South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has expressed strong support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the next U.S. Attorney General. “I served with, and was impressed by, Pam as Florida’s Attorney General,” Jackley said in a statement. “She is an experienced prosecutor who will strengthen the relationship Read More…
he Montana Department of Commerce announced today that 26 rural safety agencies will receive more than $1.4 million in grant funding to enhance emergency service capabilities in areas experiencing increased tourism. The funding, allocated through the Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Grant Program (METAP), aims to strengthen public safety across rural communities. “Emergency services are critical Read More…
In a bipartisan effort to safeguard and improve America’s public lands, Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Senator Angus King (I-Maine), joined by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), have introduced the “America the Beautiful Act.” This landmark legislation seeks to reauthorize and enhance the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), Read More…
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has begun accepting applications and nominations to fill a district court judge vacancy in the Seventh Judicial District, which serves Dawson, Prairie, McCone, Richland, and Wibaux Counties. The vacancy was officially announced on November 18, 2024, following a notification from the chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court. Qualified attorneys in Read More…
After months of publicly considering mounting a return to Congress, Rep. Darrell Issa appears to be on the verge of formally announcing his candidacy for East County’s 50th Congressional District seat. Issa has scheduled a press conference for Thursday morning at Centennial Plaza in El Cajon. In the news release he says several well known Read More…
Have you ever wondered who’s working hard inside the state capitol? I’m talking about the heavy hitters, those making decisions year-round. One of those people is Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle. VandeWalle is the longest-serving Supreme Court chief justice in the state’s history and the longest-serving of all the active justices in the United States. “I Read More…
Montana governor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Steve Bullock didn’t qualify for the debate stage in September, and he is polling near the bottom of the 20 remaining White House hopefuls. But at the American Federation of Teachers headquarters in Washington, D.C., Bullock said Thursday he can win back Trump voters from the American heartland while retaining support in traditional liberal strongholds. Read More…
At a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Greg Gianforte blasted committee Democrats for their focus on impeaching President Trump. He believes their priorities are misplaced. “The committee held its first hearing this week, and by all of observers, it was a circus,” said Gianforte. “There were clowns, tightrope walkers, firebreathers, and shell games. Read More…
A top official with the Federal Communications Commission says Montana needs to put $2 million back into the state’s 911 account. The funds in question were generated from 911 fees and placed into a state account that held $12 million in 2017. During that year’s regular legislative session, state lawmakers transferred $2 million out of the Read More…
During her campaign of running for Montana Attorney General, Kimberly Dudik paid a visit to Sidney where she met with the public for a meet and greet at Sunny’s Family Restaurant. Dudik has spent time in the legislature, as assistant Attorney General and as a nurse. “My career has always been about helping people,” Dudik said. One of the Read More…
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon contacted the Mexican government about the possibility of using the country’s ports to export the state’s coal to markets overseas, an official with the Mexican consulate’s office in Denver said Tuesday. At a forum hosted by the Wyoming Business Alliance in Casper, Consul General Berenice Rendón-Talavera told the audience that the Read More…
Take a seat, Nancy Pelosi — you’ve been replaced. For years, the California Democrat has been the cornerstone of Republican negative attack ads and campaign rhetoric against her party. But as Republicans work to keep control of key statehouses this fall ahead of the all-important redistricting process that comes with the 2020 census, state and local GOP politicians are building a robust Read More…
Jeff Bridges is urging people to donate to his “good buddy,” Steve Bullock, so the Montana governor can make it onto the next Democratic presidential debate stage. “I don’t care if you vote for somebody else,” the “Big Lebowski” actor said in a video posted on Twitter on Monday. “But it’s so important to have Steve Bullock’s Read More…
Andrew Yang’s surprising debate gambit — giving away $120,000 to 10 families over a year to highlight his universal basic income proposal — helped the outsider candidate raise $1 million in the 72 hours since the debate and collect more than 450,000 email addresses from people who entered the online raffle, the presidential campaign told Read More…
