The security firm whose members dragged a woman out of a town hall have lost their license to operate within the town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Three workers for LEAR Asset Management forcibly removed Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl from a Kootenai County Republican Central Committee town hall meeting in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, after being directed to do so by Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris.

Borrenpohl was briefly hospitalized after being forced to the ground by the private security guards, and has now raised over $250,000 for her legal fees.

Why It Matters

Dr. Borrenpohl was threatened with arrest before being forcibly removed from the town hall after speaking up to ask whether the event was a lecture or a town hall. She, her supporters, and Coeur d’Alene police chief Lee White have all said the actions of LEAR Asset Management violated Dr. Borrenpohl’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

LEAR losing their business license is a win for people dedicated to maintaining the First Amendment, especially as this past week has been filled with angry constituents asking their Republican members of Congress about Elon Musk‘s role in the federal government.

LEAR Asset Management, the Kootenai Sheriff’s Department, and the Coeur d’Alene Police Department have been contacted via email for comment.

What To Know

On February 22, Dr. Borrenpohl was with a group of people protesting Medicaid cuts and other Republican policies at the Coeur d’Alene town hall.

When she, by her own admission, spoke out of turn to ask about the nature of the event, Sheriff Norris threatened to arrest her and then summoned three unnamed and unmarked private security guards to carry her out of the premises.

In a viral video of the altercation, Dr Borrenpohl can be seen asking multiple times who the men are, with them refusing to answer.

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department have now said that LEAR had their business licences revoked for “violating Coeur d’Alene City ordinances regarding Security Agencies and Agents (City Code 5.32.)”

These ordinances state: “Uniforms worn by security agents must be clearly marked with the word “Security” in letters no less than one inch tall on the front of the uniform, and no less than four inches tall on the back of the uniform.”

They also state: “When it appears that a licensee has violated any provision of this Chapter, any ordinance of the City, or statute of the State or United States involving violence or threat of violence, or a crime of moral turpitude, the license shall be revoked.”

Although in the video it is clear that Sheriff Norris directed the men from LEAR to seize Borrenpohl, he then told the Idaho Statesman that he did not know the security personnel.

Norris also told the Statesman that the actions of the security guards were in keeping with the event’s protocols, but he did not explain what those protocols were.

Undersheriff Brett Nelson said in a press release that no deputy sheriffs were involved in the incident and that the Sheriff’s Office is having a “complete and independent investigation of the incident completed by an outside agency.”

Throughout the commotion, the town hall moderator Ed Bejarana, called Dr. Borrenpohl a “little girl” and said she was facing “the consequences” of her actions. Her actions were asking questions at a town hall event.

Coeur d’Alene police were outside of the venue due to an unrelated threat against Representative Jordan Redman but said they were not made aware of the commotion inside.

While being dragged out, Dr. Borrenpohl bit one of her assailants. She was initially given a battery citation, but this charge has now been removed by the City Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

What People Are Saying

Coeur d’Alene Police Department on Facebook: “The Coeur d’Alene Police Department recognizes and values all rights afforded by the United States Constitution to all citizens, including the right to free speech. This is a complex incident, and detectives continue to work through all aspects of the investigation. More information will be released when it becomes available.”

Idaho Democratic Party: “Our democracy rests upon our First Amendment rights…It’s a very sad day when a woman who voices dissent is forcibly dragged out of a public venue by unidentified men while the event moderator belittles and taunts her. Idaho deserves better.”

Alice Abbott, on Justice for Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl: Fight for the First GoFundMe: “No American should fear being carted away by an unnamed paramilitary force without cause. The protection of our freedoms—freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the right to be free from unlawful detention—should never be taken for granted. Dr. Borrenpohl is not just fighting for herself; she is fighting for every one of us.”

What Happens Next

LEAR can appeal their business license removal to the City Clerk within ten days of its revocation. They will then attend a hearing with the City Council to review their license.

It is unknown at this time whether Borrenpohl will launch a civil rights suit against those involved in removing her from the town hall. Her GoFundMe for potential legal funds has raised $286,000, far beyond its $30,000 goal.