Senator Sheehy (R-MT) joined Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in introducing the Carbon Resource Innovation Act, a bipartisan bill designed to expand the 45Q carbon capture tax credit to include innovative technologies that capture carbon in solid or liquid forms. Supporters say the legislation will incentivize responsible forest management, reduce wildfire risk, and create economic opportunities Read More…
Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced that President Trump has signed H.R. 6938, the 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, which includes more than $8 million in federal funding for critical water infrastructure and law enforcement projects across Western Montana. “These projects come directly from county commissioners Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines called for increased public safety resources for Montana tribes and commended tribal efforts to protect youth and families during a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing featuring Harlem Councilwoman Joan Johnson. Daines emphasized the Trump administration’s support for Indian Country, including enhanced law enforcement presence and the opening of a new FBI Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has joined a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in support of the Trump Administration’s effort to revise a Biden-era federal rule that they argue unlawfully imposed a political agenda and threatened funding for state disability programs. In a letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Read More…
The upcoming session of the Montana Legislature will focus on tightening the state budget, and there will not be much money available for new initiatives, the incoming leaders of Republican legislative majority said Monday. Republicans elected Sen. Scott Sales of Bozeman to be Senate president for the session that begins in January. Sales, a former Read More…
With just a few days left before Election Day, the battle for a pivotal seat on the Montana Supreme Court is heating up. But much of the spending in the last week isn’t coming from the candidates themselves – it’s coming from outside groups. One of those groups is Montanans for Liberty and Justice. It’s backing Read More…
A Montana lawmaker sued Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl on Friday for saying the legislator faces penalties for revealing a confidential ethics complaint he filed against Gov. Steve Bullock, a lawsuit Motl said was timed to sway voters in a close governor’s race. The attorney for Rep. Brad Tschida, R-Missoula, says in the federal Read More…
It’s been more than 30 years since a Republican won election as Montana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. The party’s current nominee, Elsie Arntzen of Billings, is hoping her 23 years’ experience as a teacher and 12 years as a state legislator — and support for local control of schools — will change that. Read More…
In the battle for control of Montana’s next Legislature, the most important race may be the one for governor. Republicans have controlled the Legislature since 2007. In 2015, they had 59 representatives and 29 senators — making up slightly over half of each chamber. The outcome of the governor’s race will surely influence the Read More…
It appeared there would be no Democratic challenger to run against Montana Attorney General Tim Fox until the last day of candidate registration, when an eleventh-hour call from former Gov. Brian Schweitzer convinced a former state senator and Bozeman attorney to throw his hat in the ring. But now that he’s in, Larry Jent Read More…
Democratic incumbent Steve Bullock and Republican challenger Greg Gianforte aimed familiar barbs at each other during a televised debate October 8, 2015 from Great Falls. The just over 1 hour debate, sponsored by the MTN Television Network, featured criticisms Montanans have heard in television ads over the last several months. The verbal wrangling Read More…
When Steve Daines visited the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer in 2014 to meet with tribal leaders as a freshman member of Congress, he was greeted with a traditional honor dance and an energetic performance highlighting their other customs. But it was what came next that caught his attention. “‘You’re the first Republican Read More…
Groups trying to influence the outcome of a Montana Supreme Court race are on track to set a record for the most fundraising collected for a justice seat. Lee Newspapers of Montana reports that this year’s race between Dirk Sandefur and Kristen Juras, fundraising by political action committees has reached a reported total of Read More…
Montana’s freshman congressman hasn’t shied away from the national spotlight during his brief tenure in Washington, D.C. In the past year, Republican Ryan Zinke has weighed the possibilities of being both Speaker of the House and a running mate for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. Zinke said both positions are about leadership and Read More…
Attacks from the liberal, anonymous blog Montana Cowgirl are exempt from campaign laws requiring “attribution,” and therefore the blog doesn’t have to identify its author, the state’s top campaign-law enforcer said Friday. Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl said postings on the anonymous blog’s website are not “electioneering communication” and don’t have to be attributed. Read More…
At a small community hall in Seeley Lake Monday night, Libertarian candidate for the U.S. House Mike Fellows shared his views at a sparsely-attended candidates forum. Fellows wore a dark suit jacket over a light blue collared shirt, an American flag tie wrapped loosely around his neck. He moved about slowly and with help from a metal Read More…
Just hours after The Missoula City Council passed a new ordinance requiring background checks on gun sales, a Republican state lawmaker challenged it. House Speaker Austin Knudsen is asking State Attorney General Tim Fox to review the law. “This is a fairly blatant and flagrant violation of Montana law. Second amendment issues are Read More…
With the election just six weeks away, a Republican state senator is calling for an investigation into how Gov. Steve Bullock, who is running for re-election, disposed of emails when he left the attorney general’s office. The move echoes efforts by Republican candidate Greg Gianforte’s campaign to align Bullock in the eyes of Read More…
FAIRFAX, Va.—Today the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) announced its endorsement of Greg Gianforte for governor and Tim Fox for attorney general in Montana. “We are pleased to endorse two strong pro-Second Amendment candidates in Montana. Greg Gianforte and Tim Fox will fight to protect our Right to Keep and Bear Arms,” said Read More…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte is calling for Gov. Steve Bullock to fire his commerce director, over a tourism-promotion contract awarded to an out-of-state company. At a gubernatorial debate in Billings this week, Gianforte said the contract was awarded in a “rigged process” that caused job losses in the state, and was “given Read More…
