Featured Articles in Politics

Federal Judge Blocks Use of Washington Medicaid Data for Immigration Enforcement

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using Medicaid data obtained from Washington and 19 other states for immigration enforcement purposes. The order also bars the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from sharing such data with DHS. The injunction comes after Washington and Read More…

Montana GOP Executive Director Tyler Newcombe Steps Down; Party Names New Communications Director

Tyler Newcombe has stepped down as executive director of the Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) after serving in the role since January, the party announced this month. “It has been an incredible honor to work with such a dedicated team on advancing conservative values across Montana,” Newcombe said in a statement. “I’m proud of what we Read More…

Governor Little Signs Executive Order to Streamline State Government

Governor Brad Little signed Executive Order 2025-05, known as “The Idaho Act,” aimed at creating efficiencies in state government, reducing spending, and supporting public schools while implementing federal tax cuts for Idahoans. The order directs state executive branch agencies — excluding K-12 public schools — to identify opportunities for consolidation, revert unfilled positions, reduce contract Read More…

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Sen. Steve Daines: Trump is right to be tough on China, but we need results

Sen. Steve Daines of Montana said Wednesday he applauds President Trump’s tough stance on trade with China, since he saw firsthand how difficult it is to do business there. But his patience is finite, he warned Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. Mr. Daines, a Republican, said farmers and retailers back home are fretting over tit-for-tat tariffs with the Read More…

Daines addresses sexual harassment at national parks

WASHINGTON – There have been multiple reports of sexual harassment and hostile work environments at national parks, including Yellowstone National Park. Eight incidents occured from January 2016 to June 2017, according to the Office of Inspector General. Wednesday, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., addressed U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, saying if more is not Read More…

Gianforte introduces Savanna’s Act to address epidemic of MMIW

From Representative Gianforte’s Office WASHINGTON — Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) and a bipartisan group of legislators introduced Savanna’s Act, a bill to address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. Native American women face a murder rate 10 times higher than the national average, and 84 percent experience some form of violence in their Read More…

Barbara Barrett: Pilot, presidential adviser, ambassador. Now, she could lead the U.S. Air Force for Trump

Barbara Barrett, a former U.S. ambassador and one-time Arizona gubernatorial hopeful, is President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Air Force. Barrett is well-known among business-minded Republicans, the cohort who attend Chamber of Commerce luncheons. She and her husband, former Intel chairman and CEO Craig Barrett, regularly donate money to Republican candidates. They’ve also given millions Read More…

GIANFORTE URGES THE FCC TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST ‘MALICIOUS AND DECEPTIVE’ ROBOCALLS

Montanans are constantly bombarded with robocalls and Congressman Greg Gianforte is trying to help solve the problem. At a Communications and Technology subcommittee hearing, Gianforte pressed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on the issue. “Montanans have told me one of the worst things they face day to day are illegal robocalls,” Gianforte said. “They’re Read More…

Austin Knudsen Enters The Race For Montana Attorney General

Former Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen announced Monday that he is seeking the Republican nomination for Montana’s Attorney General race in 2020. Knudsen served as a representative from Culbertson in the state Legislature from 2011 to 2017, serving as Speaker of the House during his last four years. He’s the second Republican to enter the Attorney Read More…

Dems plead with Steve Bullock to abandon White House bid for Senate

Top Democrats in Montana and Washington are really excited about Gov. Steve Bullock running — for the Senate, not the presidency. The Montana governor’s seemingly quixotic presidential run comes as nearly everyone in the party is begging him to challenge GOP Sen. Steve Daines and transform the 2020 Senate map. Unlike any other Democratic candidate Read More…

Kamala Harris flip-flops on private health insurance and says she wants undocumented immigrants to get Medicare

Sen. Kamala Harris, the California Democrat and 2020 presidential candidate, said she doesn’t support eliminating all private health insurance under Medicare-for-all after suggesting in January that she does. Harris told CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview that aired Sunday that “supplemental” private health insurance wouldn’t be eliminated under Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Medicare-for-all legislation, which she Read More…

Nancy Pelosi: Trump is ‘goading’ Democrats to impeach him to solidify his base

President Donald Trump is “goading” Democrats to try to impeach him because he believes it would help “solidify his base” of supporters, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday. Pelosi has not been shy about publicly criticizing the president and his administration. But she has shown clear resistance toward the politically fraught prospect of impeaching Trump, Read More…

Tester, Daines Back Federal MMIW Study

Montana’s Democratic Senator Jon Tester spoke on the U.S. Senate floor Tuesday urging his colleagues to pass a handful of federal bills aimed at addressing what’s been called a crisis of missing and murdered Native American women and girls. “Now this bill directs the GAO [Government Accountability Office] to conduct a full review of how Read More…

Gov. Burgum signs bill reforming forfeiture in North Dakota

Gov. Doug Burgum on Thursday signed the last 53 bills remaining from the 2019 North Dakota legislative session, including one reforming civil asset forfeiture. Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, brought the original bill to eliminate the “perverse incentive” of “policing for profit.” Civil asset forfeiture applies to property involved in crime. The bill evolved greatly over Read More…

Two More Long Shots, Steve Bullock and Michael Bennet, to Join Vast Presidential Field

There are currently 20 announced Democratic candidates for president deemed “serious” aspirants. (That includes one candidate, Wayne Messam, who isn’t on some lists, although he is mayor of Miramar, Florida, which is larger than Pete Buttigieg’s South Bend). Now two others with solid résumés but little to no national name ID are joining the fray. Read More…

Daines works to cut pensions for federal workers convicted of child sexual assault

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines pushed ahead Wednesday with an attempt to cut retirement benefits to Indian Health Service pediatrician Stanley Patrick Weber, who sexually assaulted Blackfeet children. The Republican senator for Montana questioned Assistant Surgeon General Michael D. Weahkee on Wednesday about Indian Health Service’s handling of reports against Weber. The questions came as the Read More…

Tester, Daines, and Gianforte introduce bill concerning Milk River infrastructure project

Montana’s Congressional delegation has introduced legislation to increase investments in the Milk River Infrastructure Project that thousands of farmers use for irrigation water in north-central Montana. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines as well as Congressman Greg Gianforte introduced the St. Mary’s Reinvestment Act, which will ensure the federal government picks up 75 percent of Read More…

Gianforte touts rural broadband in Bozeman visit

U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte met with state telecommunication leaders Monday in Bozeman to understand how best to develop technology policies that benefit Montanans. “Rural broadband is critically important for our economy, for telecommuters, it’s important for health care delivery, it’s important for education and yet we’ve had a digital divide between rural areas and urban Read More…

Bozeman commissioners approve settlement to end Public Safety Center lawsuit

BOZEMAN – Monday night, the Bozeman City Commission approved a $22,000 settlement for plaintiff Roger Koopman, who brought a lawsuit claiming officials broke campaign laws around last year’s election to approve the city’s new Public Safety Center. The commission voted 4-1 in favor of the settlement, with the majority stating that the settlement would be much cheaper Read More…