Featured Articles in Politics

Supreme Court Clears Path for Judicial Elections Measure

In a 5–2 decision, the Montana Supreme Court has approved the ballot statement for Constitutional Initiative 132 (CI-132), paving the way for signature gathering to begin on a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine nonpartisan judicial elections. The ruling allows supporters to begin petition drives immediately, with the goal of putting the measure before voters Read More…

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USDA SECRETARY SONNY PERDUE IN MISSOULA TO SIGN STEWARDSHIP MEMO

The United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue was at the Forest Service Smokejumper Center on Friday to sign a stewardship memorandum that contained a blueprint to modernize the U.S. Forest Service. Perdue outlines aspects of the agreement officially signed on Friday. “It increases productivity,” said Secretary Perdue. “These are renewable resources. We are Read More…

Senate committee authorizes subpoenas in GOP investigation into origins of Mueller probe

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday to authorize 53 subpoenas in connection with an investigation into the origins of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. The afternoon vote along party lines grants the committee chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the authority to issue the subpoenas, Read More…

Minneapolis City Council members intend to defund and dismantle the city’s police department

Minneapolis (CNN)Nine members of the Minneapolis City Council on Sunday announced they intend to defund and dismantle the city’s police department following the police killing of George Floyd. “We committed to dismantling policing as we know it in the city of Minneapolis and to rebuild with our community a new model of public safety that actually Read More…

Nancy Pelosi backs Rep. Engel after AOC endorses Democratic challenger

Illustrating the divide in the Democratic Party, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed 16-term incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Bronx) after progressive darling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threw her weight behind his challenger, Jamaal Bowman. “I firmly support Eliot Engel for Congress and I support Alexandria for Congress as well,” Pelosi told reporters Thursday. “I think the people of Read More…

Montana barrels toward blockbuster Senate fight

Montana is heading for a high-stakes battle between popular two-term Gov. Steve Bullock (D) and first-term Sen. Steve Daines (R) that could help determine control of the upper chamber. Though Montana has traditionally voted Republican in presidential elections — handing President Trump a 20-point victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016 — it has split its votes for statewide offices, including electing Democratic Sen. Jon Read More…

Maxine Waters blames Trump for ‘cops killing black people’ and says cop who knelt on George Floyd ‘enjoyed doing it’

Waters, a Democrat from California who frequently launches wild attacks at Trump, told TMZ she thinks the Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed with his neck on Floyd’s knee, “enjoyed doing it.” Trump on Wednesday called the death “very sad and tragic”. Video from Monday night shows Chauvin holding Floyd, a 46-year-old who was suspected of using a forged check at a deli, down Read More…

Graham urges senior judges to step aside so Trump, GOP can replace them

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is publicly urging judges in their mid- to late 60s to consider stepping aside ahead of Election Day to help ensure that their seats could be filled by Republicans. Asked during an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt if he knew if any judges would take “senior status,” a semi-retirement status that Read More…

Bullock outraises Daines in Montana Senate race

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) outraised Sen. Steve Daines (R) in the state’s high-profile Senate race as Democrats hope to score an upset. Bullock raised about $2.4 million in the first half of the second quarter and has about $4.1 million in the bank, according to his campaign’s latest filing with the Federal Election Commission. Daines raised $1.3 million and has a war Read More…

Wyoming Legislature Passes Bills To Spend $1.25 Billion To Help Businesses, Renters

Three pieces of legislation providing relief from coronavirus impacts for businesses and renters in Wyoming were approved by the Legislature during its two-day special session. During the session, which ended Saturday, legislators approved bills authorizing Gov. Mark Gordon to spend $1.25 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds and specifying how some of the money will Read More…

Gianforte blasts new COVID-19 relief bill, calls it ‘careless’

Montana GOP Rep. Greg Gianforte voted against the $3 trillion COVID-19 package passed Friday by the House, saying it was “careless” and a liberal wish-list. The Associated Press reported that the 208-199 vote, with all but one Republican opposed, advances a campaign-season display of Democratic economic and health-care priorities. The bill, which would cost more than the four previous Read More…

Donors can now give $620,600 to Biden and DNC, expanding Democratic big-money fundraising

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will ask donors to give as much as $620,600 to support his White House bid and down-ballot candidates, dramatically expanding his fundraising capability to compete with President Trump’s big-money machine.   The Biden Victory Fund, a committee that raises money with the Democratic National Committee, on Saturday filed an agreement that Read More…

Val Demings’ stock rises on VP shortlist

Joe Biden’s shortlist for vice president is deep in Democratic talent, filled with governors, senators and former rivals for the presidential nomination. But one of the least-known among them is attracting an increasing amount of attention from Biden advisers, donors and Democrats in Congress — Val Demings. The presumptive nominee himself acknowledged her appeal after Read More…

As deadline approaches, Montana provides guidance on ballot initiatives amid pandemic

The coronavirus has altered yet another thing — ballot initiatives.   Montana’s secretary of state has determined that MTCARES, the group behind a ballot initiative that would require 80% of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2034, can mail in non-notarized signatures to qualify for the November ballot.   The decision came shortly after a Montana Read More…

Michigan Cancels Legislative Session to Avoid Armed Protesters

(Bloomberg) — Michigan closed down its capitol in Lansing on Thursday and canceled its legislative session rather than face the possibility of an armed protest and death threats against Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The gathering, meant to advocate opening the state for business despite the coronavirus pandemic, followed one April 30 that resulted in pictures Read More…

Supreme Court justices warn that Electoral College cases could lead to ‘chaos’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday wrestled with a dispute over whether Electoral College voters have a constitutional right to diverge from their state’s popular vote in two cases that could have implications for November’s presidential election. The arguments featured hypotheticals about what would happen if electors were to take a bribe, get hacked by a Read More…

NRA Endorses Steve Daines

BOZEMAN- The National Rifle Association announced their endorsement of Senator Steve Daines in Montana’s U.S. Senate race. The NRA awarded the Senator a grade of an “A+” for his support of the Second Amendment. READ FULL STORY

Bozeman city commission voices support for $500 billion in federal aid for local governments

The Bozeman City Commission is advocating for Congress to give money to city governments across the U.S. to help with financial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. All five members of the commission signed a letter to Montana’s congressional delegation asking for support for legislation that includes $500 billion for local governments as lawmakers consider Read More…

The money is on Trump

Even after the White House’s delayed response to the coronavirus outbreak, unprecedented job losses and a bruising recession, investors and betting markets are still putting their money on President Trump to win re-election. The big picture: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden holds a sizable lead in most national and individual swing state polls — but money managers Read More…