(Honor Idaho founder Greg Pruett, April 21, 2026)
Honor Idaho has completed an investigation into an organization running ads so misleading that the Idaho Attorney General publicly condemned them.
In addition, Honor Idaho has formally asked the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office to investigate whether the group behind the ads violated Idaho’s new lobbying laws. That group is the Idaho Values First Foundation, LLC.
(You can watch a full breakdown of this story on the Honor Idaho YouTube channel.)
Earlier this week, Honor Idaho began receiving reports of both mailed flyers and digital TV ads targeting multiple lawmakers across the state. All of the ads centered on the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
The ads claimed that several lawmakers, listed at the end of this article, voted to cut ICAC funding. But the printed mailer cited a bill from last year that had nothing to do with the Attorney General’s Office, and even referenced a vote count that never occurred.
The digital ads did reference a cut to the AG’s office, but according to Attorney General Raúl Labrador, every state agency experienced reductions due to Idaho’s budget shortfall. That’s a broader budget conversation for another day, but the bottom line is simple: the group behind these ads used a routine, across‑the‑board budget reduction to imply that certain lawmakers support harm coming to children.
A deeper look into Idaho Values First revealed some unusual connections.
The group was originally founded by Merrill Beyeler, a former moderate Republican lawmaker who was later defeated by current Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon. Beyeler allowed the organization to go inactive a year later, and it was dissolved. But not for long.
A new set of individuals revived the entity, including Cheryl Miller, a long‑time Ada County Republican, who also appears to be a current board member of Take Back Idaho.
It’s the other two directors, however, who raise the most questions.
One is Judith Ellis, who has participated in Democratic primaries.
The other is Rolando Ruano, who has also voted in Democratic primaries and is listed as the group’s lobbyist. Public posts on Ruano’s Facebook profile show him expressing support for Bernie Sanders, opposition to ICE, and opposition to Donald Trump.
These are the individuals now running a group that is producing ads so misleading that the Attorney General himself had to step in and correct the record.
How did Miller get involved with these Democrats? Did Beyeler know that two of the people taking over the group were Democrats?
Honor Idaho will continue following the money, the messaging, and the motives behind Idaho Values First. Idahoans deserve transparency, honesty, and accountability, especially when children’s safety is being used as political ammunition.
Note: This article first appeared on HonorIdaho.com, and is republished here by permission.
