by Ken Toole | Apr 23, 2024 | Schools
Back in early April, we wrote a blog post pointing out that most of the Libertarians who filed to run for legislature were removed from the ballot by the Commissioner of Political Practices for failing to file the paperwork required by law. We also pointed out that the current chair of the local Libertarian Party, Tony Rosales, was the treasurer for all of those candidates. The campaign treasurer’s main responsibility is to make sure the campaign is complying with legal filing and reporting requirements. Obviously, Rosales fell short of meeting those pretty simple obligations. https://wtf406.com/2024/04/cascade-countys-loopy-libertarians/
Rosales then appeared as a school board candidate and, in a separate post, we pointed out that allegations he was making about school personnel and policies were a bunch of baloney. https://wtf406.com/2024/04/school-board-candidate-attacks-gfps-employee-in-tik-tok-video/
The local Libertarian Party posted a response on the platform formally known as Twitter. The post said that the author of the post, Ken Toole, missed some “transmittal deadlines” 20 years ago when he served in the Montana Senate, implying that Toole should not criticize others for missing deadlines. The fact of the matter is that virtually all legislators have some bills that do not make the transmittal deadline. Take Randy Pinocci for example. In 2015, when he served in the House of Representatives, he had four bills that failed to make the “transmittal deadline.” Unfortunately, if Tony Rosales’ School Board campaign is any indication, facts and accuracy are simply unimportant to Cascade County Libertarians.
We can’t be sure Rosales is the author of the post. It was submitted under the name of the Cascade County Libertarians without author attribution. We assume that, since he is the chairperson, he was aware of it and approved of its content. In a message to Jasmine Taylor, who also writes posts for WTF406.com, the Libertarians ask her to let Toole know their response is, “Go make us a fucking sandwich Ken.” Wow! Haven’t heard anything quite that clever since 8th grade. Do we really want Tony Rosales on the School Board?
by Ken Toole | Mar 27, 2024 | City, E-City Beat Watch, Elections
Cascade County’s far right was mad as hell when the County Commissioners removed election duties from Sandra Merchant’s control. Nevermind that Marchant had fouled up virtually everything she touched since taking office in January of 2023.
When the County Commission held a hearing on Ordinance 23-65, which removed election duties from Merchant’s Clerk and Recorder’s office to the County Commission office, the hearing lasted 7 hours. Cascade County was treated to a cavalcade of baseless allegations, bible quotes and challenges to Commissioner’s motivation and patriotism. It was quite a show. But in the end, Commissioner’s Joe Briggs and Jim Larson stood for competent election administration and placed election administration under the Commission office. Here’s a summary of that meeting: https://wtf406.com/2023/12/the-grinch-in-great-falls/
In response, these folks organized a petition drive to place the issue on the ballot and give people the opportunity to express their opinion supporting their point of view. But, alas, they failed. Not only did the imagined vast majority of supporters not get to vote, signature gatherers couldn’t even get the required 15% of eligible voters to sign the petition to place the measure on the ballot.
Read our prior coverage here: https://wtf406.com/2024/01/dont-sign-the-petition/
In order to place the measure before voters the organizers had to get approximately 5,500 signatures from registered voters in Cascade County. But after 90 days signature gatherers only managed to gather 1,242 verified signatures. Less than a quarter of the required number. So much for a wave of public support for the Merchant/Grulkowski crowd of conspiracy theorists.
Note: Since starting this blog we have learned that getting public information from Cascade County is incredibly difficult and frustrating. We found the new election administrator, Terry Thompson, to be an exception. Our request for information about the signature gathering effort was responded to in a timely manner with complete and accurate information.
by Ken Toole | Mar 25, 2024 | Elections
The online Montana newspaper The Daily Montanan published a really good analysis of the Cascade County Republican primary race between Eric Hinebauch and Rae Grulkowski. Below are excerpts from the article.
“In an interview with the Daily Montanan, Hinebauch described himself as a fiscal conservative but shied away from the label ‘moderate,’ and so did Great Falls legislator and Senate Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick in describing Hinebauch. But others who work closely with him know him as a centrist looking to get things done.”
“Grulkowski was a leader in the anti-Big Sky National Heritage Area movement, revolving around a conspiracy the federal government was targeting private property in the county, debunked in the New York Times in 2021.”
“In this June’s Republican primary, voters in Cascade County will choose whether to go with the middle-of-the-road conservative or a far-right conspiracist.”
