Frank VanderSloot

Frank VanderSloot
Born	Frank Leonard VanderSloot (1948-08-14) August 14, 1948 (age 76) Billings, Montana
Nationality	American
Education	Bachelor of Business Administration
Alma mater	Ricks College and Brigham Young University
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, investor, and CEO
Known for	former CEO of Melaleuca, Inc.
Board member of	United States Chamber of Commerce
Spouse(s)	Belinda VanderSloot (married 1995–present) Vivian VanderSloot (divorced) Kathleen VanderSloot (divorced)
Parent(s)	Peter Francis (Frank) VanderSloot Margaret May Christensen Sindberg-Woodley VanderSloot

Frank Leonard VanderSloot[1] (born August 14, 1948) is an American entrepreneur, radio network owner, rancher, and political campaign financier. He is the founder and former chief executive officer of Melaleuca, Inc.[2][3] His other business interests include the Riverbend Ranch[4][5] and Riverbend Communications.[6] VanderSloot also serves on the board of directors and executive board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.[7][8] In 2011,^[update] The Land Report listed him as the nation's 92nd largest landowner.[1] In 2017, Forbes listed VanderSloot as the richest person in Idaho and the 302nd wealthiest American with a net worth of $2.7 billion.[9][10]

VanderSloot served as a national finance co-chair for Mitt Romney's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012.[11][12][13] He contributed $1.1 million and helped to raise between $2 million and $5 million for Romney's 2012 campaign.[14][15] He is a significant financial contributor to Republican presidential candidates and Idaho political campaigns.[16] He has also paid for advertising in opposition to several Idaho Democratic political candidates. VanderSloot is the primary financier of the American Heritage Charter School in Idaho Falls.[17][18][19]

Early life and education

VanderSloot was born on August 14, 1948,[20][21] to Peter Francis (Frank) VanderSloot (1913–1982) and Margaret May Christensen Sindberg-Woodley VanderSloot (1915–2004).[22] The family lived in Sheridan, Wyoming, and Hardin, Montana, before moving in 1949 to Cocolalla, Idaho, where they lived on a ranch. The elder VanderSloot worked as a painter for the Northern Pacific Railway.[23][24][25]: 57  Frank VanderSloot graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1966.[26] At the age of 16, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and later studied at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he worked and lived as a cleaner at a laundromat.[27] After two semesters, he left school to serve a two-and-a-half-year LDS Mission in the Netherlands.[27][8][28] Following his mission, he earned an associate's degree in business at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. He then returned to Brigham Young University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in marketing in 1972.[25][29][27]

Career

ADP and Cox

After graduating from college, VanderSloot worked for 91⁄2 years at Automatic Data Processing in three cities. He first worked in sales and marketing before moving to general management and operations.[24][30] He left ADP to work as regional vice president at Cox Communications in Vancouver, Washington.[25]: 58 [31]

Oil of Melaleuca, Inc

In September 1985, VanderSloot's brother-in-law Roger Ball and Roger's brother Allen Ball offered VanderSloot the helm of Oil of Melaleuca, Inc., a startup multi-level marketing business based in Idaho Falls.[8][25]: 58 [32] VanderSloot said "the company was a mess" when he arrived. According to Dan Popkey, "A supposed 80 percent corner on the tea tree market turned out to be 5 percent. The FDA came knocking, because salespeople were exaggerating medical claims. A multilevel model that lured people to buy $5,000 in inventory offended VanderSloot's sense of fairness."[8] Oil of Melaleuca failed to achieve significant market share, and the partners shut down the company later in 1985.[8][25]: 58, 60  Half the legacy distributors from Oil of Melaleuca left after Melaleuca, Inc., was formed (below).[2]

Melaleuca, Inc

In 1985, VanderSloot founded the multi-level marketing company Melaleuca Inc,[33][34][35][36][37][38][39] which sells nutritional supplements, cleaning supplies, and personal-care products,[2][14][33][40][41][42] and he has been president and chief executive officer ever since. Melaleuca operates internationally, with U.S. operations centered in Idaho Falls, Idaho,[43][44] and Knoxville, Tennessee.[45] Customers buy directly from Melaleuca's website[46][47] or retail locations[48] and "independent marketing executives" receive commissions from Melaleuca for each purchase made by people they refer and by people their customers refer,[25]: 60  through seven "referral generations".[49] The company refers to this arrangement as "Consumer Direct Marketing", a term it has trademarked.[50][51][52][53]

According to a 2004 article by Phyllis Berman, Melaleuca's sales flattened in 1998, and VanderSloot "discovered that some senior directors were living off their residuals and doing little in the way of recruitment."[2] This resulted in "a new policy that reduced payments to those who didn't either bring in new converts or help others do so."[2] The company has large international operations, and 25 percent of its revenue comes from Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.[2] Melaleuca reported gross sales in excess of one billion dollars in 2011[54] and $1.13 billion in 2012.[55] In Idaho Falls, Melaleuca has a local workforce of about 2,000 employees.[25]: 60 [56]

VanderSloot says that the company has a "business model for those people who want to supplement their income."[3] However, according to the US Federal Trade Commission study on multi-level marketing companies, fewer than 0.29% of Melaleuca distributors make any profit and more than 99% of distributors lost money.[57] The FTC report goes on to note that the odds of winning from a single spin of the wheel in a game of roulette in Las Vegas are "22 times as great as the odds of profiting after enrolling as a Melaleuca distributor".

Melaleuca is a member of the United States Direct Selling Association,[58] a trade association that engages in public relations and political lobbying on behalf of the multi-level marketing industry. In 2008, VanderSloot began a three-year term as one of the eight members of the Direct Selling Association's board of directors.[59] In December 2009, VanderSloot and his wife contributed $10,000 to the Direct Selling Association's political action committee (PAC).[60]

Between 1991 and 1997, Melaleuca was investigated by Michigan regulators, the Idaho attorney general's office, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for various marketing violations. In 1991 Melaleuca received a cease-and-desist order for violating Michigan's anti–pyramid scheme laws.[61] In 1992, Melaleuca signed a consent decree with the states of Michigan and Idaho agreeing to "not engage in the marketing and promotion of an illegal pyramid."[11][14][40][62][63][64] In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent Melaleuca a warning letter for "false and misleading" claims about two of its supplements.[11][40][62][65][66] In a paper on multi-level marketing, the FTC notes that "Melaleuca fails to disclose that approximately 99% of all participants lose money and therefore get further behind financially because of their participation".[57] In June 2020, the FTC sent a warning letter to Melaleuca regarding false and deceptive earnings claims during the COVID-19 pandemic that were unsubstantiated and inconsistent with earlier FTC findings that less than 1% of Melaleuca distributors realize any profit with the vast majority losing money.[67][68][69]

