KELLOGG, Idaho – District 2 Senator Phil Hart is under scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans regarding his residency. A press conference took place in Kellogg, ID Tuesday highlighting the issue.
The Idaho Democratic Party claimed the house in front of which the conference was held is where Hart is registered to vote. Concerns have arisen about whether Sen. Hart lives in District 2 at all.
Ongoing construction at Hart’s registered address has fueled these doubts. Diannah Fields-Brown, a neighbor, said she has not seen Sen. Hart in the community.
“I’ve never seen him, I’ve never met him, never bumped into him at the grocery store or spotted him at a community event,” Fields-Brown said.
Tom Hearn, a Democratic candidate running for Sen. Hart’s seat, emphasized these concerns, citing Hart’s past controversies.
“People need to remember that this is not the first time that Phil Hart has been in trouble for unethical and illegal behavior,” Hearn said.
According to The Spokesman-Review, Sen. Hart previously faced issues for taking timber from state school endowment land, which he later remedied by sending a check for its market value.
In 2015, Sen. Hart also settled a tax dispute with the IRS, agreeing to let the government auction his Athol home for unpaid back taxes.
The Idaho Democratic Party has hired a private investigator to determine Sen Hart’s current residence. Idaho law mandates that state senators must be registered voters in the district they represent.
Fields-Brown highlighted the community’s expectations, stating, “we deserve a State Senator who is honest, a senator who lives in this district, and understands first-hand the unique challenges we face in our rural communities.”
A complaint has been filed with the Idaho Secretary of State’s office by voters to investigate Sen. Hart’s residency.
Checks on Hart’s Sunshine Finance Reports reveal his address as a P.O. box in Kellogg. On Vote Idaho, it shows Philip L Hart’s address as the same house under construction.
Locals claim the house has been under construction for several years. Susan Hansen-Barber, a former Kellogg School District Principal, stated, “I’m hopeful that this can be addressed and put to bed so that this election can be fair and one with integrity.”
Efforts to reach Senator Hart and the Secretary of State’s office for comments were unsuccessful by deadline.
