Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and US interior secretary, dies at 74
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Apr 29
Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and US interior secretary, dies at 74
15 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Apr 29
Kempthorne died on Friday in Boise, with his family confirming his death but not specifying a cause.
He previously revealed undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer last year and was known for his tenure as Boise mayor, Idaho governor, and US senator.
Kempthorne was recognized for promoting parkland in Boise and was often criticized by environmentalists for his industry-friendly policies as interior secretary.
He died the day before his passion project, the USS Idaho, was commissioned. What was his story?
How did one man's policies shape the landscape of an entire state for decades?
Why did an Interior Secretary defy the White House to save the polar bear?
He called the Endangered Species Act broken. Is his critique still relevant today?
What made the politician who never lost an election a so-called 'political unicorn'?
What is the legacy of a 1995 law he wrote that still controls federal spending?