Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is spearheading a coalition of 28 states in urging the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to protect American firearm manufacturers from liability claims brought by the Mexican government. In a brief filed Tuesday, the coalition challenges a lower court ruling that Mexico alleges could hold U.S. gun manufacturers Read More…
Tracy Stone-Manning, a senior official in President Joe Biden’s administration who spearheaded its aggressive climate agenda, has been named the next president of The Wilderness Society, a prominent environmental organization based in Washington, D.C. Stone-Manning’s appointment will take effect in February, the group announced Tuesday. Stone-Manning’s tenure as Director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines criticized the Biden administration’s recent decision to prohibit new coal leasing in Montana’s Powder River Basin, following the publication of the Miles City Resource Management Plan (RMP) Record of Decision. The move effectively designates 1,745,040 acres of federally managed land in the Miles City Field Office area as unavailable for coal Read More…
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte yesterday afternoon visited the new Helena Food Share facility to support the organizations’ food drive ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. “We have so much to be grateful for as Montanans,” Gov. Gianforte said. “This Thanksgiving week, I encourage Montanans to give what they can, including the gift of their Read More…
Scheduled for a mail-in ballot this March, the $4.6 million levy, if sanctioned, will finance the acquisition of new equipment and the recruitment of additional personnel for Kalispell’s police and fire departments. After experiencing a rise in call volumes and delayed response times over the years, Kalispell city officials are initiating an educational campaign ahead Read More…
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today launched a property tax task force to provide recommendations to reform the property tax system and reduce the burden on property taxpayers. “Property taxes are too high. Our $1,350 property tax rebate helped Montana homeowners last year and will help them again this year,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We, Read More…
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen testified Wednesday at a U.S. House of Representatives impeachment hearing against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. During the House Committee on Homeland Security hearing, entitled “Havoc in the Heartland: How Secretary Mayorkas’ Failed Leadership Has Impacted the States,” Attorney General Knudsen outlined how Mayorkas’ refusal to Read More…
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference slamming the Biden administration for the wide-open southern border that is being exploited by potential terrorists. READ MORE
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is set to testify as a witness in the impeachment proceedings against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Homeland Security will conduct a hearing on Wednesday, January 10, titled “Havoc in the Heartland: Assessing the Impact of Secretary Mayorkas’ Failed Leadership on Read More…
In a significant development ahead of the 2024 elections, Montana is witnessing a redrawing of precinct lines for legislative races for the first time in a decade. This adjustment is a consequence of substantial changes in House and Senate district boundaries, prompting counties to meticulously redraw precincts. Connor Fitzpatrick, the elections supervisor for Lewis and Read More…
Montana’s Attorney General, Austin Knudsen, declared his candidacy for re-election in November, emphasizing his commitment to combating drugs and crime, challenging the perceived detrimental effects of the Biden administration’s agenda on Montanans, and safeguarding the freedoms and liberties of the state’s residents. As the leader of the Montana Department of Justice, overseeing agencies such as Read More…
The implementation of a Montana state law scheduled to ban the TikTok app on January 1 has been temporarily halted by a federal judge pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging the law. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has filed notice of an appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, contesting the preliminary Read More…
Efforts to convene a special session of the Montana Legislature aimed at addressing tax-related concerns have fallen short. On Friday evening, the Montana Secretary of State’s Office disclosed the outcomes of a legislative poll. Of the total votes cast, 55 were in favor of scheduling a special session on January 15, falling short of the Read More…
In a press release, the MCV Action fund, an independent Political Action Committee aligned with the liberal environmental activist group Montana Conservation Voters, proclaimed its formal endorsement of Democrat Ryan Busse in his gubernatorial bid for Montana. Democrat political staffer Jill Lombardi, the chair of the MCV PAC board, praised Busse, saying, “Ryan Busse has Read More…
A group of people came together outside the Cascade County Courthouse Annex in Great Falls on Monday, December 11, 2023, to protest a proposal to remove election duties from the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office. “It’s our right as citizens to elect the person that takes care of our elections,” said Lisa Bennett. “If that goes Read More…
