Media Source: The Idaho Sheriff

Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare has his hands in everything from the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee to Bob Norris the Sheriff, to the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Lodge #43 of the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police.

Bruce Mattare came from Washington D.C. and his wife Carla Mattare’s father is a Bolivian General. It’s uncertain whether Carla’s family ties to Bolivia are germane to the conversation about Bruce Mattare’s past, his connections, and his history, but it is something to note.

When Robert “Bob” Norris first ran for Kootenai County Sheriff in 2019, Bruce Mattare was Bob’s campaign manager. On November 18, 2023, the Coeur d’Alene Press ran an article titled, “Sheriff’s office relies on hundreds of special deputies.” The article states that, “Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare is among the sheriff’s special deputies. He is the only elected official with special deputy status, Norris said.” In this same article Norris also discloses that when he ran for office in 2020, Mattare was his campaign manager. Norris then swore Mattare in as a special deputy adviser after taking office in early 2021.

Norris said that Mattare advises him on a case-by-case basis about “anything to do with messaging,” including some news releases. Mattare said his role involves “just trying to get it right when it came to the community” and that he has not been paid for his services.

In this same CDA Press article Mattare goes on to describe his role as a special deputy adviser to Bob Norris.

Again, in this same CDA Press article, Mattare says that, “There’s nothing “top secret” about his special deputy role, but he’s not at liberty to discuss the details.” Norris also disclosed that special deputies sign a nondisclosure agreement. And finally, Mattare said he believes this status as a special deputy to the sheriff does not create any conflict of interest.

We know that Bob Norris and Bruce Mattare are heavily tied in together and Bruce, being a county commissioner, votes and decides on how taxpayer dollars are allotted to the sheriff’s office budget.

Bruce Mattare visited an event on February 9, 2024, where Dan Wilson, running for Kootenai County Sheriff, was asked to speak at the North Idaho Pachyderm Club. When Wilson finished his presentation, he opened it up for a question-and-answer session. County Commissioner Bruce Mattare had come prepared with a 2012 police incident report from Spokane County. Mattare blindsided Wilson with his question, “Have you ever lied to police?” This seemed to be a strange question coming from what was presumed to be a group of conservative, Republican residents there to learn about a new sheriff candidate. Instead, County Commissioner Bruce Mattare, who is a special deputy advisor to Sheriff Bob Norris, and handles Norris’ public relations, came in as opposition, with a 12-year-old police incident report (that was the result of a neighborhood dispute) with intentions to use it to entrap and discredit Wilson.

Dan Wilson later found through a records request to Spokane County that his ex-wife had pulled the 2012 incident report using the specific incident number which she would not have known or had access to. This means that she received the incident number via an outside source, performed the records request in her name, and it was delivered to her on January 4, 2024. This was the same incident report that Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare brought with him to the North Idaho Pachyderm Club event on February 9, 2024.

The concern for all residents of Kootenai County should be that both Sheriff Robert “Bob” Norris and his special deputy County Commissioner Bruce Mattare, used their access to information to target their political opponent. This is an example of a politician (Bruce Mattare) who should not have the power that he currently has.

What we’ve learned about Bruce Mattare:

• Former campaign manager for Sheriff Robert “Bob” Norris
• A politician
• Currently elected Kootenai County Commissioner
• Has a special deputization issued by Sheriff Bob Norris
• Has been actively involved in using his position and access to information to go against the political opposition of Sheriff Bob Norris

Bruce Mattare is seen below moderating and hosting the question and answer session of Bob Norris’ March 2024 “Show Your Proof” challenge in which the Norris campaign put on an event to force Dan Wilson into displaying “proof” of the questions he had been raising to Kootenai County citizens regarding Sheriff Bob Norris’ and Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare’s unethical behaviors. Wilson chose not to attend the event.

Wilson’s ex-wife was present at the “Show Your Proof” event co-hosted by Norris and Mattare and is seen in the below photo taken at The Altar Church. Lisa Lynne Wilson was removed from the family home in November of 2017 with an order of protection placed on her by Washington courts for a year. She lost custody of her then minor children also in November of 2017 and was only granted non-supervised residential time in 2019 after court orderd reunification therapy.

Bruce Mattare has his hands in the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Employee Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and the Kootenai County Deputy Sheriff Association political action committee which funded the 2019 Bob Norris Kootenai County Sheriff campaign and continue to fund Norris’ re-election campaign in 2024.

In 2020 when Bruce Mattare was working as Bob Norris’ campaign manager, Bruce was involved closely with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association which had morphed with the Fraternal Order of Police to become a political organization. The newly reformatted KCSEA, Lodge #43 aligned with a new political action committee naming itself the Kootenai County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the same name as the old Deputies association. To learn more about the formation and re-formation of this political activity group and political action committee, read the article, “The Great Betrayal: Norris, Mattare and KCSEA-FOP”.

It’s important to note that these political action committees can collect unlimited dollar amounts to promote a political candidate, however, it is against Idaho state campaign laws for the PAC to collaborate in any way with the candidate or candidate’s campaign.

In 2020, as Bob Norris’ campaign manager, Bruce Mattare should have had nothing to do with the KCSEA-Lodge #43 or the KCDSA political action committee. Any collaboration with these PAC’s is a violation of the State of Idaho Sunshine Act.

Surprise, Surprise, in 2020 Bruce Mattare colludes with the KCDSA on a Bob Norris campaign advertisement that ran in the Coeur d’Alene Press on Sunday, October 4, 2020. As shown in the information received from CDA Press on January 7, 2022, the final approval from the ad came via email from Bruce Mattare.

Dan Wilson, who is currently running for Kootenai County Sheriff, asks the question, “If there is no collaboration between Bob Norris, the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the North Idaho Republicans, and the KCRCC, all that triangulation that’s going on, then why is Bruce Mattare’s wife Carla Mattare who is currently the Secretary of the KCRCC also running the page (or was until she got caught) ran the Facebook page for the Deputy Sheriff’s Employee Association?” A more extensive look at Kootenai County being played by both Bruce Mattare and Bob Norris, can be found in our article here.

There are more unanswered than answered questions when it comes to Bruce Mattare, his questionable business history in the private sector and just how it is that he came into the political scene in Kootenai County. What is the true reason for the obvious alliance between Mattare and Norris? What is their agenda for the political landscape in Kootenai County? They have broken laws to go after their political opponents, proving they will do what’s necessary to stay in power.

The General Election is on November 5, 2024.

For more information on voter registration in Kootenai County, Idaho or to register to vote visit https://www.kcgov.us/329/Registration-Voting.

Dan Wilson for Kootenai County Sheriff 2024
285 W Prairie Shopping Ctr, #530
Hayden, ID 83835
info@theidahosheriff.com

Paid for by Dan Wilson for Kootenai County Sheriff, Luann Hopkins treasurer. © 2023 Dan Wilson for Kootenai County Sheriff. All rights reserved.