by Ken Toole | Feb 20, 2025 | Elections
I wrote this February 25, 2011, 14 years ago. I wrote it in response to the drubbing democrats took in 2010, Obama’s first mid-term election. Since that time we have had more elections dominated by republican victories. Every time democrats lose we engage in self flagellation and hand wringing about needing a new “message”. Committees form, discussions follow, and fingers point. In the end we settle for the lowest common denominator and messages we think will attract the “moderate middle”. Clearly, that approach has failed us.
Dear Democratic Leaders,
I am Democratic base. Please feed me!!
I’m tired, weak and discouraged. I haven’t been fed in a very long time. Last election I just couldn’t muster the strength to get out to the polls, let alone write checks or volunteer. Please feed me!! I need red meat. I can’t survive on a diet of gun rights, tax cuts and developing natural resources. I don’t get excited about shooting wolves, or selling coal to China, or cutting the business equipment tax. And extending the Bush tax cuts and opposing the Dream Act gave me a stomach ache.
Republicans Don’t Do It This Way
The Republicans feed their base. They never miss a chance to drop a big t-bone on the plate. They stand up and talk about banning abortion, putting a pistol in every pocket and making gay people illegal. They smother the red meat with spices like deregulation, privatization and cutting taxes. I can still watch their base gnawing on the bones. They are so fat and sassy they sometimes bite each other because they are so darned energized. Why can’t you feed me?
I know, I know, you’re feeding me jobs, jobs, jobs. And that’s just fine, I suppose. . . .if you like bland oatmeal all day, every day. Of course we all like jobs but what is behind the problem? Why aren’t you talking about deregulated corporations out-sourcing work, the attack on labor unions and bankers sitting on piles of cash? What you are feeding me is more like day old bread than red meat.
What About Traditional Democratic Message?
I really liked it when you fed me things like helping senior citizens, protecting the environment, and making rich people pay their fair share of taxes. Now, that was really good stuff. It gave me a lot of strength and energy. It was good for my digestion.
A couple of years ago you gave me some really good appetizers. All the talk about reforming health care and addressing climate change really got me salivating for the main course. But when I sat down at the table I ended getting served gruel prepared by big special interest groups. . . .just like I had been getting for years.
Only Yellow Lines And Dead Skunks In The Middle Of The Road
You seem more interested in inviting those other guys to dinner than making sure I have enough to eat. You love using their recipes and serving their wine. Well, I don’t like their food and I don’t like them preparing the menu. In fact, I don’t like having them at our table. It gives me gas.
I know you think I’m peevish and demanding. You think I’m idealistic and don’t understand how to cook a good meal. That’s fine, but you still seem to want me in the kitchen all the time. What am I supposed to do there. . . .the dishes?
Please, Give Us Some Red Meat!
Put a menu in front of me with recipes made from the ingredients we both used to love so much. Put a thick steak on the grill exposing how the super rich are screwing the rest of us and cover it with a special sauce made with traditional Democratic values like standing up for the little guy, investing in education, and controlling big corporations. I can almost smell the sweet aroma now.
So feed me! I want to be there for you. I want to have the strength to help you carry the day. But I just can’t do it without some protein.
Ken Toole
With apologies to my vegetarian friends
by Ken Toole | Jan 12, 2025 | Elections
In their never ending effort to consolidate political power, the Montana Senate leadership flopped in their effort to shuffle the cards for committee assignments by creating a new committee. Nine Republican Senators joined Democrats in opposing rules being proposed by senate leadership. The hang up was leadership’s proposal to create a new “Executive Branch Review Committee”. It’s not exactly clear what the role of the new committee was supposed to be but numerous senators argued that is was a “parking spot” for senators the right-wing leadership of the senate viewed as problematic. The nine Senators are: Sen Loge, Sen McKamey, Sen Kassmier, Sen Temple, Sen Gellespie, Sen Hunter, Sen Vance, Sen Lammers and Sen Ellsworth.
by Ken Toole | Jan 9, 2025 | Elections
Households across Montana recently received a campaign style flyer from Matt Rosendale. The flyer is a slick four-page piece with numerous photos touting Rosendale’s “accomplishments” in public office. It’s typical of politicians running for office. Problem is Rosendale isn’t running for office and, thankfully, the election is over. So what’s with this flyer?