Montana Congressional candidate, Michael C. Fellows, died in a head on collision Monday night in Potomac. Fellows was running as a Libertarian. A Montana Highway Patrol dispatcher told MTN News that Fellows, 59, was driving a Lexus passenger car west on Montana Highway 200 near Potomac when he crossed the center line just after 9 Read More…
Both major party candidates for governor of Montana making the rounds today to tout their jobs platforms. Governor Steve Bullock and republican candidate Greg Gianforte stopped by ABC Fox Montana’s Studio “K” to chat with us. Greg Gianforte: “This is the dream that many Montanans have. They want their kids back around the table on Read More…
Republican-leaning websites Friday posted stories questioning trips that Gov. Steve Bullock and administration officials have taken to Missoula and the Kentucky Derby. The governor’s office says the trips were, respectively, to conduct state business, and to fulfill Bullock’s role as head of the Democratic Governors’ Association. Newstalk KGVO’s assertion that Bullock also traveled to Puerto Read More…
By Mike Dennison – MTN News HELENA – The head of the state Republican Party Wednesday asked the Montana Supreme Court to remove the Libertarian secretary of state candidate from Montana’s November ballot, for not filing proper campaign forms. Jeff Essmann’s filing for “extraordinary relief” said Libertarian Roger Roots failed to file forms required of Read More…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte has poured another $640,000 of his own money into his campaign, upping his total personal contributions to $1.7 million – about half his overall campaign funds. But Gianforte wasn’t the only one who opened his checkbook in Montana’s gubernatorial race last month. Good Jobs Montana, an independent political action committee Read More…
HELENA — Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte has given another $660,000 to his campaign as he and incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock began flooding the airwaves with ads. The Bozeman technology entrepreneur has given his campaign more than $1.6 million total, and he pledged to match every contribution he receives. Including Gianforte’s contributions of $650,000 Read More…
Contemporary media parlor games revolve around fantasy sports and politics. Yet for politics, press interest in money raised and spent often seems more important than who will win and how policies might change. One corollary to the political-money obsession is the complaint that Federal Election Commission enforcement for alleged wrongdoers is too feeble. Critics say Read More…
HELENA — The ending fund balance for fiscal year 2016 was $255 million, or $99 million less than anticipated, according to an Aug. 25 memo prepared by the Legislative Fiscal Division, adding that figure was expected to dip down to $153 million by fiscal year 2017. “Actual revenues in FY 2016 were $142 million less Read More…
(MTN NEWS) Attorney General Tim Fox says a proposed change in Montana’s legal definition of rape will be a big step forward in helping the prosecution of sex crimes. “It’s something that we really needed,” he told MTN News on Tuesday – one day after a legislative panel endorsed a half-dozen proposals to update sex-assault Read More…
ARLEE — It’s not news that Indian Country isn’t naturally a “friend” of the Republican Party. However, Republican candidates are making attempts to “build relations” with tribal nations. According to Carroll College Political Science professor Jeremy Johnson, Native Americans make up 8 percent of Montana’s population. Johnson said, “If that was fully mobilized, it would Read More…
HELENA — Republican candidate for Montana governor Greg Gianforte is telling supporters that he will match all campaign contributions dollar for dollar, after already spending about $1 million in his effort to unseat Democratic incumbent Steve Bullock. Gianforte made his comments during a question-and-answer session in Huntley on July 21 that was recorded by a Read More…
Ads by the Steve Bullock for Governor Campaign continue tout Bullock’s ability to balance the state budget and claim the Governor has managed to leave the state with a $300 million rainy day fund, but the numbers can vary wildly depending on who is doing the counting. Republican State Senator Fred Thomas of Stevensville serves Read More…
A liberal environmental group based in Billings announced Monday that it was launching a $500,000 canvassing effort in Bozeman and two other cities to help re-elect Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. Reporter Mike Dennison quickly pointed out that the Montana Conservation Voters Action Fund would be using anonymous “dark money” to fund the door-to-door canvassing — Read More…
The legal tug-of-war over the fate of an anti-marijuana voter initiative has taken an interesting twist. At issue is whether Initiative 176 received the necessary signatures to qualify for a spot on Montana’s November ballot. During a meeting in Helena Wednesday, SafeMontana founder Steve Zabawa presented Secretary of State Linda McCulloch with more than 32-hundred signatures that he claims are valid but Read More…
Tighter rules will take effect at the end of the month for Montana’s medical marijuana industry. Judge James Reynolds of Helena on Wednesday denied a request to delay those rules until after the November election. The new restrictions limit each medical marijuana provider to three patients. State lawmakers approved the rules in 2011, but the Montana cannabis industry Read More…
BILLINGS – Backers of Initiative 176 – the anti-drug measure – said an audit has found enough valid signatures to put the issue to voters in November. Steve Zabawa, a Billings business owner who launched I-176, said in a press release issued Friday afternoon that an audit of 8.009 signatures rejected by county elections offices and the Read More…
Who’s watching the watcher? That’s the question a Helena attorney hopes to pose with a legal brief filed Wednesday against Montana’s chief political regulator, one that accuses Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl of unlawfully dismissing, and failing to publicly disclose, a formal ethics complaint filed against him in December. Motl — who serves as Read More…
The House Benghazi Committee chairman is in Montana this week stumping for Rep. Ryan Zinke’s re-election. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-South Carolina, is scheduled to appear with Montana’s Republican congressman at four fundraising events across the state beginning with an afternoon event in Kalispell on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for Zinke said he will talk about “national Read More…
BILLINGS — Gov. Steve Bullock’s campaign has reimbursed the state another $1,155 for extra costs incurred when pilots who flew him for state business had to wait to return while he conducted campaign activities. The Billings Gazette reports the reimbursements for costs added to nine flights in April, May and June were included in campaign Read More…
A Montana-based environmental group said Monday it will spend $500,000 to help re-elect Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and defeat his Republican rival, Greg Gianforte. The Montana Conservation Voters Action Fund, a political action committee, will use the money to fund a door-to-door canvassing effort to encourage people to sign up for absentee ballots, and to Read More…