National Democrat aligned groups are actively working towards placing a state constitutional amendment on abortion on Montana’s ballot next year. The move is aimed at bolstering the re-election prospects of Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who is identified as one of the most vulnerable Senate incumbents in the upcoming 2024 elections. READ THE FULL STORY: https://politics406.com/montana-abortion-ballot-measure-aims-to-boost-tester/
Helena – A judge heard testimony in a case aiming to resolve an ambiguity regarding the interaction between the governor’s authority to veto a bill and the Legislature’s power to overturn that veto. Attorneys presented oral arguments in a lawsuit concerning Gov. Greg Gianforte’s veto of Senate Bill 442. District Judge Mike Menahan, a former Read More…
A coalition of individuals, organizations, and businesses has strongly contested a Montana law that places restrictions on drag performances and prohibits drag reading events at public schools and libraries. In a recent legal development, this group has urged a federal judge to promptly declare the law unconstitutional without resorting to a trial. In the filed Read More…
HELENA — A judge in Helena has dismissed the lawsuit brought by state Rep. Zooey Zephyr challenging the constitutionality of disciplinary actions taken by legislative Republicans against her during the recent session. District Court Judge Mike Menahan deemed the lawsuit moot, stating that Zephyr’s disciplinary measures ceased with the conclusion of the session. In April, Read More…
This week, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen formally responded to a complaint alleging professional misconduct, characterizing it as “highly irregular” and defending his actions in the dispute between the Montana Legislature and the state Supreme Court. In a 50-page response submitted on Monday to the state Commission on Practice by lawyers representing Knudsen, both private Read More…
Cory Swanson, the Broadwater County Attorney and Army veteran, officially declared his candidacy for the Montana Supreme Court this week, initiating a competition with former magistrate judge and liberal trial lawyer Jerry Lynch for the position of chief justice. In a campaign announcement on the Montana Talks radio show, Swanson emphasized the importance of fairness Read More…
HELENA — Montana legislators are poised to make a pivotal decision regarding the convening of a special session early next year to address tax-related matters, notably the resolution of a property tax dispute by the state Supreme Court. The Montana Freedom Caucus, comprising fervently conservative Republican lawmakers, formally requested a special session on January 15, Read More…
Montana saw more than $160 million in spending during the 2020 U.S. Senate race, and with more than a year to go until the 2024 Senate election, it appears the state is again on track for a race with huge amounts of money raised. The campaigns of U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and Republican candidate Tim Sheehy Read More…
A new story from NBC news outlines how Senator Jon Tester’s public image as an ethics crusader doesn’t align with the reality of his 16 years in office. From NBC: “Despite his push for lobbying reform, Tester over the years has ranked among the Senate’s top recipients of campaign cash from lobbyists, according to OpenSecrets, Read More…
A new report from CNN has found that Senator Jon Tester failed to follow through on the ethics pledge he made the center of his 2006 campaign against incumbent Conrad Burns. From the CNN report: “I’ll end secret meetings with lobbyists. At the end of every business day, I will post a list of every Read More…
As of now, the top three candidates for Billings City Council Ward 3 are: Danny Choriki with 1,091 votes (26.83%) Charles W. Loveridge with 1,294 votes (31.82%) Bill Kennedy with 1,331 votes (32.73%) The top two candidates will progress to the general election on November 7th. Current voter numbers are as follows: -Registered Voters – Total 14,180 Read More…
The TEACH Act, or Tomorrow’s Educators Are Coming Home Act, was signed into law in 2021 by Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte. Today, backers say it’s making a dent in the teacher shortage by providing incentives and loosening licensing requirements. On Tuesday, Gianforte visited Lockwood High School to meet two new teachers, who were hired through the TEACH Act. Read More…
A new state law that bans the social media app TikTok from operating in Montana is set to take effect Jan. 1 – but before that, a federal judge will have to consider whether to put the law on hold. On Friday, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office filed their response to a federal lawsuit Read More…
Montana State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen announced Monday she is running for U.S. House. According to Arntzen’s Twitter account, she’ll be running for Montana’s second Congressional district on the condition that Rep. Matt Rosendale seeks the U.S. Senate nomination. In a statement, Arntzen said if Rosendale seeks reelection to the House, the exploratory committee will cease operations and return Read More…