Coy Boy Says He’s Running for Senate, Then He’s Not
After months of playing “will he or won’t he,” Rosendale finally announced he was going to run for the U.S. Senate against Tim Sheehy in the Republican Primary on February 9th of last year. Rosendale was not the choice of the The National Republican Senatorial Committee headed up by Steve Daines. In his announcement, Rosendale took a swipe at Tim Sheehey saying, “The leadership is trying to select, instead of allowing the people of Montana to select, who is going to be their next U.S. senator.”
Six days later, Rosendale withdrew from the U.S. Senate race, saying he didn’t think he could raise enough money to defeat Sheehy. It didn’t help that Donald Trump announced his support for Sheehy. Rosendale must have forgotten that he snubbed Trump by refusing to take his call during a debate on selecting new leadership on the House floor.
Then He’s Not Running For His Seat In Congress . . .Hmmmm
Former senator Heidi Heitkamp said on a podcast that he dropped out of the Senate race, because he impregnated a staffer. “Just to gossip a little bit: There’s a reason why Rosendale backed out of that Senate race — the rumor is he impregnated a 20-year-old staff person,” she said. A Rosendale staffer denied the allegation and threatened to sue. A month later, Rosendale announced that he was also withdrawing from the race for his House seat and retiring at the end of his term. Rosendale said he was withdrawing because of rumors and threats against his family.
He Continues Using His Government Franking Privilege Even As A Lame Duck
So, why is Rosendale now sending a flyer to Montana households? The answer is pretty simple. He didn’t pay for it. The taxpayers did. In tiny print, where a normal campaign disclaimer would be, the flyer is identified as, “Public Document–Official Business, Paid for by official funds authorized by the House of Representatives.” It’s perfectly legal and all members of congress use what is called Franking Privileges to communicate with their constituents. Each representative in congress is allocated approximately $300,000 each year for mailing to constituents.
Reasonable people can disagree with the concept of franking privileges. But it is difficult to imagine any justification for a lame duck congressman like Matt Rosendale spending public dollars to communicate with his constituents. Rosendale’s term ended on January 3rd. We received our mailing from him on January 8th.
Guess He’s Not Much Of A Fiscal Conservative After All
Hubris? Ironic? Hypocritical? Of course, it’s all of those things. Rosendale touts himself as a fiscal conservative holding the line on public spending. He was a member of the Congressional Freedom Caucus which orchestrated removing Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. He helped form the Montana Freedom Caucus in the Montana Legislature which counts the most loopy, far-right legislators among its members.Goodbye and good riddance to Matt Rosendale. . .until he rises again.
by Ken Toole | Jan 5, 2025 | Elections
During the Cascade County election canvas meeting in November, the county’s new election administrator, Terry Thompson, provided a scathing criticism of local election deniers. Usually watching a vote canvas is like watching paint dry. So, when Terry Thompson said she wanted to take it as an opportunity to respond to accusations about her office, people paid attention. Thompson began her remarks:
“I’m going to make some public comments, because I never get to make public comments. I get to sit here and listen to the public accuse me and the election office of various things. I’ve been privy to an email that was sent out from the 5 for 5 group that tends to come in here and do public comments.”
Ever Hear Of 5 For 5?
If you’re not familiar with 5 For 5, you are not alone. An email sent out by the group says 5 for 5 is “Connecting the Citizens of Cascade County.” The email included a disclaimer, “5 for 5 does not endorse any candidate or guest speaker.” WTF 406 has not been able to find anyone locally who had ever heard of the group.
The Montana Secretary of State’s website listed a limited liability corporation in Kalispell called 5 For 5 Capitol. The United Church of Christ has a special offering program called 5 For 5. WTF406 contacted church officials who said they had no idea what this group is. WTF406 sent a message to the email address listed on their correspondence. No response.
Email From WTF406.com To 5 For 5
====================
Greetings,
We are in possession of your correspondence urging people to attend the 11-20 county commission meeting. Though the email said it was from 5 for 5, an organization we are not aware of, the entire email was written in first person. We are curious about both your organization 5 For 5 and who the writer is.
It’s ironic that you send an anonymous email while demanding integrity and making unsupported claims and innuendos about private individuals and public employees. Before publishing a piece on your activities we would like more information about the goals and leadership of your organization. Specifically:
What are the goals and objectives of 5 for 5?
Who are your leaders/officers?
Please respond by December 27th. Thank you.
WTF406blog.
