Police Tapes Reveal City Attorney Lied To The Public About Borrenpohl Fire Alarm Stunt — Rule Of Law Disregarded By Corrupt Liberal Establishment
Coeur d’Alene: We Have A Problem
At the infamous December 10th meeting of the North Idaho College Board of Trustees, left-wing agitators and Democrat disruptors made it nearly impossible for the board to conduct their business. Shouting, screaming, temper tantrums unbecoming of a 2 year old, let alone an adult, ensued throughout the 3 hour meeting.
One element of the disruption, however, crossed the line from annoying, childish, and petty, into the realm of criminality when, according to police reports, “One gal at meeting was upset and mad and pulled fire alarm on way out.”
On February 12th, the Idaho Tribune was sent a leaked copy of the internal Incident Report at North Idaho College that “Positively Identifies” a well known left-wing extremist, and former staffer at NIC named Teresa Borrenpohl.
Borrenpohl has a long history of questionable activity in the North Idaho area. She has allegedly harassed and intimidated people at the polls, used her connections at the College to rile up faculty and staff by calling for a strike, intimidated elected officials... The list goes on and on.
But guess what? Teresa is in luck! Here in Coeur d’Alene, we have a two-tiered justice system: one for conservatives, and another for liberals.
Want to preach the gospel to sinners? You get arrested.
Want to dress up like a grotesque mockery of a woman, and shake your bits for minors on stage at the park? The police will be right there to take your photo and tell you how “stunning and brave” you are.
Last week when it was announced that charges would not be pursued in the fire alarm stunt, reporters at the Idaho Tribune reached out to Randall Adams, the City Attorney in Coeur d’Alene, to ask some very simple questions:
“We would like to know why prosecution was declined, and what kind of a signal this sends to the community? It looks like there is a double standard in this community when it comes to the application of the law, and many of our readers believe that the Coeur d'Alene police and our local justice system are corrupt.
Do you think that this helps or hurts the community?
If a Conservative pulls a fire alarm at a city council meeting, will you also decline to prosecute that?”
Adams’ response was “lackluster” to say the least.
“See attached press release,” he said.
The attached press release did not address our very specific questions.
Adams’ press release states “there is insufficient evidence to support probable cause in order to justify filing charges.”
The Tribune, unsatisfied with Adams’ response, pressed again for an answer, saying “All due respect, but the report we were sent anonymously, which purports to be the NIC security report, contradicts your press release.”
Adams fired back:
“With all due respect, the Press Release says: “The videos provided do not show anyone, to include Ms. Borrenpohl, entering the hallway where the alarm station is located. The videos also show people exiting the meeting room after the alarm was pulled, but it cannot be definitively determined that Ms. Borrenpohl was not among them. The videos fail to demonstrate that Ms. Borrenpohl was the only person in the hallway where the alarm was located when it was pulled.” These are all true, verifiable statements based on actually viewing the video, not just reading a report.”
According to a newly released recording obtained by Conservative independent journalist, Casey Whalen, this appears to be a bald-faced a lie.
The recording is of a conversation between Teresa Borrenpohl and Coeur d’Alene Police officer Gus Wessel, who is investigating the criminal act of pulling a fire alarm when there isn’t a fire.
Officer Gus Wessel poses next to his police car at North Idaho College. Photo Credit: NIC Sentinel
Wessel, who has known Borrenpohl “for a long time” due to his post as NIC’s School Resource Officer said MULTIPLE times during the interview:
“Everything I have indicates that you were likely the one who pulled it.”
“I believe that you probably pulled it…”
“…everything from the video that I have indicates that you more probably than not did.”
Officer Wessel said in his phone call with Borrenpohl, “So my issue is that the video […] shows you leaving the meeting room, but then not showing up anywhere else […], and then from the backside of the school seeing you out that back fire, or stairs fire door. So you are the only person that was seen in the area of that fire alarm.”
Adams said in his press release “The videos fail to demonstrate that Ms. Borrenpohl was the only person in the hallway where the alarm was located when it was pulled.”
So what gives?
