.png)
Politics in North Idaho has always been a contact sport. But things took a turn for the weird and physical at a high school auditorium in Coeur d’Alene back in February 2025. You’ve probably seen the clip—the one where a woman in Idaho town hall is being hauled out by men who look more like they’re bouncing a dive bar than working official security.
It was a Saturday. About 450 people crammed into the Coeur d’Alene High School auditorium for a legislative town hall hosted by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC). Within an hour, the room was a pressure cooker. When the dust settled, Teresa Borrenpohl—a local Democrat and former legislative candidate—was on the floor, being dragged toward the lobby.
The Viral Moment Everyone is Talking About
The footage is honestly jarring. You see Borrenpohl sitting in her seat, seemingly stone-faced, while Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris stands over her. Norris, who was in plain clothes but had his badge visible, is heard on camera asking her, "Do you want pepper spray?"
He wasn't the one who actually moved her, though. After he stepped back, three men in civilian clothes—no uniforms, no "Security" patches, just hoodies and jackets—grabbed her. This wasn't a gentle escort. They wrestled her into the aisle. At one point, she was on her back, and they were pulling her by her feet.
People were screaming. Some were cheering. Most were just holding up their phones, recording what looked like a chaotic kidnapping in the middle of a public meeting.
📖 Related: The Natascha Kampusch Case: What Really Happened in the Girl in the Cellar True Story
Who is Teresa Borrenpohl?
She isn't just a random spectator. Borrenpohl is a Post Falls resident who has run for the Idaho House of Representatives as a Democrat multiple times. She’s a known face in local politics, which makes the choice to use force even more controversial.
Critics say she was "heckling." Her supporters say she was just asking questions that the lawmakers didn't want to answer. Specifically, she had shouted, "Is this a town hall, or a lecture?" right before the situation boiled over. She also reportedly brought up a specific incident regarding a Republican lawmaker and timber on public land.
The Security Mystery: Who Were the Men?
For hours after the video went viral, nobody knew who the men were. They refused to identify themselves to the crowd. Even as they were pinning Borrenpohl to the floor, they stayed silent about their credentials.
It turns out they were from a private company called LEAR Asset Management.
👉 See also: The Lawrence Mancuso Brighton NY Tragedy: What Really Happened
This is where it gets legally sticky. Coeur d’Alene has very specific city ordinances. If you’re working security, you’re supposed to have a uniform that says "Security" in letters at least an inch tall. These guys looked like they’d just stepped out of a hardware store.
The Sheriff vs. The Police Chief
The fallout created a massive rift between local law enforcement leaders. Sheriff Bob Norris defended the removal, saying it was about maintaining decorum and that Borrenpohl had been warned three times.
On the other side, Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White wasn't having it. He basically pointed out that his officers were outside but weren't called in to handle the situation. Instead, private contractors were used to perform what looked like a law enforcement action. White eventually requested that the city revoke the business licenses for the security company and the individual licenses for the men involved.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Battery Charge
Early reports focused on the fact that Borrenpohl was cited for battery.
✨ Don't miss: The Fatal Accident on I-90 Yesterday: What We Know and Why This Stretch Stays Dangerous
"She bit him!" was the common refrain on social media.
And yeah, she did. She admitted to biting one of the men on the hand as they were grabbing her and twisting her wrist. However, the City Attorney’s office eventually dismissed that battery citation "in the interest of justice." Basically, when you have three unidentified men in hoodies grabbing a woman and dragging her across a floor, a "battery" charge for trying to get them off you doesn't usually hold up in the court of public opinion—or a court of law.
Why This Still Matters in 2026
This wasn't just a one-day news cycle. It sparked an independent investigation by an outside agency into the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office. It also raised huge questions about the use of private "mercenary-style" security at political events.
If a political group can hire private muscle to forcibly remove dissenters without following uniform laws, where does the First Amendment start and stop? That’s the question that’s still rattling around Idaho politics.
Actionable Insights for Attending Town Halls
If you're planning on heading to a local meeting—whether you're in Idaho or anywhere else—there are a few things you should keep in mind to stay safe and make your voice heard legally.
- Know the Rules of Decorum: Every meeting has them. Usually, they are read at the start. If you break them (by shouting or interrupting), organizers often have the legal right to ask you to leave.
- Identify Security: If someone approaches you and they aren't in a police uniform, you have every right to ask for their identification and who they work for.
- Record Everything: The only reason the woman in Idaho town hall story got national attention was because of the multiple angles recorded by bystanders.
- Stay in Public Spaces: If a meeting is on public property (like a school), the rules for removal are much stricter than on private property.
The Borrenpohl incident serves as a pretty stark reminder that local politics can get physical fast. While the criminal charges were dropped, the conversation about how we treat dissenters in the "public square" is far from over.