===END===
Just How Angry Was Terry Thompson? Pretty Angry
Below we provide selected quotes to give readers a feeling for Thompson’s anger and frustration dealing with this group. If nothing else it is entertaining. (WTF406.com cleaned up some of the errors from the county’s automatic transcript program)
“I’m not a politician, so I’m going to fight back when people talk about what I’m doing, the job I’m doing, the people that I hire, the people that I work with.”
“I did call Rena Moore. I am not a fool. I’m an intelligent woman with many leadership skills. And I am going to reach out to the people that did this job for 16 years. I did my job for 16 years at the Realtor Association, and I get contacted all the time.”
“But she (Rae Grulkowski) had to ask me the other day, why didn’t I call Sandra instead of Rina? Well, let me tell you, Sandra never ran a Presidential election first of all, so I don’t think she could give me very good advice.”
“There was a group of observers, supposedly observers, that went to the lines and were taking their poll watchers. They were supposed to be poll watchers, but they got themselves involved in obstructing our election. They went to the lines and started telling people, oh, just go to the precinct, and you can vote.Well. Can you imagine the mess that we’ve had?”
“Let’s talk about the staff. I inherited a staff that was hired by Sandra Merchant, and several of those people are their friends that hung out together at the Pachyderm [Club].”
“But here’s the problem.You see, because I was supposedly raised a girl, I could be puppeteered like Sandra was puppeteered. But it’s not happening with me. And so now the attacks are coming, because I’m not letting them infiltrate the election office. I am keeping it as nonpartisan as possible.”
“Was that a setup? I think maybe that it was a setup. Maybe I was being sabotaged by Sandra Merchant and Rae Grulkowski.”
“There’s a lot of of mudslinging going on about what I didn’t do and what I did do, and I’m here to say I’m sick and tired of being under the shadow of Sandra Merchant. I’m tired of this group coming in here and bashing you (county commissioners.”
“I get sick and tired of hearing that I should do things like Sandra. I get text messages. You should be working for Sandra. She should have her job back.”
“I’m not going to have this crap going on and being said about this office… They were calling judges when they were working in there [at the polling place], asking them what we’re doing. Those people would come and tell me, ‘Oh, Julie Bass called me. I don’t want her calling me.’ Stop taking her call. It would be pretty simple. People [were] giving me their communications, because they see that this is [a] personal attack.”
Here is the link to the video of the canvas meeting. Terry Thompson’s relevant comments begin at 1:49:00
https://us02web.zo
om.us/rec/play/5JLHpjTWKDdJ9X9SvOpOy5QpDHdKJC-AOJH-pMtdNpdZGsuQaR77yO_ZaFd_hi6W-tjXY9-acgRrrzNV.iOxAu13KbfjEl9cZ?canPlayFromShare=true&from=share_recording_detail&continueMode=true&componentName=rec-play&originRequestUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fus02web.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2Fd2gXSBeQ7EZ0CyX8azLQYxsodSnEbRZLDjU4PSDggNUOub_orDr4oXj0rnrpN1c.qtYd71PziTI9Gk8v
Just More Of The Same Old Crap
WTF406.com has commented extensively on the process which was used in hiring Terry Thompson. Commissioner Rae Grulkowski clearly skewed the process to assure that Rina Moore would not be hired. Moore subsequently filed a political belief discrimination suit, and the county ended up paying her $52,500 to settle the complaint.
https://wtf406.com/2024/03/grulkowski-plays-dirty-did-we-really-expect-anything-else/
https://wtf406.com/2024/09/rea-grulkowski-you-cant-make-this-stuff-up/
Good For Terry Thompson
Thompson’s comments in this meeting are a rare example of a public employee defending themselves, their employees, and their supervisors against unwarranted attacks for doing their job in a conscientious manner. She has performed her duties in an objective and professional manner in very difficult circumstances. The sad truth is that election deniers are setting out to destroy free and fair elections in Montana. People like Terry Thompson, and Rina Moore before her, are all that stand between us and the chaos offered by the far right wing.
Below Is Copy of 5 For 5’s Email
===========================
Subject: TODAY! ELECTION ACTION ! Tune in Speak up! @2pm
From: 5 for 5 <[email protected]>
Date IL/2O/2O24, 11.:L6 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients
Folks the “show” continues as our County Commissioners Jim Larson and Joe Briggs continue to create a story to explain away their incompetence of our elections once. Remember they stole your right to vote for EA and removed Merchant from her duly elected position.
