Mountain Home, Idaho Mayor Threatens to Fine and Arrest People but Uses Taxpayer-Funded Gym!

“Laws for thee but not for me” as the saying goes.

Except, in the case of Mt. Home Mayor Rich Sykes, it’s his life.

Recently, Mayor Sykes went on an hour-long Facebook rant about how people aren’t staying home enough during the Coronavirus pandemic.

He threatened to shut down the city in addition to citing and fining people for violating the stay-at-home order.

Never in my life have I heard such a power-hungry elected official in the state of Idaho. As they say, an emergency will bring out the worst in some people.

Throughout the video, he constantly refers to Mt. Home as “his” city. He even goes so far as to call Walmart, Albertson’s and other workers as “his.”

He refers to nearly every entity in the city as “his” people.

Sadly, that isn’t even the scariest part of his video.

The scariest part of the video is when the Mayor says he will shut the city down and then fine and arrest people if he deems they are doing something “non-essential.”

He goes on to mock people for buying things that are, in his words, not necessary.

For instance, he says that citizens don’t need to buy lottery tickets. While I am no fan of lottery tickets, who am I to decide whether or not someone else should buy one?

What if the person buying a lottery ticket just lost their job and is desperate for money? So, they purchase one hoping to get a little more money for food?

Again, not what my decision would be but it’s not my decision to make.

King Sykes, however, has a job and is going to be paid no matter what during this crisis because he is the Mayor.

We all want to flatten the curve and keep the Chinese Coronavirus from spreading as much as we can.

Nobody wants to see someone else suffer or die because of illness or disease.

However, some of us also don’t want to see our country in ruins trying to fight this thing. In particular, we don’t want to see our freedoms “flattened” in the process.

People like King Sykes believe they get to run your life during this crisis. Remember though, these rules only apply to you, not King Sykes.

You see, Sykes took a selfie of himself at a taxpayer-funded gym just four days ago!

The photo was posted online by the Idaho Freedom Foundation and should anger every citizen of Mt. Home and Idaho.

He did, after all, threaten everyone coming to “his” town if they don’t need to be there.

He wants to arrest you or fine you if you go buy a candy bar, soda, makeup, or lottery ticket. Yet, he can go to a taxpayer-funded gym and workout?

This is outrageous.

The citizens of Mt. Home should immediately demand his resignation or recall him if he won’t resign.

The reality of this virus is that power-hungry politicians like Sykes are being exposed.

The gall of some politicians to laud their power over other people is the worst of humanity.

No, that doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t care about defeating the Chinese Coronavirus. It just means that while I am willing to “flatten the curve” on my own, I am not willing to “flatten” freedoms, the constitution, and people’s livelihoods using the threat of government.

We are on a very dangerous path right now.

I will not bow to King Sykes or any other power-hungry politician. I will ask God for help during these times because we need Him now more than ever.

Please pray for our country to help defeat the Chinese Coronavirus and pray that people like Sykes no longer hold public office when it’s all over.

51 thoughts on “Mountain Home, Idaho Mayor Threatens to Fine and Arrest People but Uses Taxpayer-Funded Gym!

    • Shelly Hem Reply

      Who ever refers to this covid-19 virus as a Chinese virus should be shamed…I loved the reading until I got to that part…is that the mayor or the writer who refers to this as the Chinese virus…you are a direct reason hate is being fueled in America…

      • Randy Poole Reply

        Give me a break! It is people like you who have your head stuck in the sand that will bring a rapid, and painful end to this country as we know it! It is a FACT that that the virus originated in China, more specifically, Wuhan! Being politically correct doesn’t erase that FACT! Perhaps if we acknowledge that China IS NOT a friend of the US, instead of pretending that they are, we will all be better prepared to keep our country safe.

        • Matthew Sean moore Reply

          Thank you for taking the time to tell that moron human being what REALITY is Haha. Made my morning.

        • Chuck Reply

          China IS NOT, and never will be a friend to the United States. Their only goal is to see the U.S. fall from their economic position in the world. It is a communist regime, for crying out loud Shelly! They have a long and storied (documented) human rights violations. People there who are opposed to the regime disappear there faster than you can say “Hillary Clinton”. We need to bring back manufacturing of everything back to the United States; particularly drugs and medicines so that they cannot wage war with us by withholding valuable antidotes.

