by Jasmine Taylor | Aug 31, 2023 | Elections, Militia and Hate Groups
Last night the Great Falls Election Deniers hosted a large event with “Dr. Frank.” Frank is a well-known election denier who, along with his bff Mike Lindel (the My Pillow guy) is being sued for fraud. Frank continues to push the conspiracy theory that Trump won the 2020 election, a lie that has been disproven again and again in numerous court cases. Most recently, Rudy Giuliani lost two defamation cases for pushing lies about voter fraud.
Before Frank’s presentation, Sandra Merchant, Julie Bass, Jan WeNaas, Richard Wolke, and Mike Sheer met to discuss their plans for voting in Cascade County. They parroted Dr. Frank’s lies and expressed their intent to move to “Amish voting” which requires all paper ballots, no machinery whatsoever, and hand counting of said ballots within twenty-four hours. The idea that this group of conspiracy theorists could accurately tally tens of thousands of votes in a mere twenty-four hours would be laughable if the intent wasn’t so nefarious.
The event itself featured a “presentation” from Dr. Frank which was not only filled with falsehoods, but also encouraged violence. Throughout the presentation, Frank painted himself and the election deniers as righteous figures, using a “David and Goliath” analogy. Ironically, the Goliath they hope to overthrow is our Democracy. Amid calling for election deniers to “rise up” Frank gave a direct call to violence. One slide read “What to do when antifa comes top your town” and the next slide showed a semi-automatic weapon. Frank went on to urge attendants not to call 911 or the sheriff’s office, but rather to grab their guns when confronted by peaceful protestors.
As an organizer of peaceful demonstrations outside of the elections office, I have serious concerns about the Clerk and Recorder and her staff promoting an extremist who literally suggests that they shoot us. This is overt voter intimidation with a clear intent to infringe upon our First Amendment rights to peaceful assembly. Sandra Merchant, Dev Biddick, and Julie Bass were all in attendance at this meeting, and not a single one spoke against Frank’s call to shoot voters who oppose them.
Sandra Merchant and her followers, many of whom are members of the Republican Pachyderm club, are but one group of extremists that are making Great Falls less safe for all of us. As I wrote about last week, the NeoNazi group White Lives Matter has blanketed our downtown with nazi propaganda. They, too, encourage violence against anyone who opposes them. So, while many of us are locating and removing nazi stickers, our very own Clerk and Recorder is hosting gatherings calling for the murder of political opponents.
In a recent interview, Great Falls Senator Steve Fitzpatrick suggested that Democrats in Great Falls are simply too extreme. And yet it seems our Republican officials are the ones embracing violence.
So, tell me, voters, is this what you were hoping for when you elected Sandra Merchant?
If so, it’s time to update our welcome signs.
Welcome to Great Falls, where the Clerk and Recorder just might shoot you for trying to vote.
Around 100 people gathered to listen to election conspiracy lies.
Read about Giuliani’s recent loss here: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/30/1196875212/judge-finds-rudy-giuliani-liable-for-defamation-of-two-georgia-election-workers
Read a comprehensive overview of Frank’s presentation here: https://dailymontanan.com/2023/08/30/election-denier-douglas-frank-presents-conspiracies-in-great-falls-meets-with-elections-officer/
Read about the nazi vandalism here: https://wtf406.com/2023/08/neonazis-vandalize-downtown-great-falls/
by WTF 406 Staff | Aug 27, 2023 | Elections
Donald Trump took some time between responding to four indictments containing ninety-one felonies to talk via zoom with State Freedom Caucus members, including some from Montana. Great Falls Republican Representative, Steven Galloway, took the opportunity to ask Trump to endorse Matt Rosendale for the Republican nomination for Jon Tester’s Senate seat. Rosendale has been playing coy boy and has not yet announced his intentions in that race. The lone Republican who has filed is Minnesota billionaire, Tim Sheehy, the handpicked candidate of Montana Senator Steve Daines and “establishment” Republicans (whatever that means these days).
Trump responded to Galloway saying that he really hadn’t looked at the Montana race yet but was sure Rosendale was waiting to get his endorsement to make his final decision. No big surprise that the man with the endless ego would put that spin on it. Galloway took the opportunity to take some shots at Tim Sheehy and the “RINOs” (Republicans In Name Only) supporting his bid for Senate touting Rosendale’s record as one of the most extreme members of Congress.
