Boise State professor revealed as author of extremist website

Boise State University professor Scott Yenor has been revealed as the previously anonymous creator behind Action Idaho, an online media platform that critics said promoted far-right extremist views, The Guardian reported Friday.

The Guardian’s findings, which were based on a series of public records requests, show that Yenor began publishing on the website in early 2022, and was active for about two years. He frequently criticized Republicans whom he considered to be not sufficiently conservative, and lambasted other local news sites. Although Yenor continues to speak for Action Idaho on X, an online gambling site has taken over its former URL. 

The Guardian also linked some of the donations behind Yenor’s work to Thomas D. Klingenstein, board chairman of the Claremont Institute, a conservative think tank where Yenor is a fellow. Yenor himself had not publicly disclosed involvement in Action Idaho as of Monday.

A spokesperson for Boise State, Mike Sharp, said the university would not disclose whether it would take any action in response to Yenor’s involvement with the extremist publication, but that it does not tolerate violations of law or policy.

But “as an institution of higher learning, we emphatically defend freedom of speech and academic freedom,” Sharp wrote. “We understand that the open exchange of ideas can introduce uncomfortable or even highly offensive ideas. [But] Boise State cannot infringe upon the First Amendment rights of any members of our community, regardless of whether we, as individuals, agree or disagree with their ideas.”