      • Kelly Ms Reply

        in case you forgot it came from CHINA!!!! you must be a liberal

      • Linda LuGene Williams Reply

        1 mile from where the CHINA virus first started is a bio-tech lab. Very suspicious. Could it be that unleashing this virus on the USA was purposeful?!?! It came from CHINA! The Chinese government wants to destroy the USA. Race, my foot!

      • Linda Reply

        You should be ashamed for spreading propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party, they are the reason their virus became a pandemic. You a direct reason that idiocy is spreading like a virus under the guise of Political Correctness, instead of awakening people’s realization that this mayor is a petty tyrant. You are in fact trying a bit of tyranny on yourself, by attempting to shame someone for stating the facts and labeling them as they are.

        • Chris Reply

          First off Jerry FERRAIUOLO, you’re dumber than a box of rocks.

          ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. ’19’ for the year 2019 when the virus was first discovered. Get your facts straight before you try to act smart.

      • Pamela Rand Reply

        Where was your outrage over the West Nile Virus? The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome? The German Measles? The Ebola Virus? Marburg Virus? La Crosse Encephalitis? Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Helloooo– no one could hear your “outrage” for any of those… which makes this suddenly-found, self-proclaimed “offense” look hypocritical.

        • Cody Reply

          I had the West Nile virus, as a 70 yr old man it shortened my life by years.

    • Jerry Richardson Reply

      Sykes also is allegedly pushed an airman that was walking downtown stating this town isn’t big enough for both of them and there is a witness. ( found on Mountain Home rants and raves) said airman will speak to air force legal today.

  1. S Hall Reply

    If he is so concern about being out on HIS streets, then why is he letting people with 5B license come here to shop at Walmart. They are the ones we need to fear coming into our town.(I said our town).

    • Jack Reply

      2 facts: There is a bio lab in the Wuhan, and the virus came from Wuhan. So with that being said…. this virus came from China!!! Y’all don’t realize how a communist country works, they’re cruel, they don’t care about the lives of humans. The one thing we know is that this virus came from China, and it’s definitely not the first virus. The only ones to blame is the Chinese government for letting their lower class consume exotic Animals/Creatures. It’s not racism, it’s facts!

  2. Shelly Hem Reply

    Who ever refers to this covid-19 virus as a Chinese virus should be shamed…I loved the reading until I got to that part…is that the mayor or the writer who refers to this as the Chinese virus…you are a direct reason hate is being fueled in America…

  3. Andrea Reply

    I didn’t know we had a tax payer funded gym. Thanks for the info.

  4. DSM Reply

    Where’s this gym? I’m going to need a good workout when this epidemic that originated in China hopefully comes to an end.

  5. Shelly Hem Reply

    Your reference to Covid 19 as the Chinese virus is offensive and fuels hate that is harming communities…. In these times you should encourage unity… not help the display divide….and to talk shit about your elected mayor after your statements is pitiful…..

    • MtnHOMEneighborhoodwatch Reply

      You stupid C U Next Tuesday, It originated in China, They are not saying all chinese people have or caused wuhan bizzle virus. Now go lick some more boots! Better yet GTFO Idaho commie piece of filth!

    • Melanie Reply

      Ummm it originated in CHINA, just like EBOLA is named from a river in Africa, and MERS= middle eastern respiratory syndrome. So its not racist you moronic liberal, its the truth…smh

    • Pamela Rand Reply

      How does accusing people of fueling “hate” encourage unity.
      “and to talk shit about your elected mayor… is pitiful…..” Wowza, such a lovely display of unifying language. So much self-awareness and personal insight. Do you always “encourage unity” by blasting people that they, “talk shit”, “fuel hate”, and are “pitiful”??
      I bet you only poo rainbows and ride a unicorn, am I right?
      (Actually, you overlook your own irony… but keep spewing venom to “encourage unity”.)

    • Scott Reply

      Get over yourself and stop being overly sensitive. If you are one of those people trying to make people feel guilty for calling it what it is, please stop. You are a hypocrite and look like an idiot. I know damn well that when you ordered takeout, you were going to get “Chinese food” or if you were going to Fiesta Guadalajara, you were going to get “Mexican” food. It originated in China, therefore it is deemed the “Chinese” virus. STFU already.

  6. Sean Reply

    All these ELECTED officials should be held accountable for breaking their oaths of office to the state constitution and the US constitution. This CHINESE virus doesn’t give them the excuse to trample on our right , until we are tired of whining about it and actually DO something about it they’re not going to change.

