COEUR d’ALENE — One of Idaho’s 44 counties won’t be represented in the Idaho GOP Convention after Bingham County’s delegates were excluded Friday, ostensibly because the Bingham County Republican Central Committee has not paid dues to the state party.

Some Republicans say they believe the move has more to do with politics than money.

Reporters were not permitted to observe the general session in the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the North Idaho College campus. Convention organizers told The Press this was due to space considerations, though auditorium staff reported about 200 seats were empty, including three seats designated for media.

During the session, Caribou County resident and former party chair Trent Clark raised an objection to Bingham County’s delegates being excluded from the convention. No floor argument was allowed.

After the session adjourned, Clark said he doesn’t believe the Idaho GOP’s rules allow for an entire county’s delegation to be excluded.

“That is defeating the will of the voters,” he said.

Ben Fuhriman, a delegate for legislative District 30, said the Bingham County central committee was unable to pay its dues because all but $500 of its funds were earmarked to pay legal costs for an ongoing lawsuit against the Idaho GOP. The lawsuit, filed last year, claimed that Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon inappropriately used her authority to nullify the results of the central committee’s leadership election.

A judge ruled in February that Moon had the right to hold an election to fill a vacant chair position and had the authority to void the election. The Bingham County central committee’s claim of breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing will be addressed by the court in the future.

Fuhriman said Bingham County requested an extension or a waiver for the dues but was denied. According to multiple people at the convention, the Idaho GOP’s credentials committee refused to hear a grievance on the matter submitted Thursday by the Bingham County delegation.

A copy of the grievance obtained by The Press also asked the credentials committee to investigate “numerous, significant violations of state and party rules pertaining to the delegate selection process across various counties” and suggested that some delegates from Ada, Washington, Bannock, Bonner, Payette and Oneida counties are ineligible to be seated at the convention due to “documented procedural violations.”

“It’s really unfortunate that they are disenfranchising Bingham County, one of the most important agricultural counties in the state, and telling them their vote doesn’t count in the Republican Party,” Fuhriman said.

Clark said he believes there is another reason why the Bingham County delegation was rejected.

“Because the Bingham County Central Committee will not vote for Dorothy Moon,” he said. “They said that in the executive committee.”

Moon is vying to retain her position as party chair against former Idaho legislator and Coeur d’Alene resident Mary Souza.

Clark said he spoke up for the Bingham County delegation because that county’s interests align closely with his county of residence, neighboring Caribou County.

“It’s important to Republicans in Caribou County that we recognize Republicans from Bingham County,” he said.

The convention continues today at North Idaho College.