but rather specialists who must be well-versed in things like fraud, the latest scams, motor vehicle issues as well as landlord and tenant matters. Guests include Lee Post a...

Idaho state government is made up of a number of offices and departments we hear about on a regular basis. But it’s also comprised of numerous agencies, commissions, bureaus and boards that don’t often make headlines, but that play an important role in our state’s day-to-day. In this episode of Counsel for the State, we’ll introduce you to a body that plays a very important function in our state, but that sometimes flies under the ...