Suppose a public official in Idaho receives a communication that says, “If you don’t resign, we’ll reveal embarrassing information about you.”  If you were that official, what would you do?

According to the occasionally accurate Idaho Statesman newspaper, that is exactly what happened to  Star councilman Tom Erlebach.  The circumstances are reported in a story headlined Star threat targeted City Councilman Tom Erlebach.

Suppose the councilman is an incumbent candidate for re-election and his detractors want to replace him.  Further, suppose the “embarrassing information” involves the councilman’s family members?  Would (or should) that influence your opinion of the councilman?  And even if the “threat” is legal in Idaho, what would your opinion be of the people who tried to use it?

Blackmail?   Or business as usual in Idaho?