Flathead County District Court Judge Dan Wilson is centering his newly launched campaign for the Montana Supreme Court on his experience, what he describes as a common sense approach to applying the law and by highlighting the importance of an independent judiciary. Wilson, 59, began last week the process of filing to run for retiring Read More…
House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, R-Billings, received a suspicious letter similar to the other three letters that were received by legislators over the weekend, according to a Senate GOP communications spokesperson Kyle Schmauch. The is the fourth letter received by a Montana legislator. Officials say when it was delivered, the letter was kept unopened and Read More…
Don “K” Kaltschmidt, an automobile dealer and prominent Republican figure in the Flathead Valley, has been reelected to a third term as chair of the Montana GOP. The Montana Republican Party voted to retain Kaltschmidt at its Officers’ Convention, while State Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway was also chosen for a third term as vice chair. Under Read More…
MontPIRG, a liberal nonprofit organization is facing a significant financial setback. According to a report from the Daily Montanan, the organization is expected to lose approximately $50,000 in student fees in the coming year. MontPIRG has a long-standing presence on state college campuses in Montana, operating for nearly four decades. While University of Montana students Read More…
Tanner J. Smith, a Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives representing District 11 in Flathead County, has recently announced his plans to run for governor in the 2024 election. In a news release, Smith outlined his campaign’s focus, which centers around revitalizing Montana’s economy, protecting natural resources, and ensuring a prosperous future for Read More…
Montana Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen has followed through on his threat to sue the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), a nonprofit organization of state prosecutors. Knudsen filed a lawsuit in Montana District Court, alleging that NAAG’s handling of public funds violates the Constitution of the State of Montana. He is calling for an Read More…
Montana’s Legislature has overridden the governor on one piece of vetoed legislation, showing that lawmakers have at least some degree of appetite for pushing back against a slew of such actions that took place after they adjourned last month. According to results released Friday evening by the Secretary of State’s office, House Bill 693 will become law Read More…
Montana’s Democratic U.S. senator stood in favor of the debt deal, which was successfully passed late Thursday. Conversely, all of the Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation voted against the bill aimed at increasing the federal government’s borrowing limit for the next two years. The House saw a mixed bipartisan response, with a total of Read More…
Helena – Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced his participation, along with 17 other state attorneys general, in a lawsuit against the Biden administration. The lawsuit challenges the administration’s efforts to redefine certain illegal border crossings as “lawful pathways” into the country. Attorney General Knudsen believes that this proposed border policy will worsen the ongoing crises Read More…
Efforts to pass privacy legislation at the state level are intensifying as progress on the issue remains stagnant at the federal level. Montana recently became the latest state to enact its own privacy law, with Governor Greg Gianforte signing SB 384 into law on May 19. Advocates claim that Montana’s privacy law is one of Read More…
The state of Montana is facing a setback in its attempt to enforce a newly created ban an abortion procedure used in the state after 15 weeks’ gestational age. District Court Judge Mike Menahan issued an order preventing the ban from taking effect, stating that Planned Parenthood of Montana has demonstrated “immediate and irreparable harm” Read More…
The expiration of Title 42, a COVID-era policy used to expel migrants, on Thursday has sparked concerns about the growing wave of migrants at the southern border. U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Steve Daines (R-MT) have both addressed the situation and raised alarms regarding the security at the border. The issue has drawn national Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced an advisory council to assist in reviewing qualified candidates to fill the district court judge vacancy in the Thirteenth Judicial District (Yellowstone County). “I look forward to hearing the recommendations of these qualified professionals, community members, and leaders as they help me identify the best candidates to serve as their new Read More…
The recent revelations that Montana Senator Jon Tester has allowed industry lobbyists to craft legislation that benefits them contradict his campaign promise not to depend on lobbyists to make decisions. Emails obtained by Politico show that hemp industry lobbyists proposed and created a bill introduced by Tester in March to change regulations that benefit industrial Read More…
Laurel voters approved a $57 million elementary school bond aimed at replacing aging schools but failed a $31 million high school that sought to expand athletics and career technical education. The elementary school bond was winning with almost 55 percent of the vote Tuesday night, with a tally of 1,731 for and 1,429 against. READ Read More…