Raúl Labrador sharply criticized a series of political advertisements he said falsely invoke his office and the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit, calling the attacks deceptive and shameful.
Labrador’s comments came in response to ads from a political organization known as Idaho Values First that claim certain Idaho lawmakers voted against funding for the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit.
According to Labrador, the claims distort what occurred during the 2026 legislative session.
He said the vote referenced in the ads involved an across-the-board 5% budget reduction that affected every state agency, not a targeted cut aimed at his office or the child protection unit.
Labrador pointed to House Bill 971 as the legislation that partially restored funding to the Attorney General’s office, including resources used to support the ICAC Unit. He noted that the legislators targeted in the ads voted in favor of that funding measure.
The attorney general accused the group behind the campaign of attempting to mislead voters rather than provide accurate information.
He also argued that if the ads were truly about accountability, they would instead target lawmakers who opposed HB971.
Labrador said while legislative voting records are fair subjects for political debate, twisting those votes into false narratives crosses the line. He added that using child protection work and the mission of keeping children safe for political attacks represents a new low.
The Attorney General praised the ICAC investigators in his office, saying they perform difficult and often heartbreaking work to protect children from online predators.
He concluded by saying Idaho families deserve honesty and transparency, not cynical political messaging that exploits the work being done to keep children safe.
By: DNU staff