Other businesses

Ranching

In 1993, VanderSloot founded Riverbend Ranch, one of the largest purebred ranches and largest commercial cattle operations in the United States.[4][1][70] The ranch received 21 awards at the Utah State Fair between 1995 and 1997.[71][72][73] The Ranch runs a genetics and breeding program[70] and hosted the world's largest Angus bull sale in March 2012.[4] According to Riverbend Ranch general manager David Brown, VanderSloot established its mission as "providing ranchers in the Intermountain West with the best genetics at an affordable price."[4] Riverbend Ranch has operations in three other states,[74] including Fort Ranch Quarter Horses, a horse ranch in Promontory, Utah.[75]

Natural Guardian Land Holdings

In 1994, VanderSloot created Natural Guardian Limited Partnership (doing business as Natural Guardian, LLC, as of 2011),[76] a holding company that owns or leases approximately 1,500 acres of land in Wolverine Canyon, Bingham County, Idaho.[77]

Broadcasting

VanderSloot owns Riverbend Communications, a group of radio stations in Eastern Idaho.[78][79] He purchased the company from Bonneville Communications in 2006.[80][81] Riverbend Communications operates KLCE Classy 97, KCVI Kbear 101, KTHK 105.5 The Hawk, KFTZ Z103, KEII News-Talk AM 690 – 1260, and KNBL AM 1260.[6]

Snake River Cheese factory

In 1994, VanderSloot was approached by two dairy farmers with a plea to invest in the Snake River Cheese factory in Blackfoot, Idaho, after Kraft Foods had announced a decision to close it.[82] Kraft had operated the plant since the early 1920s.[83] In response, VanderSloot bought a $1 million interest in the plant, and an investment company assumed control, but the operation closed anyway within six months. VanderSloot then paid off a $2 million debt the company owed to the dairymen, staffed the plant with his own personnel and supplemented the milking herd with two thousand head of cattle.[84][85] He promised that all five hundred people whose jobs depended on the plant would remain employed and leased the plant to Beatrice Cheese, a subsidiary of ConAgra.[86] In 1999, the facility netted $278 million in sales. The next year, VanderSloot sold his interest in the company to Suprema Specialties[84][87] after Beatrice broke its lease.[88][89] VanderSloot again promised that employees would keep their jobs.[90] In 2006, the factory, which by then had been renamed as the Blackfoot Cheese Company, was sold to Sartori Foods,[91] and in 2013, the plant was purchased from Sartori by Glanbia Foods, Inc.[92]

Paving and construction

VanderSloot was the owner of HighStone (formerly Eagle Rock Construction; RBH Gravel; VIP Construction), an Idaho Falls-based asphalt construction and maintenance company.[93] HighStone was the prime contractor on a $421,000 state government contract to repair a stretch of Idaho State Highway 33 in Idaho Falls,[94] and worked on a road project in Rexburg.[93] In September 2011, HighStone merged with DePatco, a family-owned heavy construction company in St. Anthony, Idaho. The merger created eastern Idaho's largest locally owned construction company.[93]

Net worth

VanderSloot does not publicly disclose his personal worth;[8]' however, in 2004, Forbes magazine estimated that Melaleuca was worth $1.4 billion and that VanderSloot's share of the company (55 percent of the voting stock and 44 percent of the nonvoting stock), was worth $700 million.[2][8] According to Dan Popkey of the Idaho Statesman, the company's value had grown to between $3.2 billion and $3.9 billion by 2011, and VanderSloot's net worth was estimated at more than $1 billion.[8] In^[update] 2012, the Land Report listed VanderSloot as the 92nd largest landowner in the United States.[95] In 2013, VanderSloot was listed by Business Insider as the wealthiest individual in the state of Idaho, with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion.[9] In 2017, VanderSloot was listed in the Forbes 400 as the 302nd wealthiest American with a net worth of $2.7 billion.[96]

Public activity

United States Chamber of Commerce

VanderSloot is on the board of directors and executive board of the United States Chamber of Commerce.[7][8]

Taxation Task Force

In 1993, VanderSloot served on the Taxation Task Force of the White House Conference on Small Business.[97][98]

Campaign financing

Mitt Romney for President

VanderSloot was one of 47 finance co-chairs for Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign and served under eight finance chairs.[99] He also served as a finance co-chair for Romney's 2012 presidential campaign.[11][12][100][101] In 2012, VanderSloot's companies contributed $1.1 million to the Restore Our Future political action committee, which was supporting Romney for President.[14] According to VanderSloot, he raised between $2 million and $5 million for the Romney campaign.[15]

On April 20, 2012, a website operated by Barack Obama's presidential campaign included VanderSloot on a list of eight major donors to Romney's campaign whom it described as having "questionable and troubling records on various issues." The site said VanderSloot was "litigious, combative, and a bitter foe of the gay rights movement."[102][103][104][105] VanderSloot made a series of television appearances, in some of which he called for donations to Romney in protest of the list.[15] VanderSloot accused the Obama campaign of targeting him unfairly and said that he went through "living hell" as a result. He told Fox News host Bill O'Reilly that Melaleuca had lost about two hundred customers in the first two weeks after the Obama website's reference to him;[103][106] Two days later, he told the Idaho Statesman that "unbelievable" and "unexpected" national support in the intervening period was turning out to be good for business.[107]

In July 2012, VanderSloot said he was the subject of two new federal audits, one by the Internal Revenue Service and the other by the U.S. Department of Labor.[103][108] VanderSloot had not been audited in the thirty-year period before the Obama campaign listing.[109] VanderSloot said that the timing of the audits was curious and questionable, claiming that he received notice of the IRS audit two months after he was "singled out by the Obama campaign." He noted that he did not think that the President was directly behind the audits.[103][110][111][112] Ultimately, the audits found no wrongdoing but VanderSloot paid $80,000 to defend himself during the audit process.[113][114]

A number of commentators expressed disapproval of the campaign's depiction of VanderSloot.[115][116][117][118][119][120][121][122][123] Three op-eds published by the Wall Street Journal criticized the campaign's treatment of VanderSloot and other top Romney donors.[108][124][125] The critiques, two of which were authored by Wall Street Journal contributor Kimberley Strassel, were disputed by television host Rachel Maddow,[126] Lewiston Morning Tribune editor Marty Trillhaase,[127] and David Shere of Media Matters for America[128] but were supported by the editorial page of National Review[129] and Henry Reske of Newsmax.[130] After the election, Mitt Romney described the Obama campaign's treatment of VanderSloot as "a very dangerous and troubling development".[131] Tom McClintock complained about VanderSloot's treatment in a speech on the floor of the United States House of Representatives in May 2013,[132] and Marco Rubio separately made a similar statement on the floor of the Senate.[133]