Read the full article here.
https://dailymontanan.com/2024/03/22/national-republican-party-dynamics-at-play-in-cascade-county-commission-primary/
Grulkowski has the advantage of far-right base support which provides her with volunteers, funding and energy. She jumped out of the campaign gates already having signs out all over the county. So far, Hinebauch is ahead in fundraising, reporting $12,085.70 for the reporting period ending March 15. Grulkowski has raised $7,125.00.
Hinebauch stands to benefit from centrist Republicans who are tired of the drama Grulkowski has brought to county government. There are also potential Democratic crossover votes in this election. The race for the Eastern District Congressional seat is the only Democratic primary race. And the truth is that a Democrat is highly unlikely to carry the general election in the Eastern District, no matter who wins. At the same time there are numerous contested Republican primaries, which are bound to attract interest across the ballot.
by Ken Toole | Mar 15, 2024 | Elections
Let’s start with a little definition of terms used in this Post.
Far-Right Republicans– Republicans who advocate ideas and policies which are coming from extreme groups like the Freedom Caucus and local Pachyderm Club. They are driven by conspiracy theories including rhetoric about the “Deep State” and stolen elections. The Galloways, Public Service Commissioner Randy Pinocci, Sheriff Jesse Slaughter and County Commissioner Rae Grulkowski are in this group. Also known as Tin Foil Hat Republicans
Corporate Republicans– Republicans who generally fit into the more traditional frame of Republicanism. They promote privatization of public services and institutions, deregulation of industry, and cutting taxes. Fitzpatrick, McKamey, Buttrey, Nikolakos, Commissioners Briggs and Larson, Republican Central Committee Chair Eric Hinebauch are in this group. Also known as Corporate Lapdog Republicans.
If you follow local politics in Cascade County, you are probably aware of the feuds within the local Republican Party. We’re not going to go into in much detail here, but we provide this quote from Matthew Monforton, Republican activist, former legislator, and attorney who was representing the Far-Right Republicans here in a lawsuit over control of the Republican Central Committee in 2019. “What it comes down to is, there’s a group of fake Republicans in Cascade County that are really Democrats, but they know they can’t get elected to office as Democrats. Their goals are vastly different than those of the Republican Party.”
https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2019/02/05/tensions-gop-threaten-boil-over-county-committee-fights-steve-fitzpatrick-sheridan-buck-monforton/2782214002/
A quick look at the filing for this election cycle indicates that the feud is still going. There is a contested Republican primary in every legislative district except one. Equally telling, only one current legislator and Corporate Republican, Steve Fitzpatrick, does not face a primary challenger. Also interesting that four Libertarians have filed.
To our readers who are gleefully rubbing their hands together over the discord within the Republican ranks, we have to say, “not so fast.” The truth is that contested primaries make for stronger candidates in the general election cycle. They have already been raising money, meeting voters, buying materials and garnering media attention, and they bring those assets with them to the general election.
So, we leave you with a little unverified gossip. Word is that Far-Right Republican legislator Steven Galloway recruited James Whitaker to challenge incumbent George Nikolakos in House District 22. Nikolakos was so angry that he got his wife to file against Steven Galloway at the last minute. We don’t know if this is the real story, but we do know that Melissa Nikolakos filed against Galloway on the last day to file at 3:38 p.m. Hmmm.
HD 19
Jane Weber- D
Hannah Trebas – R
Darren Auger- R
HD 20
Rina Moore – D
Steven Galloway-R
Melissa Nikolakos-R
HD 21
Lela Graham-D
ED Buttrey-R
James Osterman-R
Joshua Rosles-L
HD 22
Ronald Paulick- D
George Nikolakos-R
James Whitaker- R
HD 23
Sandor Hopkins-D
Pete Anderson- R
John Proud-R
Josh Denully- R
Kevin Leatherbarrow- L
HD 24
Steve Fitpatrick- R
Annie Leatherbarrow- L
HD 25
James Rickley- D
Darren Auger- R
Steve Gist- R
Loui Salinas- L
SD 13
Lola Galloway-R
Joshua Cashmier- R
by Ken Toole | Mar 15, 2024 | Guest Articles
If you are interested in what it was like growing up with Montana Historian K. Ross Toole, the formation of the Montana Human Rights Network, the fight against electric deregulation, the extremism of the Gianforte administration and the Cult of Trump, you might want to check out this podcast with Russell Rowland interviewing Ken Toole.
Episode Eleven – Ken Toole – by Russell Rowland (substack.com)
