On January 2, 2023, the 68th legislative session made its debut swearing in the newest batch of Montana legislators. This also marked the first time that one party formed a supermajority since Montana’s constitution was adopted 50 years ago. Speaking of which, this Republican supermajority is champing at the bit to introduce a slew of amendments to the constitution. They’ve proposed 54 such amendments already. Some of the topics they want to legislate on are: the way elections are handled, the way judges are selected, redistricting rules (read: gerrymandering) amendments defining gender, banning abortions, and enshrining school choice and a parental bill of rights.Their plans are clear. They want Big Government to control Montanan’s personal lives and public institutions. Confusingly, Sen Steve Fitzpatrick has proposed a constitutional amendment on proposing constitutional amendments. If Republicans have their way, Montana’s constitution will be unrecognizable before the session is through.
Concerned about Republican’s extremist agenda, a group of activists from Great Falls organized an event – Occupy MT Leg. We were joined by concerned citizens from around the state. Why occupy space on the first day of the session? To let these legislators know that we will hold them accountable for everything they do during this session. Our sizeable group from Great Falls, Helena, Belgrade, Conrad, and more, first gathered in the rotunda to protest Superintendent of Public School’s Elsie Artnzen, who had brought in a slate of far-right speakers (an abuse of the office) to mount yet another unfounded attack on our public school teachers and administrators. Artnzen’s “event” was small, disorganized, and met with Boo’s from protestors in the crowd.
We then moved to the Old Supreme Court Chamber, where the public reception was to be held for the newly-sworn lawmakers. Cakes were there, ready to be served, doubtless alongside much back-slapping and self-congratulations. We had aimed to speak with our legislators and make sure they know what we expect of them, but it turns out that they didn’t want to face the public. Not to be deterred, we gathered around the balcony of the rotunda, displayed our signs, and filled the space. We are here, and we will not be ignored.
Finally, following the swearing-in, we marched around the capitol building. The group was comprised of people from different generations, different parts of Montana, with different advocacy issues. But we experienced a solidarity that we believe we share with a large portion of Montanans. Far-right extremism is not representative of most of us, and this “super majority” does not represent us. They are not some aristocracy, and we are not some peasantry. We can and will raise our voice when they eat their cake and throw us the crumbs. We’ll be keeping a close eye on their votes, and the bills they sponsor. With this supermajority, they feel emboldened to show their true colors. And we are committed to rejecting fascist ideology wherever we see it.
Your intrepid author believes that anytime a person wants an abortion, they should have access. However today we’re specifically looking at those abortions deemed “medically necessary.” For over 20 years, Montanans on Medicaid have had access to medically necessary abortion. Now, Republicans have proposed rule changes to make these life-saving procedures harder to get. Targeting the poorest Montanans, Republicans are inserting bureaucracy into our uteruses.
There are numerous reasons why a person may require an abortion. For example, a woman may miscarry. The fetus has died, but the body has not entirely expelled the dead tissue. This situation can quickly turn deadly, with the woman facing sepsis and death without swift medical intervention. Each pregnancy is as unique as the pregnant person, meaning that “medically necessary” abortion can take on many forms.
Now, Republicans want to violate our medical privacy by requiring irrelevant and deeply personal information. The suggested rule change would require the woman to disclose information such as previous pregnancies and live births. Can you imagine asking a person in a medical emergency to disclose all of their past losses before helping them? These questions are NOT medically necessary, and they don’t inform present treatment whatsoever. Rather, they are invasive big-government overreach. Women do not owe anyone information about their previous pregnancies, abortions, or stillbirths. Requiring them to disclose this serves no purpose beyond Orwellian government monitoring.
In addition to asking questions that are not the government’s fucking business, the rule change would limit who could provide the abortion. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants would no longer be covered. Eliminating these providers means many Montanans wouldn’t have access to the procedure at all. Rural healthcare is already tenuous and this change specifically targets those with the fewest resources.
If these hurdles weren’t enough, Republicans have one more measure to push us closer to dying in bathrooms and alleyways. They’re trying to require “pre-authorization” for this procedure. What happens when you add red-tape to a time sensitive medical procedure? A few things. The pregnant person dies, OR, the abortion takes place later in the pregnancy. That’s right. Republican Reps are creating rules that will actually increase the number of abortions taking place after the first trimester.
In my professional life, I’ve seen children as young as elementary-age become pregnant from rape and incest. What right do Republicans have to make children continue a pregnancy that their tiny child bodies cannot handle?