2016 Presidential Election

In June 2015, VanderSloot and his wife gave $50,000 to a political action committee (Conservative Solutions PAC) funding Florida senator Marco Rubio's campaign as the Republican Party nominee for the 2016 presidential election. VanderSloot also contributed $2,700, the maximum allowed by law, to the GOP presidential campaign of former technology executive Carly Fiorina.[134] In November 2015, VanderSloot announced that he supported Rubio for president and that he planned to host fundraisers and bundle contributions on Rubio's behalf.[135][136] In June 2016, VanderSloot said that he was ready to support Donald Trump as the "best bet" to defeat Hillary Clinton, and in September of that year Donald Trump Jr. made a private visit to VanderSloot at Melaleuca headquarters.[137] Following the presidential election in November 2016, VanderSloot announced on Twitter that Trump was not his first, second, or third choice as a candidate but that it was "time for all of us to come together and unite behind our new president."[138][137][139][140]

Idaho ballot measures

Vandersloot was the primary financial supporter of United Families Idaho Action Fund, a PAC that supported a successful anti-same-sex marriage constitutional amendment (House Joint Resolution 2) in Idaho 2006.[141] Melaleuca was the top contributor to the PAC fund, giving $6,827 while VanderSloot and his wife contributed an additional $2,000.[142] The amendment was struck down as unconstitutional in 2014.[143]

VanderSloot spent $1.3 million in 2012 to sponsor television commercials and other advertising in favor of Propositions 1, 2, and 3, ballot referendums supporting education changes introduced and championed by Idaho public school supervisor Tom Luna in 2011. The three-part educational package, consisting of an eight-year $180 million program limiting teachers' collective bargaining rights, requiring online classes and mandating laptops for ninth-graders, was approved by the Idaho Legislature and was backed by Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter. An initiative campaign placed the approval of the laws on the ballot, and they were defeated in a statewide vote.[144][145][146][147][148][149][150]

Idaho political and judicial campaigns

According to Dan Popkey of the Idaho Statesman and Roger Plothow and Marty Trillhaase of the Idaho Falls Post Register, VanderSloot supported Idaho Democrat Larry EchoHawk's 1994 gubernatorial campaign[8] and endorsed Democrat Jackie Groves Twilegar for Idaho state controller in 2006.[151][152] VanderSloot has been a major donor to Idaho Republicans,[151][152] according to Popkey, who described him as the state's "most boisterous conservative financier"[8] and by America Online's Eamon Murphy, who called him "perhaps the single most influential campaign donor"[11] in the state of Idaho.

VanderSloot spent more than $100,000 on independent advertising on three winning judicial campaigns, two for Idaho Supreme Court and one for district judge in Bonneville County.[8] VanderSloot and Melaleuca were financial supporters of the PAC Concerned Citizens for Family Values.[62][153][154][155] The PAC ran ads targeting incumbent Idaho Supreme Court Justice Cathy Silak during her 2000 re-election campaign against challenger Daniel T. Eismann.[154][155] The ads alleged that if Silak were re-elected, same-sex marriage and "partial-birth abortion" could have become legal in Idaho.[156][157]

In 2002, VanderSloot and Melaleuca contributed more than $50,000 opposing the election bid of Democrat Keith Roark, a former Blaine County prosecutor, for Idaho Attorney General. The contributions included a $35,000 donation to Roark's Republican opponent, Lawrence Wasden, and a $16,500 donation to Concerned Citizens for Family Values, an organization run by VanderSloot, to pay for attack ads against Roark in Eastern Idaho.[158] That year, VanderSloot and Melaleuca also donated $7,000 towards Republican Dirk Kempthorne's 2002 gubernatorial campaign .[159]

In 2006, VanderSloot and his wife, Belinda, donated nearly $16,000 through the PAC Citizens for Truth and Justice, and via direct payments for ads opposing the reelection of Idaho 7th District Court Judge James Herndon, a Democrat, in a three-way race against challengers Darren Simpson and DaLon Esplin.[160][161] Ads criticizing Herndon also aired on radio stations run by Riverbend Communications, owned by VanderSloot and his wife.[160]

In 2010, VanderSloot funded two PACs that launched last-minute ads against Idaho 2nd District Judge John Bradbury, a Democrat, during his electoral run for state Supreme Court against Republican incumbent Justice Roger Burdick.[162][163][164][165] VanderSloot donated $19,000 to the PAC Idaho Citizens for Justice[166] and financed the PAC Citizens for Commonsense Solutions.[167] Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa announced that the PACs were fined $1,900 collectively for failing to appoint a certified treasurer prior to accepting contributions from VanderSloot and for failing to disclose large expenditures for its ads before the election, as required by law.[163][164]

LGBT issues

In 1999, VanderSloot sponsored billboards around Idaho asking "Should public television promote the homosexual lifestyle to your children? Think about it!"[168] in reference to It's Elementary, a 1999 PBS documentary exploring how four schools dealt with homosexuality.[2] VanderSloot's wife Belinda donated $100,000 to the Proposition 8 initiative to rescind gay marriage in California,[11][62][169][170][171] and volunteers used Melaleuca's call center after hours to persuade California voters to support the measure.[172]

In 2006, VanderSloot took out two full-page advertisements in the Idaho Falls Post Register[173][174] criticizing a series of investigative articles[175][176] by journalist Peter Zuckerman in the Post Register concerning incidents of child molestation by a Boy Scout director in the Grand Teton Council.[177] The advertisements caused media controversy for allegedly outing Zuckerman,[8][107][168][178] drawing criticism from television political commentator Rachel Maddow,[179] Glenn Greenwald in Salon magazine,[62] the editorial page of the Boise Weekly,[180] Post Register editor Dean Miller,[178] and Zuckerman himself.[181]

The first advertisement stated that Zuckerman had "declared to the public that he is a homosexual" in an article for Point South, and that the local community and radio station had been "speculating" that Zuckerman's sexual orientation may have motivated him "to attack the scouts and the LDS Church" because of the Scouts' ban on gay scout leaders and the Church's opposition to gay marriage.[173][182] The advertisement stated that "it would be very unfair for anyone to conclude that is what is behind Zuckerman's motives"; an analysis by Glenn Greenwald in Salon asserted that "the ad absurdly sought to repudiate the very 'speculation' about Zuckerman which it had just amplified."[62] A second advertisement suggested that Zuckerman, as a "gay rights advocate" and "homosexual reporter," had "a personal ax to grind" because of the Scouts' ban on gay scout leaders.[174]

VanderSloot denied that he had outed Zuckerman, saying that he had attempted to defend Zuckerman's motives, and repeating that Zuckerman had previously publicly disclosed his sexual orientation, which was already being discussed in the local community.[171] Post Register editor Dean Miller stated that Zuckerman's sexual orientation had been known only by Zuckerman's family and a few of his close friends and colleagues,[178] and Zuckerman himself also disputed VanderSloot's contention that the advertisements did not constitute an outing.[168]