Yesterday, EA Thompson (their hire) explained that the numbers in the election were off, and she opened (by herself) the sealed signature envelope boxes and found several ballots left in envelopes. Changing the election results.
I requested the BP34 forms on 11l9l24. They are used to reconcile all received absentee ballots.
She refused to print them and gave multiple excuses – I already knew we were off.
How? I have been working with the MT Data team which purchased voter roll history and information from the secretary of state office it is updated daily. We knew the election was off.
The primary was also off but became aware to late and then person loss interfered with timeline.
The EA’s numbers still are off the machine was NEVER correctly tested.
Election protocols were not followed. I was told Rina Moore (who just got a 52k pay out from the Briggs and Larson on the backs of the taxpayers) was the consultant on this election.
Was this a setup?
I believe it to be a CONTINUATION of a SHOW that the entitled commissioners have played at the EXPENSE of the taxpayers.
Briggs and Larson’s decision to create Resolution 23-62 has cost the taxpayers well over 150K ,
the annual salary of the position and their (Briggs and Larson) incompetence has burdened us electors
What can you do?
Demand this election is voided and redone. We are not the only county with problems
Hundreds of electors did not get to vote on 11l5. Terry Thompson said the error happened due to short staff. Staffing for an election is a requirement of the commissioners. I spoke to this weeks before the election in a commissioner meeting once again making me wonder is this just a setup. Maybe to bring back Rina Moore or her crony Lynn Deroche.
TODAY DURING PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE COUNTY WORK SESSION DEMAND RESOLUTION 23-62 be RESCINDED. BRIGGS AND LARSON to RESIGN
(WTF 406 has deleted the final few sentences of the email to conserve space)
==End==
by Helena Lovick | Dec 3, 2024 | Elections
The majority of the American electorate voted for Donald Trump for President, a conman with 34 felonies, a rapist, and a Hitler admirer. Wow. I will admit that I was surprised that he won the popular vote. This is some scary but also fucking embarrassing shit. Embarrassing on an international scale. Here is our leader! He can’t string a sentence together unless it’s talking about how big his rallies are.
But How Bad Is It?
Really fucking bad.
The sickening truth is, it’s going to be as bad or worse than we saw in the first Trump administration. Many people are going to suffer under the upcoming regressive policies.
Republicans hold all three branches of the federal government in America. From the stacked right-wing judges in the Supreme Court, both chambers of Congress and the Presidency, they hold them all. In Montana, our State Supreme Court is in slightly better shape with a majority of moderate judges, but our State Legislature still has a Republican majority, and our Republican Governor Gianforte is an ultra rich religious extremist who thinks the earth is only 6,000 years old. As a treat, Gianforte gave people record high property tax hikes while cutting his own taxes.
WHAT CAN WE DO??
Before I get into a closer look at the election results for Montana, I want to speak briefly about my hope and determination for the future.
If you are scared and worried about our country, the solution is civic engagement. We need to be building local community, talking to our elected officials, holding our politicians accountable and continuing to bend the path of this country towards justice. It took them 40 years to dismantle Roe v. Wade. and it’s going to take time for us to change the right-wing capture of our government. And unless you want to live under a dictatorship, it’s going to take some work to dig us out of this hole. FIND YOUR PEOPLE. Go to community meetings. Show up. Volunteer. Talk to your friends and family and get them involved, too. Register voters that understand the danger we are in. You can make things better.
So What Happened in Montana?
Sadly, the red trend continued. Not surprisingly, we saw a growing right-wing slant in Montana over the past decade, because from October 2008 through May 2024, for every two Democrats moving to Montana, slightly more than three Republicans did the same.
All Statewide Seats are now held by Republicans
As we saw in 2020 and 2022, all statewide Democratic candidates lost in 2024. With the ouster of Montana’s last statewide Democratic official, U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Republicans hold every statewide seat. Dismantling of our public services such as Medicaid, access to public lands, tax cuts for the rich, and rising property taxes are all on the table.
How did the vote breakdown?
Jon Tester lost his senate seat to newcomer Tim Sheehy (45% to 53%). Montanans voted against a Senator who has continually proven his support of rural hospitals, abortion rights, infrastructure funding that directly helped Montana, and elected a man who is adamantly anti-abortion and will likely align with an effort to pass a national abortion ban. At the same time, voters passed the abortion rights measure of CI-128 to enshrine abortion rights in our state constitution, 58% Yes to 42% No. That is completely wild. I’m not sure if people know that federal law supersedes state law. If there is an abortion ban on the federal level, then there is an abortion ban in Montana no matter what our state constitution says.