And what about those women who find out their fetus cannot survive, for a myriad or reasons? They’re going to make women carry unviable pregnancies longer. Although Republicans want to pretend that all abortion is a result of unprotected sex, that’s simply not reality. Many women have to abort babies that were very much loved, wanted, and planned for, due to medical issues that render the fetus incompatible with life.
And what about miscarriages? Ask any person who has ever miscarried, and they’ll tell you that continuing to carry their dead child in their body doesn’t help the situation. Not physically. Not emotionally. It’s not only deadly, its unspeakably cruel.
Touting themselves as champions of “small government” we see Republicans once again doing the opposite. They’re inserting themselves into our doctor’s offices and medical decisions, and they’re starting by victimizing the easiest target- the poor. Montanans on Medicaid deserve what we all deserve- access to medical care and privacy in our medical decisions. It’s time to tell Big Government Republicans to get the fuck out of our bodies.
Rep. Lola Sheldon Galloway pushes a doll around in a baby stroller. Lola and her fellow anti-choice extremists spent several weeks harassing Planned Parenthood clients and staff. When asked about her involuntary participation in this demonstration, the baby doll was quoted as saying, “This is fucking embarrassing.”
It’s been a couple weeks since the 2022 general election and What the Funk is here to talk you through the shitshow facing Montana. In Cascade County, with a 59% voter turnout, in every contested race, the Democrat lost. Republicans flipped two senate seats and retained all of their house seats. And yes, that means Republicans now have a supermajority in the state legislature and the governorship. They’re already introducing constitutional amendments left and right. We were worried this would happen if voters gave Montana Republicans a supermajority. You can read our full blog post about it here, with an overview excerpt below:
First, they will be able to propose constitutional amendments by referring them to the ballot, if they garner the support of two-thirds of legislators. That means that 100 politicians in Helena can put amendments to our constitution on the ballot. Currently, amendments can only be proposed by gathering enough citizen signatures. It’s hard to do, meaning that lots of amendments are proposed, but few actually make it to the ballot.
Second, a supermajority can call for an unlimited constitutional convention by referring a convention call to the ballot. If approved, a convention can propose changes to virtually anything in the constitution by a vote of the delegates.
What other impacts can we expect from this election?
Beyond the changes to the legislature due to the election, the Cascade County Commission is now a completely Republican board. Rina Fontana Moore is also out as Clerk and Recorder (pending the results of a recount in a race with only a thirty vote lead by her opponent). Republican County Commissioner Joe Briggs has stated that he plans to propose an ordinance change to move elections under the county commission.
Things look pretty bleak, but we did see a few glimmers of hope from our statewide elections. The State Supreme Court Justices Gustafson and Rice handily retained their seats. Gustafson was especially impressive – withstanding a full court press of Republican endorsements and campaigning for her opponent. A strong judicial branch is still part of Montana’s government!And LR-131, the truly shitty bill that attempted to interject the government into grieving families’ healthcare decisions for their dying infants, was voted down with a statewide vote of 53% Against to 47% For.Montana voters realized how shitty that bill was!
What fresh hell can we expect in the upcoming 2023 legislative session?
As mentioned above, the Republicans are already proposing numerous constitutional amendments. On the abortion rights front, Republican Representative Jennifer Carlson out of Manhattan has already requested a draft bill “to establish an infant born alive is a person.” Wait a minute, that is some loaded-ass language. Where have we seen that misleading wording before?…….THAT IS FUCKING RESURRECTED, ZOMBIE LR-131!!! A draft of the bill isn’t available yet, but that working title has the exact phrasing that was in LR-131. Did Montana voters not send a loud enough message to Republicans on what we think of LR-131???
It’s official, we are in the bad place.
We have to keep calling out this bullshit and informing the public when these elected officials hurt Montanans. What the Funk is keeping an eye on other poisonous draft bills requested for the 2023 legislative session. We will keep you posted as these hateful attacks on our rights wind their way through the legislative process.
“Well, haters gonna hate. I and others are on our way to legislate. Your toxic hate and resentment filled way has literally destroyed the Dem party in Cascade County and taken good and decent folks down with it. I’ll let you folks get back uninterrupted here to being the mirror-image of Jordan Hall and the soft delusion that you’re not effectively the same thing he is in a dress.”
We at WTF have covered a myriad of topics that folks care about. From the housing crisis to our right to privacy, we’ve discussed the disturbing voting records and often outrageous antics of the far-right in Great Falls. Sharing accurate information isn’t hateful or indicative of resentment. Quite contrary, it’s how we keep our community informed. It appears George can’t spot the difference between participating in hate speech and speaking out against it. Thus, we’ve put his latest statement about myself and Helena to the test. Let’s see if George’s claim stands up to scrutiny.