VanderSloot stated in 2012 that "gay people should have the same freedoms and rights as any other individual"[183] and in 2013 that he supports equal rights for gay people but believes that the definition of marriage is a union between a man and a woman.[184]

Legal action

On February 17, 2012, columnist Glenn Greenwald of Salon wrote that, over time, VanderSloot had threatened to bring what Greenwald termed "'patently frivolous' lawsuits against his political critics" and had made threats of "expensive defamation actions" against sources (including Forbes, Mother Jones magazine, and Salon) who had published critical views of his public statements regarding gay rights and Melaleuca's business practices; he had previously made similar demands of local political blogs in Idaho.[62][185] On her show of September 28, 2012, Rachel Maddow stated that VanderSloot and his attorneys requested that she remove from Web archives a show in which she reported and commented on his alleged outing of Zuckerman; she said that he also objected when she publicized that request on her show.[126]

In January 2013, VanderSloot filed a defamation lawsuit against Mother Jones magazine and two of its employees, seeking nearly $75,000 in damages, alleging that the magazine depicted him as a "gay-basher" in a February 2012 article titled "Pyramid-like Company Ponies Up $1 Million for Mitt Romney" and in two tweets promoting the article.[186][187][188] In October 2015, the court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants, finding that "all of the statements at issue are non-actionable truth or substantial truth",[189][190][191] although the judge also criticized the magazine's reporting in the article as "non-objective" and "biased."[192][193][194]

In May 2014, VanderSloot filed a defamation lawsuit against former Idaho Falls Post-Register reporter Peter Zuckerman, alleging that he had "knowingly and maliciously publishing false statements depicting VanderSloot in national media as a gay-basher."[195] The case settled in October 2015 after Zuckerman admitted in a sworn affidavit that statements he made about VanderSloot were untrue.[196][197][198]

Philanthropy

In 2003, VanderSloot founded the Melaleuca Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.[199] The Melaleuca Foundation has been a financial contributor to the Santa Lucia Children's Home (Hogar Santa Lucia), an orphanage in Quito, Ecuador.[200] In 2005, VanderSloot flew to Baton Rouge to deliver supplies to shelters after Hurricane Katrina and helped three displaced families with transportation issues.[201] In 2007, VanderSloot's company Melaleuca received the Salvation Army Others Award for helping with relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina.[202]

In February 2012, VanderSloot Farms purchased a property from the Idaho Falls School District 91 for $121,000.[17] VanderSloot financed renovations of a building on the site, the New Sweden School, which had been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and donated the entire parcel to the American Heritage Charter School.[203] Inaugurated in August 2013,[203] the charter school is modeled after the North Valley Academy in Gooding, Idaho, and bases its curriculum on the Core Knowledge Program established by E.D. Hirsch.[204][18]

Awards

In 1998, VanderSloot received the Idaho Business Leader of the Year award from Idaho State University.[205] In 2001, he was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the U.S. Northwestern region.[29][53][206] He was inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame in 2007[207][208] and received the Idaho Hometown Hero medal in 2011.[209][210] VanderSloot received the Horatio Alger Award and became a lifetime member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in 2015.[211][212] He was named fifth on the list of "100 Influential Idahoans of 2015" by the Ridenbaugh Press.[213] VanderSloot was presented the Patriot Award in 2015 by the Department of Defense's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) for his support of soldiers.[214][215]

Personal life

VanderSloot resides in Idaho Falls, Idaho, with his wife, Belinda VanderSloot (née Boyack),[216] whom he married in 1995.[29] Together they have fourteen children:[29] six from Frank VanderSloot's two prior marriages, and eight from Belinda VanderSloot's first marriage.[8] VanderSloot was previously married to Kathleen VanderSloot (née Zundel) and to Vivian VanderSloot, his second wife.[217]

