What do you say about a husband and wife team serving in the legislature and representing your community? We thought we did away with the concept of royalty long ago. Of course this is different, but it still feels so. . .feudal. And in the tradition of a feudal system, Steven Galloway and Lola Sheldon-Galloway seem to be in lockstep with each other when it comes to their politics.
Steven Galloway is currently running for House District 24. He was swept into the position in the 2020 Trump wave. He defeated Barbara Bessette, who is currently running against him to regain her seat.
Steven and Lola Galloways have six children and are active in the Mormon Church. Politically, both are on the far right of the Republican Party. They have hosted local militia meetings (See our post https://wtf406.com/2022/09/galloways-host-militia-fundraiser/) and participated in the efforts to undermine our election system by advocating Donald Trump’s Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen, despite the fact that Republicans won every race in Cascade County, (https://wtf406.com/2022/09/the-big-lie-in-cascade-county/)
Steven calls himself a businessman. He and his wife, Lola, own 23 apartments, six rental houses, and six commercial properties. Those commercial properties include the local Dairy Queens, Do It Best Hardware, and Great Falls Lumber. All in all, he has built quite the little kingdom. Galloways’ real estate investments alone are worth almost $2.5 million.
Politically, he is ultra conservative. He also introduces legislation that affects his business interests. He’s sponsored five bills dealing with property valuation and/or landlord tenant relations. He’s endorsed by the NRA, The Montana Family Foundation, and the Montana Shooting Sports Association (if the NRA is too liberal for you, MSSA is for you)
Lola is loopy, agitated, and angry. She was elected in 2017 to represent House District 22. You might wonder how she and her husband both serve in the House of Representatives from different districts when they live in the same house. Well, Steve doesn’t live in the district he represents. This seems to be common among Great Falls Republicans (See our previous post about Representative Steve Gist’s residency issues (https://wtf406.com/2022/10/where-in-the-world-does-steve-gist-really-live/ )
Lola consistently shows up at far-right gatherings in Great Falls. She protests abortion at Planned Parenthood, pushing a baby carriage with a doll in it. She helps the militia raise money. She pushes election conspiracy theories. She helped organize efforts to stop legal marijuana sales in Great Falls.
The bills she carries in the legislature are consistent with her activism in town with a pinch of Trump conspiracy theories as well. In the last session, she brought bills to limit marijuana sales (died), prohibit censorship by social media (died), revise election laws related to absentee ballots (died), and to establish a “pain capable” unborn child protection act (passed. . . unfortunately).
The House of Galloway has thrown its support behind the efforts of far-right takeover of the local and state Republican Parties. The hard right in Great Falls is now centered in the local Pachyderm Club after losing a long and acrimonious battle with moderates for control of the Republican Central Committee. Lola received The Pachyderm Club’s highest award, the Golden Tusk in 2020. She is currently on the State Republican Party Executive Board, which took a dramatic turn to the right at its last convention. She was also a Montana Delegate to the last National Republican Convention.
It’s called a “Super Majority.” And Republicans are just two legislative seats away from having it. It means that, in addition to the crappy bills they pass in the legislature, they will be able to change the foundation of our government that protects citizen rights. . . the Montana Constitution. And they just can’t wait to do it.
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 super majority 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. At a time when large swaths of the Republican Party support the January 6th insurrection and believe the hocus pocus dished out by the likes of Donald Trump, it is scary to think about what they would do to our constitution.
We encourage everyone to look at our constitution. It is an amazing document. https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/index.htm We thought it would be good to list a few of the rights we stand to lose if the Republicans achieve their super majority in this election.
Section 4. Individual dignity. The dignity of the human being is inviolable. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws. Neither the state nor any person, firm, corporation, or institution shall discriminate against any person in the exercise of his civil or political rights on account of race, color, sex, culture, social origin or condition, or political or religious ideas.
Section 8. Right of participation. The public has the right to expect governmental agencies to afford such reasonable opportunity for citizen participation in the operation of the agencies prior to the final decision as may be provided by law.
Section 9. Right to know. No person shall be deprived of the right to examine documents or to observe the deliberations of all public bodies or agencies of state government and its subdivisions, except in cases in which the demand of individual privacy clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure.
Section 10. Right of privacy. The right of individual privacy is essential to the well-being of a free society and shall not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest.
Article IX (1) The state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.
Article X, (2) The state recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity.
Of course these are just words on paper (or pixels on a screen). The constitution comes alive over time and primarily through actions in the court system. Here in Montana and nationally conservative Republicans believe they have lost many of their goals in the courts. One result is that they have made it a priority to replace judges who don’t share their views. This is probably the reason so many evangelicals supported Trump. . .and he delivered for them by appointing three Conservative Supreme Court justices. Here in Montana, Supreme Court candidate Jim Brown is the epitome of a judge with a Republican agenda.