**Many of Hall’s charges are still pending as detailed in the linked articles
We do give George one half of a check mark, as Jasmine does indeed wear dresses fairly regularly. However, Helena wears them less frequently. Further, we have no knowledge of Hall’s preferred clothing; therefore, we’re not sure how apt the comparison is. Regardless, an attempt was made. We’d like to congratulate George on his victory! A breakdown of the math shows us that it cost George a mere $39.27 per vote!
Let’s Talk, Lola: An In-Depth Look at Lola Sheldon Galloway
Do you know Lola Sheldon Galloway? She’s a representative of local House District 22 running for re-election. Lola Sheldon Galloway certainly counts as a person in power but does she serve the People? If not, who is she serving? Let’s take a look at some of Lola’s most outrageous claims to see if we can determine who exactly she’s serving.
Let’s start with those who have been victims of crime. Rape is heinous act that traumatizes and devastates the victims, often for lifetimes. Most people involved in civic positions empathize with the victims and pursue protections and rehabilitation for them. Lola, on the other hand, is deeply misinformed on the subject. She believes that roughly 98% of victims miscarry due to that trauma, and seeks to ban abortion, even due to life threatening health issues, stating without a proper source beyond “reading this once”
In defense of her rather indefensible position on abortion, Lola once stated,
“Never once has a human ever delivered a platypus or any other kind of animal. We deliver human beings.”
Yeah, Lola, you’re right. Under no circumstances has a human woman given birth to a platypus. Perhaps in the future some kind of nightmarish clone hybrid, but right now, just human babies. I was taught around 6th grade to research and cite things before I declare them fact. A quick Google search proves that Lola’s “statistics” are in now way factual. The number of miscarriages experienced by sexual assault survivors, not platypi. Roughly 39% get carried to full term. Lola is also known to protest right outside Planned Parenthood. Rape victims, people with health issues regarding your reproduction system, people wishing to get tested and have info and resources for safe sexual health; Lola is for Lola. Not for you.
Next up, let’s look at the unhoused population in Great Falls. There’s no denying Great Falls is facing a housing crisis, and as such, there has been an increased presence of homeless people in Great Falls. She is on record for both complaining about the homeless presence at First United Methodist Church earlier this year,( a number of them using her nearby Dairy Queen restroom for basic essential hygiene) yet also stateing she does not want to provide further shelters and housing in the city because she believes it will attract further homeless people. Lola, in her selfishness, has created her own paradox. She wants the homelessness to be less visible, but she also does not want to create shelters or work against the current statewide rent increases or housing availability. Are you disabled or homeless, or know and love someone like that? Lola is not for you.
Are you an Indigenous person of Montana? Both Lola and her husband have loudly protested the incorporation of the Big Sky Country National Heritage Area, continuing a colonialist tradition of erasing the history of our indigenous people. Lola doesn’t care, Lola is not for you. Like fire for Frankenstein’s monster, Lola seems to retain a deep seated fear for people of color.
Finally, let’s get to the meat of the issue. Lola Sheldon Galloway has no shame about where her interests lie, and is using her position of power for her own financial gain. In 2022 alone, during the August 2nd and September 2nd meetings, Lola used her position to make requests of “personal favors” to ensure her business alone did not lose any money. If I tried that during a session, I’d be told to shut up, told I was a greedy idiot, and barred from the commission meeting. Check out Lola’s comments at previous meetings confirming that she is only out for herself, not our community.
If a President is not supposed to utilize their own properties and business for profit in relation to their position, why do Lola and her husband get away with it… perhaps they think they’re more important than the POTUS?
At the end of the day; Lola is for Lola and her bank account, not for us the people. If you haven’t already voted, I urge you to vote this next Tuesday, and remember this: at the end of the day; Lola is for Lola and her bank account, not for us, the people.
One of the most important races in Montana right now is the Supreme Court race between longtime judge Ingrid Gustafson and her entirely inexperienced challenger, James Brown. If the name “James Brown” sounds familiar, you’re probably aware of the Public Service Commission. As head of the PSC, Brown has continually voted in favor of letting Northwest Energy price-gouge us into oblivion. That upcoming 25% rate hike? You can thank James Brown for that.
Apparently bolstering energy monopolies isn’t enough for Brown. Now, despite his lack of judicial experience, he’s seeking a seat on Montana’s highest court. And he’s breaking the Code of Judicial Ethics to do it.