References

1. "2011 Land Report 100: No. 81-89". The Land Report. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
2. Berman, Phyllis (October 11, 2004). "Forbes 400 – If You Believe". Forbes. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
3. Fried, John (October 15, 2004). "Inc.com Hall of Fame Profile: Frank L. Vandersloot". October 15, 2004
4. O'Connell, John (March 30, 2012). "Ranch maintains family's link to tradition". www.capitalpress.com. Idaho Falls: Capital Press. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
5. "Fort Ranch". Fort Ranch.
6. "Steve Poulson New GM for Riverbend in Idaho Falls." Archived November 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Radio Ink Magazine.
7. "U.S. Chamber Board of Directors". www.uschamber.com.
8. Popkey, Dan (October 12, 2011). "Starting with oil from Australian tea trees, Melaleuca's Frank VanderSloot built a far-reaching wellness product empire in Idaho Falls". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved September 12, 2012.^[dead link‍]
9. Willett, Megan (October 30, 2013). "Meet The Wealthiest Person In Every US State". Business Insider. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
10. "Frank VanderSloot profile". Forbes. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
11. Murphy, Eamon (February 24, 2012). "Mitt Romney's Money Man: Who Is Frank L. VanderSloot?". AOL DailyFinance. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
12. Confessore, Nicholas (January 31, 2012). "G.O.P. Donors Showing Thirst to Oust Obama in November". The New York Times. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
13. Strauss, Daniel (November 18, 2015). "Marco Rubio scores megadonor Frank VanderSloot". politico.com. Politico. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
14. Mencimer, Stephanie (February 6, 2012). "Pyramid-Like Company Ponies Up $1 Million for Mitt Romney". Mother Jones. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
15. Vogel, Kenneth P (May 31, 2012). "Mega-donors: Quit picking on us". Politico. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
16. Kruesi, Kimberlee. "Republican presidential candidates court Idaho's mega-donor". washingtontimes.com. The Washington Times. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
17. "Dave Plourd, "VanderSloot Farms Buys New Sweden School Property," LocalNews8, February 9, 2012". Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
18. "George Prentice, "VanderSloot-Funded Charter School Gets OK From State Commission," Boise Weekly, August 9, 2012". Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
19. Nate Sunderland, "Idaho Falls Charter School Backed by Melaleuca's VanderSloot Touts Patriotic, Business-Focused Learning," Idaho Statesman, August 20, 2013
20. Dun & Bradstreet (1998). Reference Book of Corporate Managements. Parsippany, NJ: Dun & Bradstreet. Accessed through Ancestry.com
21. "Frank Vandersloot". Biography and Genealogy Master Index. Gale, Cengage Learning. 1980–2013.
22. "Social Security Death Index about Margaret W. Vandersloot". Illinois: Social Security Administration. 2004. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
23. "Obituaries: Margaret Sindberg-Woodley VanderSloot". The Spokesman-Review. August 6, 2004. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
24. Carlson, Brad (June 5, 2006). "Melaleuca leader enjoys rural roots". Idaho Business Review. Retrieved October 1, 2012. Payment required. Reposted by Melaleuca News.[1]^[permanent dead link‍]
25. "Discussion with Frank VanderSloot, CEO Melaleuca, Inc. | idahofallsmagazine.com". www.idahofallsmagazine.com.
26. "U.S. School Yearbooks, Sandpoint High School". Ancestry.com. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2010.
27. Peterson-Withorn, Chase (October 21, 2017). "This Billionaire Pulled Himself Out Of Poverty By Living In A Laundromat And Teaching Dutch". Forbes. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
28. "Boise chamber to host Melaleuca CEO". Idaho Business Review. March 30, 2009.
29. Plaster, Billie Jean. "Frank L. VanderSloot" Sandpoint Magazine. Winter 2004.
30. Carlson, Brad. "Frank VanderSloot / Melaleuca CEO: Dark days proved worthwhile." Idaho Business Review. Boise. June 5, 2006. Copyright 2006, Gale Group Inc. Accessed through NewsLibrary.com. Payment required.
31. Menser, Paul (March 24, 1996). "TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF – BOOMING MELALEUCA GROWS OUT OF A SHADY PAST INTO A JOBS BONANZA". Idaho Falls Post Register. p. A1.
32. Rose, Peter (April 9, 1994). "Melaleuca expands into Canada". The Idaho Business Review. 13 (27): 10.
33. Mencimer, Stephanie (May–June 2012). "Get-Rich-Quick Profiteers Love Mitt Romney, and He Loves Them Back". Mother Jones. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
34. "Libertarians are not all on same page". The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA). Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
35. Schulzke, Eric (February 2012). "Nu Skin money heads up Romney super PAC disclosure". Deseret News. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
36. "5 Reasons the 'Geezer Empire' of Billionaire Republicans Are Showering Romney with Cash | Alternet". Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
37. MacGillis, Alec (April 8, 2014). "The Hounding of Brendan Eich Gives New Cover to Defenders of Dark Money". The New Republic.
38. "Get to Know Mitt Romney's Most Controversial Backer, Frank VanderSloot". BuzzFeed.
39. "CN&R • Opinions • from This Corner • Know him by his friends • May 3, 2012". May 2, 2012.
40. Dickinson, Tim (May 24, 2012). "Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
41. Lofton, Dewanna (January 9, 1999). "Retailers Offer Natural Products to Cater to Health-Conscious Generation". The Commercial Appeal. Melaleuca makes and sells a collection of environmentally sensitive products that include food items, drugs, bath and body products, skin care, pet care and cleaning products.
42. Marcum, Ed (August 27, 2009). "Idaho-based company Melaleuca to bring more jobs to Knox". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. Based in Idaho Falls, the company makes a range of about 350 household, nutritional, pharmaceutical and personal care products meant to be safer, more cost-effective and more environmentally friendly than products typically found in grocery stores. It sells these through direct marketing channels to its "marketing executives." The entrepreneurs sign up customers and receive bonuses on products those customers buy.
43. Smede, Steve (December 22, 2014). "Demystifying Melaleuca". Idaho Falls Magazine.
44. "Melaleuca building $50 million headquarters in Idaho Falls". Idaho Statesman. December 12, 2012.
45. "Get To Know Melaleuca". Melaleuca.
46. Cravens, Dan (September 6, 2015). "Melaleuca: Healthy products, healthy growth". Southeast Idaho Business Journal. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
47. Morrow, Sabine (January 27, 2000). "What's in Store". The Atlanta Journal -The Atlanta Constitution. pp. BE, 3.
48. Greenberg, Herb; Karina Frayter (January 9, 2013). "Why Spotting a Pyramid Scheme Isn't So Easy". CNBC. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
49. "Melaleuca: Enhancing People's Lives One Customer at a Time (cover story)". Caribbean Business. 34 (2). January 19, 2006.
50. Scoblete, Greg (August 22, 2005). "8x8 Retools Videophone Distribution Strategy". Reed Business Information. p. 6.
51. Trademark # 76532256, United States Patent Office (June 2, 2003). "CONSUMER DIRECT MARKETING" (Trademark). Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). Washington DC. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
52. "GROWING PAINS". The Knoxville News Sentinel. January 15, 2008. p. 15.
53. Ferrendelli, Betta (June 15, 2001). "ERNST & YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR: Melaleuca thrives on well-oiled direct-marketing plan". Puget Sound Business Journal. 22 (6): 30. Under VanderSloot's direction, the company has thrived with its Consumer Direct Marketing plan, which eliminates the middleman – no retailer, no distributor, no wholesale – reducing marketing and distribution costs. Products are shipped from Melaleuca directly to the end consumer.
54. McDougall, Logan."Melaleuca Surpasses $1 Billion in Sales for Year." Archived February 16, 2013, at archive.today KPVI Local News. December 20, 2011. Retrieved October 22, 2012
55. "Another Record Year in Sales for Melaleuca." East Idaho News. February 11, 2013. Accessed February 14, 2013
56. Sunderland, Nate (March 16, 2015). "Melaleuca Unveils Global Headquarters". East Idaho News. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
