Republicans Support Disgraced Former Pastor
Republican Darling JD Hall’s Fall From Grace Exposes Allegations of Serious Crimes
Great Falls Republicans were quick to embrace far-right extremist Jordan Hall. On February 17, 2022, Hall was the featured speaker for the Republican “Pachyderm Club.” Public Service Commissioner Randy Pinocci is a vocal supporter of disgraced pastor Jordan Hall. Pinocci went so far as to be featured in a newspaper advertisement supporting Hall. Yet Republicans throughout Great Falls have been utterly silent amid Hall’s extreme fall from grace. Who the funk is Jordan Hall?
Hall found infamy after defaming a prominent Indigenous, Two-Spirit lobbyist, Adrian Jawort. Jawort sued Hall, and after a scary and prolonged trial, Jawort prevailed. Hall eventually admitted his entire story was a lie. However, before losing the lawsuit against him, Hall went on a statewide tour, spreading hate, homophobia, and transphobia. This included several stops in Great Falls, rubbing shoulders with our own local right-wing extremist politicians.
Hall’s dangerous behavior escalated, and he threatened to kill Raph Graybill, attorney for Jawort. Hall also made disparaging comments about Great Falls’ own Judge Best who presided over the case. Shortly after losing against Jawort, Hall faced yet another accusation of defamation.
Despite Hall’s clear lack of character and extreme bigotry, there’s been not a peep from the Great Falls’ politicians that welcomed Hall with open arms. Perhaps this is not a surprise, given the pervasive culture of homophobia within the Republican Party. (Remember, Great Falls received a mere 6 out of 100 points in the 2021 Municipal Equality Index Scorecard.) However, Hall’s most recent offenses seem entirely at odds with the “family centered” façade Republicans cling to.
Previous hatemongering notwithstanding, Hall’s downward spiral has only gained momentum since his court losses. Hall’s newest hits include:
– Arrest for suspicion of DUI and weapons charges
– Admission of drug abuse and a felony charge for drug possession
– Investigation into potential bankruptcy fraud
– Investigation into claims Hall embezzled around $10,000 from his church
– Investigation into a serious incident of spouse and child abuse including strangulation and assault with a deadly weapon
Hall has even been removed from his own church according to a statement on its website.
Clearly Hall’s disgusting and hateful rhetoric towards the LGBTQ+ community and his threats towards attorneys didn’t dissuade Pinocci from offering his full support. Nor did it prevent the local Pachyderm Club from inviting this bigot to speak to their group. GF Republicans have clearly been infiltrated by far-right conspiracy nuts…like the rest of the Republican Party across the state.