Officer Wessel states:
“ … anything that would amount to a misdemeanor crime, um, if we have probable cause, more probable than not, that a person committed that crime in our jurisdiction within the statute limitations, we have options of, uh, either making an arrest if it was in physically in our present presence, writing a citation if it wasn't in our presence, or forwarding a report to the prosecutors and letting them look at it. […] my intent is to send it down to the prosecutor's office for review.”
So, we have an officer of the law saying that based on his review of the evidence, “everything from the video that I have indicates that you more probably than not did.” The same officer said that “if we have probable cause, more probable than not, that a person committed that crime in our jurisdiction within the statute limitations, we have options…”
We also have the Coeur d’Alene City Attorney saying “it cannot be definitively determined that Ms. Borrenpohl was not among” the “people exiting the meeting room after the alarm was pulled,” and that “there is insufficient evidence to support probable cause in order to justify filing charges.”
The principle of non-contradiction leads us to believe that one of these people is lying. Either Wessel was lying to Borrenpohl in order to extract a confession, or Randall Adams is lying to all of us.
We are inclined to believe the latter, for several reasons.
First of all, there is the evidence.
If Borrenpohl did exit the meeting “among” everyone else, why was she seen on camera, walking in front of the gymnasium, without a jacket, alone, in the cold, to meet back up with the crowd in front of the Student Union building?
Both the NIC Security Report and Officer Wessel state that the (as yet un-released) security footage shows her exiting the building through a back door, walking all the way around Lee Hall, and back to the Student Union Building.
Officer Wessel said in his phone call with Borrenpohl, “So my issue is that the video […] shows you leaving the meeting room, but then not showing up anywhere else […], and then from the backside of the school seeing you out that back fire, or stairs fire door. So you are the only person that was seen in the area of that fire alarm.”
Corridor 201B leads from the main entrance of the Board Meeting Room on the second floor of the Student Union Building, as referenced in the NIC Security report and Officer Wessel’s testimony. The fire alarm is right next to the door to the stairwell that leads to the back door exit of the building.
Adams, in his email to the Tribune, justified the prosecution office’s decision not to press charges because “Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is still required.” But “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” isn’t the same as probable cause. Just because a case might be dismissed, doesn’t mean that you can just give people a pass… Or does it?
The Fire Alarm Stunt is not the first time that the City Attorney’s office has declined prosecution in relation to a crime at NIC.
Teresa Loar, a teacher at NIC ADMITTED ON CAMERA that she battered Rachelle Ottosen, a conservative trustee at the Community Library Network at the September 2021 NIC Board Meeting.
Rachelle Ottosen
Ottosen was protesting the ineffective and controversial mask mandate instituted at NIC by former President Rick MacLennan.
The City Prosecutor’s office, which is under the purview of the City Attorney’s office vacated the charges against Loar.
Who is Randall Adams?
Adams served as Chief Civil Deputy Attorney under Mike Gridley for 7 years before taking Gridley’s job once he retired.
For some context, Gridley is one of the founders of CDA 2030, a shady, taxpayer-funded, non-profit organization that according to the CDA Press is not subject to open meetings laws.
Cd’A City Counselor Dan English (Left) Mike Gridley (Center)
He’s also in the middle of a lawsuit against all of the conservative trustees who were elected to govern North Idaho College. Gridley is a man with an axe to grind, he’s a man with resources and deep connections, and was entrenched in the Coeur d’Alene bureaucracy for over 20 years.
At the most recent Coeur d’Alene City Council, Dan Gookin pointed out that the zoning on the massive new Coeur Terre development had been changed, illegally, from one hearing to the next, at the direction of Randy Adams.
Randy Adams seems to believe that he isn’t just above the law, but the law itself. Criminal acts go un-prosecuted, while illegal actions at City Council meetings are brushed off because that’s not how he “interprets” the law.
Actions Have Consequences
Human beings have an appetite for justice. People like it when the rule of law is upheld.
Do you know what happens when people perceive injustice?
People get angry.
This obviously isn’t about George Floyd (who died of a drug overdose by the way). This isn’t really even about whether or not Teresa Borrenpohl illegally pulled a fire alarm.