57. Taylor, Jon (2011). "The Case (for and) against Multi-level Marketing" (PDF). FTC.GOV.
58. "About Direct Selling". Direct Selling Association. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
59. "2008–2009 Officers, Board Members, Elected during DSA's Annual Meeting". Direct Selling Association. May 30, 2009. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
60. "Direct Selling Association PAC Contributors 2010". Open Secrets. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
61. Jeff, Ernsthausen (August 17, 2012). "Pyramid Insurance". Harper's Magazine.
62. Greenwald, Glenn (February 17, 2012). "Billionaire Romney donor uses threats to silence critics". Salon. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
63. Bill Moyers; Michael Winship (June 1, 2012). "On Democracy Pity the Poor Billionaires". Bill Moyers.com. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
64. "In the matter of Attorney General Larry Echohawk's investigation into the business practices of Melaleuca" (PDF). District Court 7th Judicial District. October 24, 1991. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
65. Hayes, Joseph E (July 3, 1997). "Warning Letter (No. 97-NSV-08) to Frank VanderSloot, CEO Melaleuca, Inc" (PDF). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
66. "Melaleuca Replenex halt cartilage degeneration claim draws FDA warning letter". The Tan Sheet. Article # 05050300012. 5 (30). July 28, 1997. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
67. Gressin, Seena (June 5, 2020). "FTC again warns multi-level marketers about unproven health and earnings claims". U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
68. "Warning Regarding Earnings Claims Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)" (PDF). U.S. Federal Trade Commission. June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
69. Voytko, Lisette (June 9, 2020). "FTC Warns 16 Multi-Level Marketing Companies About Coronavirus Fraud". Forbes. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
70. Malson, Maggie (February 7, 2006). "Dedicated to the Beef Industry – Riverbend Ranch". Cascade Horseman. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
71. "UTAH STATE FAIR SALUTES WINNERS". Deseret News. October 8, 1995. p. A18.
72. "From Horses to Horticulture – 1997 Fair Winners". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. B4.
73. "Cream of the Crop: This Year's Roundup of Utah State Fair Winners; More State Fair Winners". The Salt Lake Tribune. September 28, 1996. p. B5.
74. Iverson-Long, Brad (November 15, 2012). "Investment fund launches for ranches". Idaho Business Review. ...VanderSloot family, which owns Riverbend Ranch, which lists ranch property in Idaho Falls and three other states. Frank VanderSloot is also the CEO of Melaleuca, a mail order company with $1 billion in annual sales.
75. "FORT RANCH, PROMONTORY, UTAH". Fort Ranch. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
76. "Statement of Conversion – Natural Guardian Limited Partnership". Idaho Secretary of State. August 10, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
77. Hagadone, Zach (August 21, 2009). "Bingham County Judge Stalls Wind Project Idaho Business Review". Idaho Business Review. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
78. "Don Jarrett named program director for KTHK-FM". Idaho State Journal. Pocatello, ID. March 12, 2013.
79. Bowker Staff; CSA Journal Staff (2004). Bowker's News Media Directory. R.R. Bowker. pp. D–27. ISBN 9781600301001. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
80. "Industry Briefs". Enterprise. January 2–8, 2006. Bonneville International, Salt Lake City, has negotiated an agreement with Frank L. VanderSloot of Idaho Fails wherein Bonneville agrees to negotiate exclusively with VanderSloot for the potential sale of its Eastern Idaho Radio Group. The group now consists of six radio stations with a mix of AM and FM frequencies.
81. "Deals". Broadcasting & Cable: 26. February 20, 2006.
82. O'CONNELL, John (August 28, 2012). "Obama campaign 'enemy' a friend to dairy, farmer says". Capital Press. FIRTH, Idaho.
83. "New Jersey company buys Snake River Cheese". Associated Press Newswires. Associated Press. November 30, 2000.
84. Manning, Josh (December 4, 2000). "New Jersey Firm Buys Blackfoot, Idaho, Cheese Factory". Post Register. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
85. O'Connell, John. "Controversial donor praised by dairymen." Archived January 19, 2013, at archive.today Capital Press. August 30, 2012
86. "Wisconsin company and Snake River Cheese complete negotiations". Associated Press Newswires. August 29, 1999.
87. "SUPREMA SPECIALTIES INC, Form 10-Q, Quarterly Report, Filing Date Feb 13, 2001". secdatabase.com. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
88. "Beatrice will remain at cheese plant until year's end". Associated Press Newswires. August 8, 2000.
89. "Blackfoot, Idaho, Cheese Plant to Stop Production of Health Choice Line". Knight Ridder Tribune Business News. World Reporter. September 16, 2000.
90. Manning, Josh (November 30, 2000). "New Jerseys Suprema Specialties Buys Idahos Snake River Cheese". Idaho. McClatchy-Tribune Business News. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
91. Draper, Nick (July 15, 2006). "Cheese changing hands Sartori Foods completes deal to purchase Blackfoot firm". Post Register. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
92. "Glanbia Buys Blackfoot Cheese Plant". Times-News. March 19, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
93. Edlefsen, Joyce (September 9, 2011). "VanderSloot-owned company merges with DePatco". Rexburg Standard Journal. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
94. King, Bruce (October 14, 2011). "Crack sealing is under way on Idaho 33 east of Newdale" (Press release). Idaho Transportation Department. Retrieved August 22, 2013. Highstone Inc., of Idaho Falls, is the prime contractor on this $421,000 contract.
95. "2012 Land Report 100". The Land Report. April 10, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
96. "Forbes names VanderSloot one of the richest 400 people in America". East Idaho News. October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
97. "Idaho Falls business leader selected for White House Conference on Small Business Taxation Task Force". Business Wire. December 6, 1993.
98. U.S. Small Business Administration (August 1, 2000). Building the Foundation for a New Century: Final Report on Implementation of the Recommendations of the 1995 White House Conference on Small Business. U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 0-16-050463-5. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
99. Madden, Kevin. "GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY ANNOUNCES NATIONAL FINANCE CHAIRS AND CO-CHAIRS". Boston. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
100. "Governor Mitt Romney Announces National Finance Chairs And Co-Chairs" (Press release). August 6, 2007. Archived from the original on August 1, 2007.
101. Mason, Melanie (August 29, 2012). "Money is on the unofficial agenda at the Republican National Convention". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
102. "Behind the curtain: A brief history of Romney's donors". Obama for America. April 20, 2012. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
103. TODD DVORAK (July 25, 2012). "Vandersloot subject of IRS, Labor Dept. audits". Idaho Press. Associated Press.
104. Weber, Joseph (July 25, 2012). "Romney donor bashed by Obama campaign now target of two federal audits". Fox News. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
105. Seabrook, Andrea (June 20, 2012). "Big Political Donors Shy Away From Public Scrutiny". NPR. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
106. Schouten, Fredreka (June 20, 2012). "Democrats, GOP debate political non-profits' donors". USA Today. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
107. Cockerham, Sean (May 18, 2012). "Idaho businessman VanderSloot says Obama is smearing him". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
108. Strassel, Kimberly (July 20, 2012). "Obama's Enemies List – Part II". The Wall Street Journal. p. A9.
109. Noonan, Peggy (May 18, 2013). "Declarations: This Is No Ordinary Scandal". Wall Street Journal. p. A15. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
110. Prentice, George (July 26, 2012). "Vandersloot Says Being on 'Enemies List' Triggered Audits". Boise Weekly. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
111. Smith, Lenny (July 24, 2012). "VanderSloot to be audited by two federal agencies". KIFI-TV. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