If it wasn’t clear before, it should be clear now: If you’re a candidate looking for financial support from the Wyoming Democratic Party, you better be sure you’re: A) a Democrat; and B) actually living in Wyoming. Last month, the party’s central committee unanimously passed a resolution declaring it would only offer resources of time, Read More…
Six weeks after entering Montana’s 2020 U.S. Senate race, outdoor writer Jack Ballard on Friday pulled out, citing health reasons. Ballard, 56, said in a statement that he’s been diagnosed with a heart condition that is not life-threatening but that must be “carefully monitored and makes it medically imprudent to continue the campaign.” He said Read More…
UPDATED- U.S Senator Steve Daines meet with Montana AARP members today in Bozeman about a new bill he is helping to put forth regarding the reduction of prescription drug pricing The average senior takes four prescription drugs and the average medicare user makes $26,000 a year. The price of prescription drugs went up 8% in Read More…
The former South Dakota lawmaker gunning for Theresa Stehly’s spot on the Sioux Falls City Council has some heavy-weight endorsements in his corner. Alex Jensen, the 32-year-old banker and former real estate broker who earlier this year filed his candidacy for the at-large seat that will be up for grabs next year, last week announced Read More…
BISMARCK — A federal judge blocked the state of North Dakota from enforcing a new law requiring physicians to inform patients that it may be possible to reverse a drug-induced abortion Tuesday, Sept. 10, ruling that it violates doctors’ First Amendment protections against “compelled speech.” U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland sided with the American Medical Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — U.S. Senator Steve Daines returned Monday after leaving for a trip to China on Saturday. Daines says he met with top Chinese officials and urged them to rebalance their trade relationship. Daines says for decades, China has practiced unfair trade policies and has stolen much of American’s intellectual property. He says his ideal Read More…
Former state Republican Party Chair Debra Lamm announced Monday that she’s running for Montana’s U.S. House seat in 2020, becoming the fifth Republican to vie for the open seat. Lamm said the upcoming election is a battle over a future “defined by socialism or American exceptionalism,” and that as a member of Congress she would Read More…
BISMARCK — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum named Jace Beehler as his new policy director Thursday, Aug. 29. Beehler will take over for Levi Bachmeier, who took a new job as business manager for West Fargo Public Schools. Beehler is currently a policy adviser for the Republican governor. READ FULL STORY
Longshot Tom Steyer doesn’t think his billionaire status should disqualify him from the Democratic presidential nomination, despite an increasing portion of his party shying away from corporate money. Instead, the business magnate told CNBC on Thursday, his experience in the private sector positions him to “expose” President Donald Trump “as the failure he’s been as Read More…
HELENA — Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan told a legislative committee this week that lawmakers should consider updating state lobbying rules to bring them “into the 21st century” by, for instance, requiring electronic filing for lobbying reports and clarifying whether regulations apply to “grassroots” lobbying like social media campaigns. “You will find Read More…
A group opposing corporate money in elections – but that spent significantly on Montana’s 2018 U.S. Senate race – on Thursday endorsed Democrat Kathleen Williams for the state’s sole congressional seat in 2020. End Citizens United, a political-action committee formed in 2015 to oppose “big money” in politics, said Williams is a supporter of campaign-finance Read More…
With the sunset of Whitefish’s tax-increment finance district less than a year away, the Whitefish City Council is contemplating priorities for the remaining TIF revenue and potential new tax districts within the resort city. A work session from 5:30 to 7 p.m. tonight at City Hall will include a review and discussion of tax increment Read More…
A new presidential poll conducted by Mammouth University shows Gov. Steve Bullock is still at less than 1% with Democratic voters — far behind Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders who are all in a virtual tie at the top of the poll. Bullock recently took part in a CNN Town Hall , again portraying himself as Read More…
BELLEVUE — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock brought his fledgling presidential campaign to the Puget Sound region Monday night, pitching himself as the only Democratic candidate who’s won a statewide campaign in a state won by President Donald Trump. Bullock, who’s made fighting the “toxic influence of money in politics” the cornerstone of his campaign, described Read More…
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Wednesday ruled out running for the Senate next year following news that Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) would retire. “Our thoughts are with Senator Isakson and his family. Leader Abrams’ focus will not change: she will lead voter protection efforts in key states across the country, and make sure Democrats are successful in Read More…