  7. Kevin Rushton Reply

    I think it’s absolutely appropriate to call it the Chinese virus to remind people not just where it originated but the fact the Chinese Communists were not honest and tried to cover it’s potential harm to World. For the sole purpose to try and slow down damage to their economy regardless of the human cost. Just prior to the lockdown in California I was visiting there and got a tour of a friends business in Chinatown who escaped communist China as a teen ager. The virus was just starting to make more headlines and wasn’t really on my mind but he warned me at dinner that the Chinese government was lying about it. And now they have serious blood on their hands which should warn us that it was always a bad idea to make them such an important and vital part of our supply chain.

  8. Rose Hare Reply

    believe the exercise thing is for city employees only and it’s a small area,the cops and others can use to stay fit for their jobs.

  9. J.M.Green Reply

    Seems to me he has social distanced himself pretty well….. looks like an empty gym to me…..seems like it would still be open to officers needing to stay in shape and fit for duty……I am just as frustrated with the lack of willingness by anyone who feels they don’t have to do their part to stop the spread….. when more people are congregating inside stores (not shopping, but visiting and having full on conversations) in the middle of aisles while I’m trying to purchase essentials yes I am gonna be upset…..even more if I contract the virus because others think that they don’t have to listen to and follow the guidance of HEALTH PRFESSIONALS . The only pace I go where this is a problem is the store outside of that I am at home, on my own property, with only those that live there….. because I only do what I deem is essential……Essential to me means I need it to survive…..food, water, medication….. seems common sense enough to me

  10. A L Moseley Reply

    I listened to the whole video. I did not glean what you did. I encourage everyone to listen for themselves and decide. I do not want the Guard that someone suggested. I’m not for big government. But I am for reporting honestly and giving someone a fair shake. I didn’t even vote for him. But I’ve met him and pretty sure he is for Mountain Home. Even if I disagree with his decisions. I feel like this misrepresents him.

  11. Ryan Reply

    Not a fan if this article calling the virus a Chinese virus…. that’s like calling the HIV virus the gay virus.. which is simply not. But I agree that the mayor is acting a bit hasty.

    • Pamela Rand Reply

      Where was your outrage over the West Nile Virus? The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome? The German Measles? The Ebola Virus? Marburg Virus? La Crosse Encephalitis? Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Helloooo– no one could hear your “outrage” for any of those… which makes this suddenly-found, self-proclaimed “offense” look hypocritical.

    • Scott Reply

      Wow. Another one? Really? It originated in China, therefore Chinese virus. When you order takeout, you and everyone else orders “Chinese food ” because it originated in “China” same woth “Mexican” food. Get over yourself and stop being a hypocrite.

  12. Janice Reply

    I didn’t see the video but I do know we will all be victims of this virus if we don’t practice the social distancing no matter where it came from or what it is called. Yes, we have to get medicine and food and some essentials have to work. But for our own safety, if you must go out, wear a mask and gloves and don’t hang around in groups for a visit. Social distancing protocols are the way to fight this thing and till the find a cure or a vaccine, we are all in danger.

  13. Bruce Reply

    Your link takes me to a council meeting. Where is the link to his rant? I’m ready to sign the recall if I see the evidence this is true. I also want to push back against a city funded gym for the select few.

  14. Jake Reply

    The fact that you don’t even know what covid 19 stands for is scary.

  15. Scott Reply

    Get over yourself and stop being overly sensitive. If you are one of those people trying to make people feel guilty for calling it what it is, please stop. You are a hypocrite and look like an idiot. I know damn well that when you ordered takeout, you were going to get “Chinese food” or if you were going to Fiesta Guadalajara, you were going to get “Mexican” food. It originated in China, therefore it is deemed the “Chinese” virus. STFU already.

  16. ghost Reply

    How did you idiots get dragged down the “saying Chinese is racist” rabbit hole? This thread is supposed to be about a POS, do as I say not as I do, mayor.

    BTW, Chinese is a nationality, not a race.

  17. John Reply

    Wow… I live in Seattle Washington and your mayor is more out of control than ours, and that is saying something!!

    I would like to know how many Covid cases have been in your community? I am sure NO ONE has died from it.

    Rich Sykes has got to go for your communities own good.

  18. Allan Reply

    Why does this stupid communist still have his job? What is wrong with the people of Mountain Home? The people of that city need to show up to his house with pitchforks and torches! Throw the bum out!

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