112. "Assem Mrque and Diaa Hadid, "VanderSloot Subject of IRS, Labor Dept. Audits," Associated Press at KOMOnews.com, July 25, 2012". Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
113. Strassel, Kimberly (May 20, 2013). "The IRS Scandal Started at the Top". Wall Street Journal.
114. Bill O'Reilly, Frank L. VanderSloot (May 24, 2013). "Special Edition: Scandals". The O'Reilly Factor. Fox News. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
115. Newby, Joe (May 13, 2012). "Romney donor alleges Team Obama targeting his children, hurting business". Spokane Examiner.
116. "OTHER NEWSPAPERS' VIEWS VanderSloot audit timing is suspicious – It could be coincidence, but it could also be Obama engaging in Chicago-style bullying". Idaho Press-Tribune. July 31, 2012.
117. Curtis, Steve (May 17, 2012). "Wealthy Idaho Romney donor says he's being smeared by Obama campaign". Standard-Examiner. IDAHO FALLS, Idaho.
118. "Businesses, employees must stand up to Big Government to save country". Idaho Press-Tribune. July 23, 2012.
119. Editorial (July 26, 2012). "Is Vandersloot being targeted?". Idaho State Journal.
120. "THE PRESIDENT'S ENEMY PAYS A PRICE". U-T San Diego. July 26, 2012.
121. Ben Shapiro (January 8, 2013). Bullies: How the Left's Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences Americans. Threshold Editions. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-4767-1001-3. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
122. ALLEN-MILLS, TONY (May 20, 2013). "Obama left floundering as scandals knock wind out of his second-term sails". THE SUNDAY TIMES. Washington.
123. Spalding, Matthew (May 19, 2013). "Patriotic Americans should redouble their efforts". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Co. p. G04.
124. "The President's Hit List". The Wall Street Journal. May 11, 2012. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
125. Strassel, Kimberley A. (May 10, 2012). "Trolling for Dirt on the President's List". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
126. "Wealthy Romney fundraiser apologizes for gay reporter's 'personal pain'". The Rachel Maddow Show. September 28, 2012. NBC News. Transcript. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
127. Trillhaase, Marty (August 1, 2012). "Picking On Idaho's defenseless millionaire" (PDF). Lewiston Morning Tribune. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
128. Shere, David (May 14, 2012). "Fox, WSJ Pass Off Top Romney Campaign Official As A "Private Citizen"". Media Matters for America.
129. "The Week". National Review. June 11, 2012.
130. Reske, Henry (April 27, 2012). "Dirty, Dirty, Dirty – Obama Campaign Tries to Intimidate Romney Donors". itmakessenseblog.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
131. "CAVUTO for June 7, 2013". Fox Business. June 7, 2013. Archived from the original on July 2, 2013. CAVUTO: I mean, we talked to Frank VanderSloot, of course, a major donor to your campaign. He was subjected to no fewer than three agency audits. He was vindicated on each and all, but he had to pay $80,000, $85,000, I think he was telling me when he was here, in various attorney and accountant fees just to protect his good name. ROMNEY: Well, this is a very dangerous and troubling development
132. McClintock, Tom (May 16, 2013). "House Proceedings". Congressional Record. 159 (69).
133. Rubio, Marco (May 15, 2013). "Senate Proceedings". Congressional Record. 159 (68).
134. Russell, Betsy Z (November 18, 2015). "VanderSloot endorses Marco Rubio, will raise $$ for his campaign". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
135. Voorhees, Josh (November 18, 2015). "Marco Rubio Just Won the Backing of Another GOP Megadonor". Slate Magazine. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
136. Sullivan, Sean. "Rubio lands billionaire GOP donor Frank VanderSloot" (November 18, 2015). The Washington Post. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
137. "Trump Jr. visits Idaho Falls for private meeting at Melaleuca – East Idaho News". East Idaho News. September 21, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
138. "Big Donors Wary, But Some Ready To Back Donald Trump Candidacy". NDTV.com. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
139. "Frank L VanderSloot on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
140. "Furious GOP donors stew over Trump". POLITICO. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
141. Russell, Betsy Z. (March 19, 2013). "Bill challenges Idaho tribal casinos". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
142. "The Money Behind the 2006 Marriage Amendments". OpenSecrets.
143. Pearce, Matt; La Ganga, Maria L. (May 13, 2014). "Idaho same-sex marriage ban struck down by federal judge". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
144. "VanderSloot, unions up ante in ed overhaul fight The Associated Press". The Olympian. Associated Press. October 31, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.^[permanent dead link‍]
145. Sirota, David (November 13, 2012). "Phony school "reform" agenda takes a beating". Retrieved November 13, 2012.
146. [2] "StateImpact," a reporting project of local public media and National Public Radio
147. Popkey, Dan (October 31, 2012). "Backing Luna's Idaho education reforms, VanderSloot counters union money". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
148. Davlin, Melissa (November 1, 2012). "Donors Give Big Money to Props 1, 2, 3". Times-News. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
149. "Jason Tomassini, "Idaho Voters Repeal Online Learning, Performance-Pay Measures," Education Week, November 7, 2012". Archived from the original on April 26, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
150. Miller, John (November 7, 2012). "Idaho voters rebuke Luna, Otter in dumping ed laws". KBOI-TV. Associated Press. Retrieved November 10, 2012.^[dead link‍]
151. Roger Plothow; Marty Trillhaase (October 6, 2006). "Stallings goes too far". Post Register. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
152. Popkey, Dan (October 6, 2006). "Twilegar is the best, but that may not be enough". Idaho Statesman. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
153. "IRS Form 8872: Political Organization Report of Contributions and Expenditures" (PDF). U.S.Internal Revenue Service. August 24, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
154. Trillhaase, Marty (May 27, 2010). "VanderSloot won Supreme Court race". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
155. Fisher, Jim (January 3, 2006). "If you buy radio stations, who needs attack ads?". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
156. Cheek, Kyle; Champagne, Anthony (2005). Judicial Politics in Texas: Partisanship, Money, and Politics in State Courts. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing. p. 143. ISBN 9780820467672. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
157. Mayer, Martin (2006). The Judges: A Penetrating Exploration of American Courts and of the New Decisions—Hard Decisions—They Must Make for a New Millennium. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. p. 229. ISBN 9780312289751.
158. "Lewiston Morning Tribune - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
159. "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
160. Davidson, Phil (May 24, 2006). "Herndon, Simpson in lead for runoff Unofficial results show Esplin trailing in three-way race for 7th District judge". Post Register. Retrieved September 27, 2012. The race to fill 7th District Judge James Herndon's seat appeared to be headed into a runoff...challenger Darren Simpson and…DaLon Esplin… Though the campaigning among the candidates was cordial, Herndon was attacked on May 7, when a newly formed political action committee, Citizens for Truth and Justice, ran an 'Anybody but Herndon' ad in the Post Register...Melaleuca Inc. Chief Executive Officer Frank VanderSloot, Watkins' boss, contributed $5,000 to the group...Ads criticizing Herndon have also aired on radio stations run by Riverbend Communications, a company VanderSloot owns with his wife, Belinda(subscription required)
161. Taule, Corey (March 31, 2007). "Simpson asked to step down from case – A former Melaleuca employee believes he won't get a fair trial in front of the judge". Post Register. Retrieved September 27, 2012. Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot publicly and financially supported Simpson's successful effort to knock off sitting Judge James Herndon last year...VanderSloot and his wife, Belinda, through donations to an anti-Herndon group called Citizens for Justice and through direct payments for advertising, spent nearly $16,000 to help Simpson win office(subscription required)