But the happy outcome for CI-128 is a promising sign that Montanans still support women’s rights to their own healthcare decisions. There is space to have a discussion on the disconnect of who is being elected and what the voters and Montanans actually want.
Things are not all bad.
As mentioned above, CI-128 won handily. Democrats broke the supermajority in the Montana State Legislature, and Democrat Jane Weber won her election bid for a Montana House seat in Great Falls. Jane Weber’s win marks the first Democratic legislator elected in Cascade County since 2018.
Map of Montana’s 2024 Legislative Seats. Blue for Democratic seats, Red for Republican seats.
Even in the flood of other bad election news, we did have promising wins for Democratic policies in Montana. Things are not hopeless. Let’s build on that and do the local organizing work to fight for a better future.
by Ken Toole | Dec 2, 2024 | Elections
An investigator with the Montana Human Rights Bureau issued a report finding that the Secretary of State’s office discriminated against Rina Fontana Moore when it emailed the Cascade County Commission urging them not to hire her for a position running the election office.
After removing election duties from Clerk and Recorder Sandra Merchant last December, the county commission opened an election administrator position. Rina Fontana Moore applied for the open position. In a highly suspect hiring process, the commission hired Terry Thompson, who had no experience or training in running elections. Fontana Moore has 16 years experience and extensive election administration training. (See our post about the hiring process: https://wtf406.com/?s=Rae+Grulkowski+)
Secretary Of State Urged County To Deny Fontana Moore Election Job
On February 14th, the Republican Secretary of State, Christi Jacobsen, sent an email to the Cascade County Commissioners urging them not to hire Fontana Moore: “Please do not hire Ms. Moore or a member of her administration as Cascade County’s Election Administrator. Doing so would directly undermine the voters of Cascade County, among other reasons.” Her letter closed, “Thank you and God Bless, Christi”. The next day the county commission voted to offer the job to Terry Thompson.
Commissioners Joe Briggs and Jim Larson said they were surprised by the email. Both said they felt it was inappropriate. Briggs said, “I took it as a personal political statement that was done inappropriately.” The county attorney’s office contacted the secretary of state’s office. Jacobsen’s legal counsel said she had a First Amendment right to make the comments. When contacted by The Electric, Jacobsen’s office did not respond.
Fontana Moore Files Discrimination Complaints
Eleven days later (February 27), Fontana Moore filed discrimination complaints with the Human Rights Bureau of the Department of Labor. \One complaint was filed against Cascade County for discrimination based on her political beliefs in denying her the election administrator position. The other was against the Montana Secretary of State for advocating a discriminatory action by Cascade County.
Merchant And Grulkowski Mum About Meeting With Secretary of State
On March 1, two days after Fontana Moore filed her complaints, Jenn Rowell of the Electric was at a meeting in the Capitol building in Helena. She saw County Commissioner Rae Grulkowski and Clerk and Recorder Sandra Merchant going into the Secretary of State’s office. They came out about 20 minutes later. The Electric contacted Grulkowski and Merchant and asked what their business was in the Secretary of State’s office and if county funds were spent on their visit. They did not respond.
Cascade County Settles With Fontana Moore
The Human Rights Bureau accepted Fontana Moore’s complaints and initiated an investigation. As part of the process, the parties in human rights complaints attempt to resolve their complaints through mediation. On October 4, the Cascade County Commission approved paying Moore $52,500 to settle the complaint against the county on the advice of their attorney. The settlement resolved the complaint.
Rae Grulkowski was the only county commissioner voting against the settlement. Her actions on the hiring committee clearly put the county at risk in the discrimination complaint. Ironically, the county paid for Grulkowski to have an attorney separate from the outside lawyer the county hired to defend against the complaint. (See our post on Grulkowski’s legal fees: https://wtf406.com/?s=Grulkowski+)
Secretary Of State Declines To Settle; Complaint Goes to Formal Hearing
The Secretary of State’s office declined to participate in mediation. Election administrator and former chief legal counsel for the Secretary of State’s office, Austin James, argued that Fontana Moore should not be appointed election administrator because she lost her 2022 reelection to Merchant for Cascade Clerk and Recorder. Since the case was not settled in mediation, the investigator completed her investigation and found that the Montana Secretary of State’s actions were discriminatory. The case will now move forward to a formal hearing.