This is about widespread, in your face corruption at the highest levels in the Coeur d’Alene establishment.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. A sleeping giant is awakening in Kootenai County…
Below is the transcript of the call between officer Wessel and Teresa Borrenpohl.
Officer Wessel — Hey, how's it going?
Teresa Borrenpohl — Hey, itss going well. How are you?
Officer Wessel — Good. Sounds like you're driving. I hope it's Bluetooth.
Borrenpohl — Uh, it is Bluetooth, Yes.
Officer Wessel — Excellent. Well, I'm jealous cause I don't have that, so I always have to throw it in my visor and then I forget my phone and it's a whole thing.
Borrenpohl — Oh, yeah, that makes sense. <laugh>.
Officer Wessel — Um, so as you know, you've been convicted on social media of being involved in the fire alarm thing.
Borrenpohl — I have seen that all over the place. Yes.
Officer Wessel — The school did request that I investigated this week, week. And so, um, I went through, uh, I mean obviously, you know, there's a ton of cameras down here, so I went through all the camera footage, um, and I gotta talk to you about it.
Borrenpohl — Okay.
Officer Wessel — Um, I, you are a very intelligent person and an adult and someone I've known for a long time, so I don't want to try to play games of like tricking you into things or not or whatever, and all those fun cop things. So, I, <sigh> What happened with the fire alarm?
Borrenpohl — That is a great question. One that I do not have an answer for.
Officer Wessel — Okay. So my issue is that the video from the sub shows you, it's like head level, um, shows you leaving the meeting room, but then not showing up anywhere else in the sub, and then from the backside of the school seeing you out that back fire or stairs fire door. So you are the only person that was seen in the area of that fire alarm. My struggle is I'm going through all the different possible code sections and whatnot. Um, there are certain ones that in my opinion, have to have specific intent. Um, I believe that you probably pulled it, um, but the intent kind of makes a difference on how it plays out, if that makes sense. So like one, the city code specifically has the intent to summon police and fire for anything other than what they're supposed to be summons for. I assume you didn't want to see firemen and policemen, <laugh>. So that's kind of where I'm at, is I'm just trying to figure out what even fits. Does that make sense?
Borrenpohl — I understand what you're saying, Yeah.
Officer Wessel — And do you have anything that can help me in that front, in that regard?
<Long Pause>
Borrenpohl — I don't know why you would need to know intent if I did not do it.
Officer Wessel — Well, like I said, I, everything from the video that I have indicates that you more probably than not did. And so certainly you understand my obligation then is to look into, you know, what applicable charges would be there. And I just figured I would give you the opportunity if there was anything, um, that, that would, I guess put a, an explanation, a disclaimer, uh, anything that would kind of make it make sense to me beyond just the obvious, um, turmoil that has been going on down here for the last year. So, uh, I just kinda wanted to give you the chance to talk and see if there was anything that I needed to know. Um, I don't have anyone else at all that was visible anywhere near it. Um, I have not, I mean, like I said, I, I just don't have anyone else that even looks like a suspect from what I can see. And so, um, you know, if, if there was anything that you could do to either explain why it was pulled, if you pulled it, if you didn't pull it, um, this is kind of your time to, to be open with me, I guess, for lack of a better term.
Borrenpohl — It sounds like, it sounds like you've made up your mind according to social media.
Officer Wessel — No, that was just my intro into talking to you. I told you the reason I'm talking to you is because after looking at the videos I have, that's what I have. And like I said in the beginning, I don't want to play games or dance around it. That's everything I have indicates that you were likely the one who pulled it. And so…
Borrenpohl — Talk to me about “likely” and, and what this process looks like, because this is, this is shocking to me and I guess I don't even know what these processes look like.