Changing our constitution would be the Holy Grail for the far right in Montana. And they are very close to being able to do it in the Montana Legislature. The stakes in this election are very high. If you care about protecting our constitution, vote for Democrats.
In the last monthly reporting period that ended October 15, Kerns reported receiving over $6,500. A large chunk of that came from Republican organizations and officials. Here’s a breakdown.
Former and current legislators:
Mark Noland (Flathead County)…………………………………….$250
Steve Fitzpatrick (Cascade County)……………………………..$100
Steve Gist (Cascade or Flathead County?)……………………$400
George Nikolakakos (Legislative Candidate Cascade County)…….$208
Republican PACs:
Cascade County Republican Central Committee………..$200
Cascade Republican PAC………………………………….$400
So, why do you suppose Kerns is getting this late infusion of cash from politicos in the Republican Party? Could it be that they can see that Kerns’ opponent, Melissa Smith, has run a strong campaign? Could it be that Kerns has not run a good campaign? Could it be that this house district has the best “numbers” for Democrats in Cascade County? Probably all of the above.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Thomas Jefferson January 1,1802, Letter to the Danbury Baptists, Jan. 1. 1802.
Now we come to legislator Scot Kerns. Before getting into details, we need to think a little about that good old time religion. Most of us are aware there are lots of different flavors of “Christianity,” some ultra conservative and some more liberal. There is no consensus among Christian churches on much of anything. From gay rights to capital punishment, one will find Christian churches with differing positions on virtually any political issue.
Beginning in the 1970s, some conservative Christian leaders began partnering with conservative political activists to mobilize their followers to engage the political process with an overarching goal of incorporating their religious views into public policy. And all along the way, they pointed at anyone who does not ascribe to their interpretation of scripture, calling them anti-Christian.
That effort over the last 50 years has paid off. Today conservtive Christains dominate politics from the US Supreme Court to the halls of the Montana Capitol. Our Governor, Greg Gianforte, and junior US Senator Steve Daines both attended the same conservative church in Bozeman. Visit the halls of the Montana Legislature and count the lawmakers wearing lapel pins with a tiny American Flag and a cross. And they have no reservations about imposing their form of religion on the rest of us. Welcome to the world of Christian Nationalism.
Scot Kerns is clearly steeped in the beliefs of the current right-wing religious uprising we face. After attending a private military school, he went on to receive a BA in theology from Concordia University in Chicago and then a MA in divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After college he was a pastor at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Kansas. All of these are affiliated with Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.
Without disappearing into the history of the Lutheran Church, here are a few of the positions of the Missouri Synod. Women cannot be ordained. Pro-capital punishment, anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQI. . .you get the picture. For more information you can check this out https://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs/faqs/lcms-views.
Since leaving College, Kerns has been a pastor in Kansas. He has been a guest pastor for KUFO radio, a station owned by the Missouri Synod. He says he’s a former Captain in the Air Force but doesn’t provide any dates, positions held, or places served in the roster of current legislators. He says he is currently Christian clergy but doesn’t say where. He says he is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol but his name does not appear on the Montana Wing Staff Roster as of May 2021. The Civil Air Patrol does have different memberships, but Kerns does not list any specifics. You really can’t tell from public documents what he is doing for a living right now. And his campaign material is equally vague.
His campaign contributors have an interesting story to tell. He hasn’t gotten much support from Great Falls residents. A review of his last three campaign finance reports reveals that less than 40 percent of his donors live in Great Falls. Most of his out-of-town donors are heavy hitters in the Republican Party, including Greg Gianforte who gave him the maximum; Chuck Denowh, President of the lobbying firm, The Montana Group; and current and former legislators from across the state including far-right legislators Kenneth Bogner, Tom McGillvray, Keith Regier and Bob Keenan.
But at the end of the day, what really matters are his bills and how he votes. And here we see that he is clearly on the far-right of the Republican Party. Among the bills he sponsored are:
HB 436- Prohibiting local governments from restricting concealed weapons in publicly owned buildings. Failed
HJ 6- Resolution in opposition to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for students of the Montana University System. Failed
His votes on bills he did not sponsor basically track the votes of the Trump Cult members in the legislature. He’s wrong on reproductive freedom and abortion, wrong on guns, wrong on tax, wrong on education, wrong on energy, and wrong on the environment. Rather than going through the long litany of bad bills supported by Kerns, we’ll just quote from a recent blog post in the Western Word, which is dedicated to independent commentary about politics, sports, the media, and current events. Blogger Mike Brown worked for Republican Conrad Burns in the mid-1990s . In his blog about the race between Kerns and Melissa Smith, he wrote, “I plan on voting for Melissa Smith. I followed Kerns’ votes in the last legislative session, and he is a full-blown MAGA guy.”