WASHINGTON – A Washington, D.C., physician alleged in divorce filings Tuesday that her husband, a national political consultant, left her after becoming romantically involved with U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a client of his fundraising business. In an interview, Omar denied that she is separated or dating outside her marriage. “I have no interest in really allowing Read More…
On Sunday, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock made his case for why he should be the Democratic nominee for president to a nationwide TV audience. He answered questions from Democratic primary voters at an hourlong town hall in New York City, hosted by CNN. Bullock is now the last state governor remaining in the 2020 Democratic Read More…
Rep. Liz Cheney called on President Trump to reject a peace deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan, arguing in an op-ed that it would be tantamount to losing the war to al Qaeda, the Taliban and the Islamic State. “We should not withdraw U.S. forces based on a political timetable that grants concessions to the Read More…
CHEYENNE – An effort to change the state’s trespass laws to punish violators even if they were unaware they were on private property failed to make it out of committee Thursday. The Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Interim Committee voted 8-6 against supporting the proposed legislation, which would have removed language that trespass laws only apply Read More…
For lawmakers and political candidates, 2019 could be the year of not giving a f— about cursing. Profanity — once considered a major no-no among those seeking public office — is no longer an earth-shattering political snafu. And according to new research, this year could be on track to see members of Congress swearing up a storm more than Read More…
With 21 major candidates in the race, the Democratic 2020 presidential field is set to be one of the largest, most competitive, and most unpredictable in modern history. To help make sense of where all these candidates stand, INSIDER has been conducting a recurring SurveyMonkey Audience national poll. You can download every poll here, down to Read More…
JAMESTOWN, N.D. — Gov. Doug Burgum’s third annual Summit on Innovative Education had a clear message this week: Behavior is a major issue in the state and old models of discipline aren’t working. “We have to unlearn the things from the past,” Burgum told The Forum. “The new approaches are more effective and cost less. Read More…
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and Sen. John Barasso met with local officials Thursday morning in Casper to discuss leveraging a federal tax incentive program designed to spur development in select zones in the area. The meeting served as a venue for leaders from Casper, Mills and Natrona County to pitch a variety of development projects Read More…
In a wealthy 2020 Democratic presidential field, Pete Buttigieg lags behind the pack. The South Bend, Indiana, mayor makes a comfortable living. He and his husband, Chasten, earned $152,643 last year, according to tax returns. Even so, Buttigieg made the least in 2018 out of the 13 Democratic presidential candidates who have released their tax Read More…
Just before the close of the 2019 legislative session in Cheyenne, Rep. Landon Brown — then a 32-year-old staffer in the state’s Department of Environmental Quality — was contemplating resignation. The Legislature was approaching concurrence on a bill to raise its $109 per diem rates for some lawmakers that, thanks to a late amendment Read More…
As Montana Gov. Steve Bullock stood on the debate stage last week and listened to his 2020 rivals bicker and criticize one another, visions of a second term for President Donald Trump kept flashing through his mind. “I saw his reelection becoming more likely with each passing minute,” Bullock said Wednesday at the National Press Read More…
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock delivered a stern warning Wednesday that his fellow Democratic presidential candidates are putting the party at risk of losing to President Donald Trump in 2020. “We are well on our way to losing this election long before it ever even has really started,” he said in a speech at the National Read More…
The day the Bidens took over Paradigm Global Advisors was a memorable one. In the late summer of 2006 Joe Biden’s son Hunter and Joe’s younger brother, James, purchased the firm. On their first day on the job, they showed up with Joe’s other son, Beau, and two large men and ordered the hedge fund’s Read More…
Gov. Mark Gordon announced Thursday that he would be ending a legal proceeding he initiated as state treasurer in 2016 over that office’s authority to approve contracts related to the state capitol building construction project. Gordon’s suit challenged the 2014 legislation that created the Capitol Building Rehabilitation and Restoration Oversight Group — the entity Read More…
More support is being thrown behind a plan to have the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auction off mid-band spectrum for 5G use rather than allow satellite operators to conduct a private sale of an asset they received for free. U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., sent a letter to President Donald Trump on July 19 Read More…