Officer Wessel — Yeah, so essentially there, okay, so generally speaking, um, anything that would amount to a misdemeanor crime, um, if we have probable cause, more probable than not, that a person committed that crime in our jurisdiction within the statute limitations, we have options of, uh, either making an arrest if it was in physically in our present presence, writing a citation if it wasn't in our presence, or forwarding a report to the prosecutors and letting them look at it. And basically between my reading of any applicable laws and my comfort, letting someone else be the decider rather than me, my intent is to send it down to the prosecutor's office for review. And so the way that goes, I send it through my chain of command. They send it to the prosecutor, prosecutor assigns it to someone, they look at it, they determine if they want to, um, either summon someone into court or issue an arrest warrant or whatever in this kinda situation, the likelihood if they decided, yep, we want to take this to court. Um, yep, we think that more problem than not, that Teresa was the person who pulled the fire alarm and we have found a code that we think fits. Um, you are a local person that's not like they would issue an arrest warrant. They would send a summons to get you into court.
Officer Wessel — So that's, that's how the process stuff works.
Borrenpohl — I see. What is the timeline on, on that look like?
Officer Wessel — Oh gosh. Um, <laugh>, well, I will tell you that it takes, or the, the statute of limitations on a misdemeanor is a year. Um, so we can charge any time within that year. And as far as how long it takes for me, I will forward this today likely and then it will go to them. And I've had things that turn around quickly. I've thi had things that take months for them, depending on how busy they are down there, what kind of priority they put on it. Um, sometimes they'll kick stuff back for more investigation or whatnot. Um, so it's, it's not a fast process. If they did send it back to me for a summons, then it goes back through our records department. I fill out the paperwork, I take it back down to the judge, then take that to the clerk, and then that gets sent out with whatever their process is, goes to the county, their civil servers get it, and then would come issue you the summons at some point. So it is, it is not fast. If that makes sense.
Borrenpohl — That makes total sense with me. Absolutely. Um, so, uh, I see this all on social media. I haven't engaged with it at all because there is no satiating the appetite of North Idaho.
Officer Wessel — Oh, agreed.
Borrenpohl — Um, so what happenes, uh, from a public perspective?
Officer Wessel — Uh, like in the event that, in what, in what regard?
Borrenpohl — Uh, if North Idaho College was to pass this on to, you said the city prosecutor,
Officer Wessel — North Idaho College has nothing to do with it at this point.
Borrenpohl — Ah.
Officer Wessel — It's between just me and you, and then I would be the one forwarding it.
Borrenpohl — Um, gotcha.
Officer Wessel — So there's been a lot, again, this is kind of why I opened with the, uh, a little bit of satire about social media because there is confusion in that realm. There are people within the college that think that security is forwarding reports. And I, I don't, all that stuff that I talked about is just me as a detective with the police department and the prosecutor and you. So NIC potentially could be the victim and depending on how the, you know, how it is viewed. But as far as that, NIC doesn't have any involvement in it. Their involvement is they asked me to investigate it and they're hands off at that point.
Borrenpohl — So, uh, I guess the question is when it gets handed off to the prosecutor, if that's what you're doing as part of the Coeur d’Alene police department,
Officer Wessel — right.
Borrenpohl — Uh, that is still “under investigation.” How is that categorized?
Officer Wessel — Uh, I think once
Borrenpohl — <unintelligible> In social media.
Officer Wessel — So once we send it to the prosecutor, I believe at that point, um, it could be gathered for public record. I noticed that there's been some people who apparently tried to get the public record before I was asked to investigate it. So there was no public record at that point. Um, so I don't know if they'll try again and, and whatnot. Anything that we do release, we redact, um, pretty substantially. And in the event that it does, uh, get, say they go through it and they're like, yep, we're gonna summons Teresa, then it would show up in the iCourts, you know, as a, as a summons at that point.
<LONG PAUSE>
Officer Wessel — Do you have any other questions or thoughts or?
Borrenpohl — I do not.
Officer Wessel — Oh, okay. Did you pull the fire alarm?
Borrenpohl — I’m not answering that question. I think it's <unintelligible>
Officer Wessel — All right. Um, well that's all I have for you then. I assume we'll see you tonight.
Borrenpohl — Uh, I hope so.
Officer Wessel — All right. Well, again, dress warm and, um, drive safe.
Borrenpohl — Thanks. I hope your kiddos are feeling better. We'll talk to you
Officer Wessel — Soon. Thank you for your time.
Borrenpohl — Bye-bye.