Why I’m supporting Penny Ronning for Montana’s Eastern Congressional District
Montana’s newly created Eastern Congressional District is a three-way race between Republican Matt Rosendale, Independent Gary Buchanan, and Democrat Penny Ronning. You likely have heard why Matt Rosendale sucks – he celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election on January 6th, and there’s a lot more ugliness where that came from. Rosendale is largely absent from Montana with a reputation for avoiding meetings with his constituents. But you might have noticed that Independent Gary Buchanan and Democrat Penny Ronning have supporters within typically Democratic circles in Great Falls. What the Funk wanted to provide our readers two comparison opinion pieces of why some people are supporting Gary Buchanan and why others support Penny Ronning. You can check out our guest contributor post about Gary Buchanan on the blog.
But for me, I’m voting for Penny Ronning for Congress.
The first time I met Penny Ronning was at a meet and greet event in Great Falls. I wasn’t sure who I was supporting in the Democratic primary, and I wanted to make sure that the candidate I voted for was a true advocate for LGBTQ rights, abortion rights, working people, and the environment. Penny did not let me down. She spoke strongly to the heart of why those issues are important and how she will fight for them.
Penny Ronning is a force for change.
Ronning effectively served on the Billings City Council, led community organizations to develop economies, and co-founded the Yellowstone County Area Human Trafficking Task Force. She has been a long-time advocate for victims of human trafficking and has participated in national committees developing policy and authoring legislation to combat this devastating issue. Penny Ronning has traveled all over our Congressional district to meet voters where they are and listen. Since the first time I met her in Great Falls, she has made the consistent effort to return again and again. Penny Ronning is working hard to be a voice for everyday Montanans.
Penny Ronning has a proven track record of support for human rights that are currently under attack in our country. I know that she will stand up for LGBTQ rights, because she already has. I know that she will stand up for reproductive rights, because she already has (numerous times, see here too!).
When I vote for Penny Ronning, I know what I am getting. A fighter for me. For us. For Montana. Penny Ronning has been consistent and honest about her stance on the issues since day one. We deserve someone brave and willing to put in the work day in and day out. We deserve Penny Ronning in Congress.
Do y’all remember when folks with kooky ideas were mostly just fun? Sure, they thought aliens built the pyramids. And maybe they were convinced that the Illuminati were secretly controlling the world. But those ideas were easy to dismiss because we collectively understood that information that couldn’t be verified was essentially fiction. Unfortunately, this kind of fun kooky persona has evolved into something far more sinister. Now, we face real world danger based on wild and unsubstantiated lies. What’s more, we’ve learned that simply being an elected official does not indicate a person is sane, stable, or even capable of good judgment.
Enter Jeremy Trebas, former House Rep and current candidate for Senate District 13. Trebas is facing off against Democrat Casey Schreiner. To be clear, I didn’t support Schreiner in his previous bid for Governor, and I don’t consider Schreiner to be a progressive. I don’t live in District 13 so I have no personal stake in this matter. I just think Trebas is really, really stupid, and the folks in his district deserve to know that.
Trebas’ concerns and areas of focus have become increasingly odd, to say the least. Most recently, Trebas spoke out in support of the Montana woman who killed and skinned a husky. An odd position to take, because loving dogs is perhaps the only truly a-political position Montanans all share. We’re dog people, even those of us who don’t hunt. Hunters too, shared a state-wide shiver seeing the innocent animal skinned and paraded as if this woman hadn’t just murdered a household pet.
In a surprising show of tenacity, Schreiner recently shared a number of Trebas’ more concerning posts. Among them, Trebas criticized Malmstrom’s Pride Month celebrations equating the events to “parad[ing] mental illness and degeneracy.” Perhaps Trebas is unaware that the military community includes service members that are also LGBTQ+? Does he view these service members as degenerates as well?
In conjunction with Trebas’ well-documented bigotry, he has vocally joined forces with another vile and destructive propagator of human pain, much like himself. That’s right, Candidate Trebas is here to tell us that we should all be kinder to- Polio. No, really. A resurfaced post of Trebas states, “There was no need for the polio vaccine.” Personally, I respect Trebas’ bodily autonomy (even if he doesn’t respect mine). Therefore I am totally okay with Trebas needlessly catching polio. But to argue that we didn’t need a vaccine for a disease that was killing and paralyzing kids? That’s heartless. Even for an anti-choice, anti-puppy, homophobic Republican.
So to close: Trebas is PRO shooting huskies and ANTI polio vaccine. Let’s hope he includes this info on his next mailer.
