Idaho Law Gives AG’s Office Money for Public Corruption Cases

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A new law will give the Idaho attorney general's office additional staff and resources to investigate public corruption and capital crimes cases.

The office's special prosecutions unit averaged just 30 cases a year in the past three years, compared to taking 144 cases in 2005. A $617,000 budget increase will allow the unit to hire an additional lawyer and two investigators. But the Idaho Statesman reports the new law that takes effect July 1 also may mean an increase in the number of investigations.

The measure will require the unit to investigate any complaint it receives against an elected county official. The current law allows only a county prosecutor or board of commissioners to request an investigation, and the attorney general can decide whether to accept the case.