Bart Davis announces retirement
On Wednesday, October 7, Bart Davis announced his retirement as U.S. attorney for the District of Idaho, effective October 17. The announcement came just one year after Davis was confirmed by the Senate to serve in that position for a second time, following a previous tenure during President Donald Trump’s first administration.
Davis spent 19 years in the Idaho State Senate, including 15 as majority leader, before his first appointment as U.S. attorney. Prior to his political career, Davis practiced law in his hometown of Idaho Falls after graduating from BYU in 1978 and receiving his law degree from the University of Idaho in 1980.
As U.S. attorney, Davis was the chief federal prosecutor for Idaho, representing the U.S. Department of Justice in criminal prosecutions and civil litigation. He oversaw cases involving drug trafficking, violent crime, fraud, immigration violations, and other federal offenses, while also coordinating with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. U.S. attorneys are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, serving at the pleasure of the president. Incoming presidents often replace U.S. attorneys at the start of their terms, as President Joe Biden did in 2021 when he asked for Davis’ resignation. President Trump reappointed Davis in 2025.
Davis oversaw three offices—in Boise, Coeur d’Alene, and Pocatello—staffed by 65 employees. During his second term, his office filed 298 criminal cases.
Davis also co-chaired Idaho’s bipartisan redistricting commission in 2021, having been appointed by then-Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Winder.
With Davis having recently turned 71 and celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary, his retirement is not especially unusual, but the timing is, coming just a year after his confirmation for a second term. Davis did not give a specific reason for retiring at this time.
President Trump is expected to nominate a successor, relying on Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch for input on whom to choose. Potential successors include Justin Whatcott, who served as acting U.S. attorney prior to Davis’ confirmation; Sen. Todd Lakey, a former county prosecutor and practicing attorney who was reportedly under consideration prior to Davis’ nomination in 2025; Rafael Gonzalez, who also served as acting U.S. attorney on multiple occasions; Rep. John Shirts, another lawyer in the Legislature who previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney during Davis’ first term; and Theo Wold, who served in President Trump’s first administration as well as solicitor general in Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office.
No successor has been publicly announced.
Should Lakey or Shirts be appointed, their departure from the Legislature would create a vacancy to be filled through the usual process: the respective Republican legislative district committee would submit three names to Gov. Brad Little, who would appoint one to the seat. Idaho’s current legislative term ends November 30, with the new term beginning December 1.
The teachers union faces hard financial times
It hasn’t been a good year for the Idaho teachers union.
The Idaho Education Association is cutting roughly 13% of its staff, eliminating four organizer positions, closing all five of its regional offices and scaling back its annual Summer Institute.
In other words, it is dealing with a major budget mess. And it has no one to blame but itself.
After all, the IEA was forced to pay $70,000 to cover state taxpayer expenses that resulted from the union’s frivolous lawsuit against education choice. The union lost the case in a unanimous decision in February.
That was a choice.
Then came the second blow – Idaho’s House Bill 516. That’s the new law that stopped school districts from using taxpayer-funded payroll systems to collect union dues and requires unions to reimburse districts for paid employee time used for union activities.
During the debate, lawmakers and the public were told taxpayers weren’t subsidizing the union.
Now the IEA is cutting staff and closing offices — and it says HB 516 is one of the reasons its operating environment has become more difficult.
Six months ago, I wrote in these pages that Idaho hadn’t banned unions. It had simply stopped doing their paperwork.
Congressman Fulcher’s latest newsletter
Congressman Russ Fulcher posted his latest newsletter this week, highlighting the Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act, the Water Resources Development Act, the Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act, and more.
Press releases
Attorney General Labrador announces the latest product recalls
Superintendent Critchfield announces the teacher of the year
State Board of Education extends deadline for incentive program
Gov. Little lauds latest jobs report from the Dept. of Labor
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