It may be an uphill push for Rosendale to get Trump’s endorsement. On the call, Trump questioned why Rosendale lost to Tester in 2018 and asked why this race would be any different. After all, Trump came to Montana numerous times supporting Rosendale to no avail and, in Trump world, if that doesn’t put you over the top, nothing can. It’s also worth noting that Rosendale snubbed Trump during the fight over electing Kevin McCarthy as house speaker, refusing to take Trump’s call (see image below). The final barrier for Rosendale is the rocky relationship between the hard right super PAC “Club for Growth” and Trump. The Club For Growth has been a major supporter of Rosendale in past elections.
Rosendale waves off Marjorie Taylor Green handing him her phone with Donald Trump waiting on the line.
Thank you to the Montana Free Press for reporting on this story.
https://montanafreepress.org/2023/08/18/hardline-gop-legislators-push-trump-for-rosendale-endorsement/
–KT
by WTF 406 Staff | Aug 27, 2023 | Elections
In case you haven’t noticed, free and fair elections are under attack. Most recently the election denier crowd here in Cascade County is bringing another roadshow charlatan here to Great Falls. This guy’s name is Douglas Frank, a former high school math and science teacher from Ohio. And it appears he is a target of an FBI probe into voter fraud in numerous states.
In April, he appeared in six public meetings in Wyoming and held private meetings with legislators and the Wyoming Secretary of State. His actions prompted the Association of Clerk and Recorders to issue a letter to the Secretary of State, Chuck Gray, which said, “Throughout those meetings, we have concluded that Dr. Frank conveys claims of impropriety but provides no proof to support his allegations.” Malcolm Ervin, Platte County clerk and president of the clerks’ association, also wrote to Gray on March 29. “One would think that Dr. Frank would be eager to prove this capability but rather than proof, Dr. Frank offers an unverifiable story.”
Last spring the election deniers brought other so-called “experts” to town for another public meeting. In addition to Republican State Senator Theresa Manzella, the self appointed Queen of election deniers in Montana, they brought in a shady character named Mark Cook. Among other things, Cook was implicated in litigation and investigations in Colorado over illegal copying of voting records. (WTF406.com has written several articles, some examples here and here, on the election deniers here in Great Falls.)
It turns out that Douglas Frank is also a target in an FBI probe of voting fraud in Colorado arising from some of the same incidents Mark Cook had allegedly been involved in. In September, his cell phone was confiscated by the FBI. Mike Lindell’s (The My Pillow Guy and major supporter of election fraud conspiracy theories) phone was also taken in part of the same investigation. Documents that Lindell showed on his on-line program said investigators were seeking evidence of crimes committed by Lindell and several associates, including Frank. Lindell said that he had hired Frank for several projects but was not aware of all of his activities and denied any involvement in the incidents in Colorado.
As Donald Trump faces state and federal criminal indictment for his efforts to steal the 2020 election, here in Great Falls election conspiracists continue promoting their wacky theories and generally fouling up the Clerk and Recorder’s office. Since taking office in January, our new Clerk and Recorder, Sandra Merchant, has managed to screw up virtually everything she touches. The school election was completely fouled up, a court ordered a special monitor to oversee the library levy election to guarantee it was properly administered, there are currently three lawsuits filed against the county challenging Merchant’s administration of local elections.
Merchant is not just incompetent. She is also corrupt. Most recently Merchant and members of her staff went to a meeting held at the high-end Chico Hot Springs Resort at an estimated cost of more than $3,000 to the taxpayers. Virtually, every new hire in the Clerk and Recorder’s office has been filled by her cronies, including the wife and daughter of far-right Republican Public Service Commissioner, Randy Pinocci. Makes one wonder where the County Attorney and County Human Resources office is since political patronage hiring is clearly illegal under state law.
So, now Frank is bringing his roadshow to Great Falls. He will be appearing on August 29 at MSU College of Technology. It makes one wonder what kinds of shenanigans Sandra Merchant and her cronies are up to now that they control the local Clerk and Recorder’s office.
–KT
For more on Frank and the investigation in Colorado, check out these articles:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2022/09/15/douglas-frank-fbi-phone-lindell/?nid=top_pb_signin&arcId=FE2NUTK67ZEHBKFRPUDJNDFXGE&account_location=ONSITE_HEADER_ARTICLE
https://wkzo.com/2022/02/17/colorado-elections-clerk-sued-after-passing-on-voting-data/
Photo of Douglas Frank from the Los Angeles Times
by WTF 406 Staff | Aug 22, 2023 | Elections
Can’t Make This Stuff Up!