Unfortunately, it seems the Judicial Ethics Committee lacks either the teeth or the drive to investigate these flagrant violations. For those who’ve never had cause to file an ethics complaints, here’s the quick version:
You write a letter outlining your complaints, what you think has been violated, and the evidence you have to support your claim. The Judicial Ethics Committee mails you a letter saying, “Hey girl! Got your complaint, But you have to promise not to talk about it publicly until we decide if we’re gonna investigate.” That final part is a confidentiality agreement, and it’s a vital part of the complaint process.
By doing so, they not only violate the complaint process, but clearly show us that their complaint was merely a political tactic, rather than a good-faith concern of an ethics violation.
How does your intrepid author know all this? Because I filed a complaint this summer against one James Brown for clear and obvious violations of the ethical code. Unsurprisingly, the committee dismissed the complaint without investigating. Although I don’t agree with that decision, I followed the rules by not writing this piece until the complaint was dismissed. And now, I think we can leave my complaint to the ever-popular Court Of Public Opinion. Below is my complaint, with a few redactions. (Namely, I have removed the names and addresses of individuals named in the complaint.)
“August 25, 2022
[Redacted]
Judicial Standards Complaint James Brown
Dear Ms. Smith:
Enclosed please find a complaint against James Brown for violations of Canon 4.1 of the Montana Code of Judicial Conduct.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with further questions regarding these complaints.
Sincerely,
Jasmine Taylor
COMPLAINT
The undersigned being first duly sworn, upon oath, state the following facts showing misconduct on the part of the following named judicial candidate:
Name of Judicial Candidate: James E. Brown [Redacted] [Redacted]
Mr. Brown has violated subsections of Canon 4.1 of the Montana Code of Judicial Conduct (MCJC), as indicated below. Under Section 4.1(A)(7) of the MCJC, “a judge of or a candidate for judicial office […] shall not […] seek, accept, or use endorsements from a political organization, or partisan or independent non-judicial office-holder of candidate.” From July 29, 2022 – August 6, 2022, at the Montana State Fair, in Great Falls, Cascade County, Mr. Brown accepted an endorsement of the Cascade County Republican Party, as shown in the photo below.
The placement of this poster also violates Section 4.1(A)(6) of the MCJC, which states “a judge or a candidate for office shall not […] publicly identify himself or herself as a candidate of a political organization.” By allowing his campaign sign to be displayed at the Republican booth at the State Fair, Mr. Brown is identifying himself as a candidate of a political organization.
Further, I believe Mr. Brown was fully aware of this display, as he was present at the Montana State Fair on the evening of August 5, 2022. Mr. Brown identified himself to me as a judicial candidate at that time. I spoke with Mr. Brown inside the building where the Republican fair booth was located. Brown appeared to be visiting multiple booths to speak with constituents. Therefore, a reasonable person would believe that Mr. Brown was fully aware that his sign was being displayed at the Republican booth.
Additionally, the attached May 5 article [updated on May 25, 2022] published in the Montana Free Press by Mara Silvers, shows Brown’s violations of Section 4.1(A)(7) and (6) of the MCJC. Major statewide partisans, including the Republican Governor, Greg Gianforte; Republican Attorney General, Austin Knudsen; Republican U.S. Senator, Steven Daines; Republican House Speaker, Wylie Galt; Republican President, Mark Blasdel; and 83 other Republican legislators, have endorsed Brown. While this cadre of endorsements themselves do not violate MCJC, Brown’s acceptance of these endorsements does violate Section 4.1(A)(7).
Further, in violation of section 4.1(a)(6) of MCJC, Brown has publicly identified himself as a candidate of a political party. Finally, on August 11, 2022, Brown gave a speech at the Great Falls Pachyderm Club, a partisan political organization, in violation of section 4.1(2). The below screenshot details the advertisement of Brown’s appearance at the meeting.
The names and addresses of other persons who are witnesses to or have information as to the misconduct of the above judicial candidate include:
[Redacted]
[Redacted]
I have not contacted this judicial candidate in regard to this complaint.
I will furnish additional information to your Commission if requested. If this complaint is investigated, I will cooperate with your Commission and furnish the evidence I may have, and I will testify at any hearing on this complaint. [Redacted]”
The article referenced in the complaint can be found here: https://montanafreepress.org/2022/05/25/republican-support-stacks-up-in-montana-supreme-court-race/
So what do you think, dear readers? Should this complaint have been investigated by the Judicial Ethics Committee? Let us know in the comments.
