Abuse of power
Assessor Bela Kovacs admitted secretly recording at least 15 conversations with county officials and employees. He also adopted a policy letting him fire employees who run against him or help a rival's campaign.
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The record
- He admitted secretly recording at least 15 conversations with county officials and employees.1
- The county prosecutor told him to preserve all the recordings as evidence.1
- A 22-page Spokane County HR investigation shows he resigned in lieu of termination there in 2018.2
- More than 30 employees issued a formal vote of no confidence in April 2022.3
- He has gone through five chief deputies in five years.4
- Commissioners cut his salary from $90,000 to $45,000. A court later ruled the cut illegal.5
- He adopted a policy letting him fire employees who run against him or "assist" a rival's candidacy.6
- Employees said it covered personal conduct outside work, such as putting up a yard sign.6
- He used his official authority to challenge an opponent's Idaho residency and homestead exemption. Commissioners voted 2-0 to block him.7
- Allyson Knapp beat him in the May 2026 primary with 65% of the vote.4
- A judge dismissed his lawsuit to void her win because he filed after the deadline.8
- The Idaho Board of Tax Appeals upheld her homestead exemption and said it was "strained to understand" what further proof would satisfy him.9
Who
- Bela KovacsThe full record.
Sources
- Kootenai County assessor grilled by commissioners after admitting to secretly recording employees, elected officialsKREM · 2023 (archive)
- Public records: Complaints about Kootenai County assessor mirror the issues that lost him his job in Spokane CountyInlander · February 2023 (archive)
- Employees criticize county assessorCoeur d'Alene Press · April 2022 (archive)
- Bela Kovacs: the full recordRigged Red Card
- Bela Kovacs v. Kootenai County Board of Commissioners, Idaho Court of Appeals, Docket No. 51293Idaho Court of Appeals · 2024 (archive)
- Assessor's political policy draws concern from employeesCoeur d'Alene Press · September 2025 (archive)
- Commissioners block assessor's challenge to political opponent's Idaho residencyCoeur d'Alene Press · January 2026 (archive)
- Assessor's election challenge dismissedCoeur d'Alene Press · August 2026 (archive)
- State upholds Knapp's homestead exemptionCoeur d'Alene Press · August 2026 (archive)
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