162. Clark, Corbin (May 25, 2010). "Attack ads have local link". Post Register. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
163. "Groups must pay $1,900 fines for illegal campaigns". KTVB-TV. June 3, 2010. Archived from the original on June 7, 2010. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
164. Russell, Betsy Z (June 4, 2010). "Groups fined over ads against judge". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
165. "Ads attacking judicial candidate violated state disclosure law, official says". Idaho Statesman. May 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
166. "Idaho Citizens for Justice: Campaign Financial Disclosure Report" (PDF). The Spokesman Review. May 24, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
167. "Citizens for Commonsense Solutions: Campaign Financial Disclosure Report" (PDF). The Spokesman Review. May 24, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
168. "Wealthy Romney fundraiser apologizes for gay reporter's 'personal pain'". The Rachel Maddow Show. May 5, 2012. Archived from the original on May 7, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
169. Ring, Trudy (March 10, 2012). "HRC to Romney: Ditch Anti-LGBT Finance Chair". Advocate.com. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
170. "Proposition 8: Who gave in the gay marriage battle?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
171. "Marissa Bodnar, "VanderSloot Responds to Allegations of Threatening Media," KIFI Local News 8, posted February 21, 2012; updated March 1, 2012, screen 1". Archived from the original on May 21, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
172. Ring, Ray (October 22, 2008). "Prophets and Politics". Boise Weekly. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
173. VanderSloot, Frank. "Responsible Journalism or Misleading Propaganda?" (PDF). The Community Page. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
174. Melaleuca, Inc. "Post Register Attacks the Scouts Again" (PDF). The Community Page. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
175. Zuckerman, Peter. "Scout's Honor". Post Register. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
176. "Exposé: America's Investigative Reports – In a Small Town". PBS. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
177. Zuckerman, Peter (July 3, 2005). "More Pedophile Cases Emerge With Scout Camp Connections". Post Register. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
178. Miller, Dean. "A Local Newspaper Endures a Stormy Backlash". Nieman Reports. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
179. "Rachel Maddow slams Romney campaign chairman for outing gay reporter". LGBT weekly. May 7, 2012. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
180. "Best Multiple Personalities 2012: Frank VanderSloot". Boise Weekly. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
181. Zuckerman, Peter (May 14, 2012). "VanderSloot Saga continues". Peter Zuckerman's Blog. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
182. "HRC Calls on Romney Campaign to Fire Virulently Anti-Gay National Finance Chair". Human Rights Campaign. March 8, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
183. "Marissa Bodnar, "VanderSloot Responds to Allegations of Threatening Media," KIFI Local News 8, posted February 21, 2012; updated March 1, 2012, screen 2". Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
184. Kyle, Zach (January 31, 2013). "Magazine says it stands by its coverage of Idaho's VanderSloot, who is suing for defamation". Post Register. Archived from the original on April 26, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
185. Frates, Chris (February 27, 2012). "Will Romney's Finance Co-Chair Become a Liability". National Journal. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
186. Voorhees, Josh (January 31, 2013). "Former Romney Co-Chair Is Suing Mother Jones, but Not For The Reason You Might Guess". Slate. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
187. "Frank VanderSloot: Mother Jones Wrongly Depicted Me As Romney's 'Gay-Bashing Buddy'". Huffington Post. January 31, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
188. "Frank VanderSloot sues Mother Jones magazine, says story wrongly depicted him as a 'gay-basher'". Fox News. January 31, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
189. "Judge dismisses businessman's lawsuit against Mother Jones | KSL.com". Retrieved August 21, 2016.
190. Hagadone, Zach (October 7, 2015). "Mother Jones Prevails in Defamation Suit Filed by Idaho Billionaire Frank VanderSloot". Boise Weekly. Boise, Idaho. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
191. Bauerlein, Monika; Jeffery, Clara (October 8, 2015). "We were sued by a billionaire political donor. Here's what happened". Mother Jones. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
192. "VanderSloot Vindicated in Mother Jones lawsuit – East Idaho News". October 7, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
193. Wire Reports, Journal staff (October 8, 2015). "VanderSloot starts fund to defend conservatives against defamation". Idaho State Journal. Idaho State Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
194. "Judge tosses VanderSloot suit against Mother Jones". October 7, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
195. Sunderland, Nate (May 13, 2014). "VanderSloot sues former reporter for defamation". Idaho Falls Post Register. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
196. "Businessman settles defamation suit with former reporter". The Big Story.
197. "VanderSloot drops lawsuit after reporter admits false statements – East Idaho News". East Idaho News. October 20, 2015.
198. "VanderSloot prevails in defamation settlement | Post Register". www.postregister.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
199. "Articles of Incorporation (Non-profit)". State of Idaho. December 26, 2003. p. 1. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
200. "A Special Cause: The Santa Lucia Children's Home". Melaleuca. Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
201. Evans, Matthew. "Supplies headed south; New Orleans family finds refuge in Idaho Falls as eastern Idaho sends help to the Gulf Coast region"^[permanent dead link‍] The Post Register. Idaho Falls. September 7, 2005. Retrieved November 1, 2012 via Lexis Nexis.
202. "Salvation Army 'The Others Award' Recipients, Melaleuca". Melaleuca.
203. "Ceremony Caps Renovation of New Sweden School". East Idaho News. August 30, 2013.
204. ""Public School in Rural Idaho Touts Patriotic Focus," Associated Press at Fox News, June 1, 2012".
205. Newbold, Cassey (January 21, 2009). "Premier Technology's Sayer named Idaho Business Leader of the Year". ISU Headlines. Idaho State University. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
206. "VanderSloot named entrepreneur of the year". Idaho Falls Post Register. June 16, 2001.
207. "Two Southeast Idahoans Inducted into Idaho's Hall of Fame; Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot and Idaho National Labs Director John Grossenbacher Receive Recognition". Business Wire. October 12, 2007.
208. "Melaleuca; Two Southeast Idahoans Inducted into Idaho's Hall of Fame". Pharma Investments, Ventures & Law Weekly (2125). November 4, 2007.
209. "Frank VanderSloot Idaho Hometown Hero Medalist 2011". Idaho Hometown Heroes. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
210. "Crapo to Receive 'Hometown Hero' Medal; Note Teen Dating Violence Efforts" (Press release). August 23, 2011.
211. "Idaho businessman Vandersloot receives Horatio Alger award" Idaho Statesman. December 7, 2014
212. "Frank VanderSloot receives Horatio Alger award." Archived December 13, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Business Journal from the Idaho State Journal. December 7, 2014
213. Moseley, Kate (January 9, 2015). "Nampa mayor, Superintendent Ybarra named among most influential". Idaho Press-Tribune. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
214. "Frank VanderSloot and Paul Conley Honored by Department of Defense for Patriotic Support". ESGR. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
215. "LOCAL SOLDIER HONORS MELALEUCA CEO DURING EMOTIONAL CEREMONY". East Idaho News. June 2, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
216. "Brian VanderSloot Obituary". Post Register. November 6, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
217. O'Donnell, Michael H. "Tragedy draws family together". Idaho State Journal. Retrieved September 23, 2012.