Just when you think it can’t get much more weird, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Elsie Arntzen, finds yet another bizarre way to enter the Tin-Foil-Hat Hall of Fame. Here’s her recent statement from La La Land.
“It’s imperative that we talk about these challenging issues. Let’s talk about boys in girls bathrooms and that safety issue. Let’s talk about those litter boxes that some schools are putting out for children who want to view themselves as some sort of an animal. Is this where public education should be? I say no.”
—State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, speaking about culture war issues in public schools during an Aug. 15 interview on Voices of Montana radio.
https://montanafreepress.org/2023/08/21/state-superintendent-arntzen-claims-to-have-evidence-for-litter-box-use-in-montana-schools/
While we are at it, we would be remiss not to point out recent bizarre and unsubstantiated claims made by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen. The Montana Free Press covered Knudsen’s statements as follows:
“Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has accused one of the state’s most prominent abortion providers of falsifying records and ‘flagrantly’ violating state law by withholding required reports about sexual assault against minors and statutory rape, suggesting that similar alleged inaction by the organization ‘could be happening with human trafficking victims.’”
https://montanafreepress.org/2023/08/15/knudsen-suggests-planned-parenthood-of-montana-abets-human-trafficking/
by WTF 406 Staff | Aug 19, 2023 | E-City Beat Watch, Elections
Proponents of censorship lost their fight opposing the library mill levy election, but they are not done trying to control what people can read or see at the library. The next battle coming will be for library board appointments. And they have Commissioners Joe McKenney and Rick Tryon in their hip pockets.
When current library board member, Anne Bulger, came before the City Commission for reappointment at its July 18 meeting, Commissioners Tryon and McKenney suddenly objected to the process the city has used for years to fill board appointments without advertising. In fact, McKenney and Tryon both voted to appoint two positions on the Business Improvement District Board just two weeks before without advertising, and neither one raised any concern about the process.
https://theelectricgf.com/2023/07/19/city-delays-library-board-reappointment/
As a result of their objection, the Commission voted to delay the Library Board appointment until they had a chance to review the appointment process. On August 2, the Commission amended the appointment process to require advertising and posting of City Board vacancies.
https://theelectricgf.com/2023/08/08/city-amends-board-appointment-policy/
Let’s not kid ourselves about what is going on here. The opponents of the library mill levy are still licking their wounds from their loss at the ballot box. They are not done trying to censure the library, and you can bet they will have their preferred candidates to fill vacant board positions. It is not coincidence that this all comes up when a library board member is up for reappointment. If the commissioners were primarily concerned about the “process,” they could have, and should have, adopted the changes between board appointments, instead of in the middle of filling a specific and controversial board position. Tryon’s and McKenney’s motivation is clear. They are pandering to the far right to garner votes in the coming city election. We’re a little perplexed by the fact that Commissioner Susan Wolff went along with them.
By almost all accounts, Anne Bulger has been a diligent and hard working member of the Library Board. Not much has been said about how she feels about having the process changed after she applied and before the decision was made. It’s a hell of a thing to treat a volunteer board member like this. But, of course, Tryon and McKenney have other things on their mind.
KT
Note: Stay tuned for articles about the lawsuit filed by pro-censorship people challenging the library mill levy election.
by WTF 406 Staff | Jul 25, 2023 | Elections, Schools
When we wrote our first Republican Police Blotter post we didn’t think it would become a regular thing but. . . .
Belgrade school board trustee, Brian Heck has been arrested in a human trafficking and child exploitation sting organized by law enforcement in Gallatin County. He has been charged with patronizing a prostitute. Heck has resigned his position. Of course School Board trustee positions are nonpartisan. But during his campaign, the Belgrade News reported that Heck said, “I will have no tolerance for progressive social agendas being pushed on children in the classroom” and that he was a big “parents’ rights” advocate. He also received a $300 contribution from the local Republican Party during his school board race. He only had one other contributor. We’re going out on a limb here and saying he is a Republican. Correct us if we are wrong.
In other news, on July 12th Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen pled guilty to causing a rear end collision in Helena Municipal Court. The accident occurred on June 12. She was cited for following too close. Arntzen initially pled not guilty but changed her plea. Someone must have told her that rear ending another person’s vehicle is almost always the fault of the person in the following car. She was fined $100.
Speaking of Arntzen’s driving skills, in June of last year she pled no contest to passing a school bus with its stop arm extended. She said she was unaware she had done it. The video provided by the bus driver clinched the investigation. Ironic that, in her official capacity, she oversees the School bus safety program for the state.
