Here are some of the topics I’m providing commentary about today:
- Public Safety Infrastructure Bond
- Gun Store “Raid”
- GF City Election
- Hunter Biden
PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE BOND:
Tuesday night the Great Falls City Commission unanimously approved sending the $21.17 million public safety infrastructure bond to the November ballot.
As The Electric recently pointed out, the bond would be separate, and in addition to the proposed $10.7 million public safety operations levy already on the November ballot.
During the discussion phase, there were some concerns from citizens about the city spending up to $150,000 of our tax money to get us to vote to raise our taxes. I read somewhere that it costs the city about $100,000 a year for a firefighter and just a little more for a police officer. That $150K could have been used to hire a new police officer or firefighter.
City Manager Greg Doyon presented the resolution. There was some laughing and joking as Doyon begin his presentation. There was laughing when the Mayor asked for a motion and public comment. Commissioner Rick Tryon gave his normal speech trying to distance himself from the massive tax increase from the bond and levy if passed saying “our job is to present to the voters the vote” and “this is going to be your decision, the citizens decision.” For some reason, he then quoted “Tag Team” saying “Whoomp there it is. That’s what we’re doing. Whoomp there it is.” He then added, “We’re not making the final decision, we’re setting it up so you’re making the final decision.”
It seems that with every commission meeting I watch, there’s one commissioner who stands out as the person who should not be there and that is Rick Tryon. Someone needs to tell Commissioner Hinebauch to shut off his microphone or quit shuffling papers near the microphone. It’s quite disturbing. Thanks to Commissioner McKenney for dressing professionally for the meetings.
I will be voting “No” on the levy and the bond. I saw that the Cascade County Libertarian Party (CCLP) is running a Facebook advertisement telling people the CCLP “Strongly Opposes Safety Levy.” See their statement HERE.
On election night when the levy and bond fail, I will be laughing like the commission and city manager did when they approved the bond for the ballot. After it fails, I think it’s time for the city manager to move on.
GUN STORE “RAID”
There was some talk Tuesday night at the Great Falls City Commission meeting about the great “raid” of a Great Falls gun store and the use of two city police officers. The so-called “raid” has given the MAGA folks a scare and they are out in force talking about the travesty of the “raid” although they don’t really have all the facts.
City Commissioner Rick Tryon, who is running for reelection this November, questioned Great Falls Police Department Captain John Schaffer. Tryon has the transcript on his blog. You can see the video of the city commission meeting HERE. The questioning starts a little after the 1:01 mark. Tryon is getting some pushback on his Facebook page, and he is not happy with some of the comments.
The dumb question in the exchange between Tryon and Shaffer was the following asked by Tryon, “And you weren’t providing ‘paddy wagon service’ for the IRS?”
I thought we stopped using the term “paddy wagon” back in the 1950s. Some find it racist. (Source) (Source) (Source)
Nonetheless, the Great Falls Police Department supposedly issued a press release about the “raid.” I can’t find it on their Facebook page or on the city website.
GF CITY ELECTION:
The filing for the Great Falls municipal election closed on Monday, June 19. The election is on November 7. Four people are running for mayor and five people running for commissioner. Right now, it looks as though there won’t be a primary and that means there probably won’t be any candidate who gets over 50% of the vote.
Please check out the candidates closely, Will they rubber stamp tax and fee increases? Will they embarrass the city?
The Electric covers city and county issues very well – check out the list of candidates on their website HERE.
HUNTER BIDEN:
I have found the responses about the Hunter Biden plea deal from the MAGA crowd comical. I love the term they are using to describe the deal as “two systems of justice” in our country and that he received a “sweetheart deal.”
Those terms come from muti-millionaire Steve Daines, who probably doesn’t understand that due to his richness, he would get a better deal in the criminal justice system than this blogger or most Montanans.
Hunter Biden reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors on Tuesday over his failure to pay about $1 million in federal taxes and his purchase of a handgun. He will likely avoid prison if he complies with the terms of the agreement. (Source)
The funny thing is the U.S. Attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, who supervised the investigation and agreed to the plea deal, was appointed by Trump. He was assigned to the investigation by Trump. The judge who will oversee the plea deal was appointed by Trump.
The MAGA crowd has wanted blood from Hunter Biden for several years. It could be their fault that they did not get him good, or it could be that there was nothing much to get.
The Western Word 
“We’re not making the final decision, we’re setting it up so you’re making the final decision.”
“And never mind we’re spending up to $150,000 of YOUR tax money on a glitzy PR campaign to try sell you on making the decision we want you to make. But really, we’re not making the final decision”
Exactly! Thanks, JmB
The MEGA crowd would not have been happy even if Hunter got a 100 years in federal prison saying should have been 200 years. I guess the MEGA crowd has very short memory as Trump and Trump Organization has had plenty of tax problems and only one who went to jail was the companies CFO Allen
Weisselberg basically for not turning state’s evidence and not testifying against his employer. Trump Jr. and Eric faced no charges. Everyone who comes in contact with Trumps pay a huge price. So even now I have my doubts Donald Trump facing all these trials will pay any serious price.
Talked to my friend who is a licensed FFL gun dealer about the great “raid” case. He has been audited numerous times over the years and said it’s no big deal as long as your books are in order. He said that upon getting your FFL, all this is explained to you and you’re required to sign off on all this. When you sign off, you’re agreeing to the terms of the FFL requirements or you don’t get your license. There are no if and buts about it. If you don’t follow the rules, you’re license privileges are revoked and you could be charged with a crime. Therefore, there’s not a whole lot of room for whining in this case. Either everything’s in order or it isn’t. They have the right to inspect whenever they choose.
For Rosie and Knudey to turn this into a MAGA revolutionary event is despicable. How could Knudey, a lawyer, not be able to read the law? And I’m not sure Rosie is capable of understanding them.
These morons give reputable gun dealers a bad name. And I think that plays right into the gun haters hands. I’m a gun guy. I love guns. Always have. I’ve bought and sold tons of guns over the years because I keep them for awhile and then move on to others. I like to try them out. But I always make sure to do it legally.
Here for Knudey and Rosie are the regs. Read up, boys, and quit your whining until you have cause. So far, there is no hint of illegality in the raid. When there is, whine away!
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/compliance-inspections
Woefully stupid and uninformed. Stevie joins the party calling a routine audit outrageous. HE is the one who needs to clarify what was outrageous about it. Problem is, the ATF etc. make the rules, not the gun dealer. And you acknowledge that when you sign your FFL license.
I would advise Daines to read my post above before shooting off his mouth. If the dealer has had his license for thirteen years and never been audited, I’d say he’s damn lucky! No inaccuracies in his books, no problem! That’s how the ATF operates. And no, they are not required to give prior notice, and no they’re not required to notify Jesse, Rosie, Stevie in advance! End of story. These fellas never let a non-story go to waste! It’s the MAGA way!
https://www.montanarightnow.com/great-falls/montana-representatives-send-letterl-to-atf-irs-asking-for-answers-after-search-of-highwood-creek/article_0451bf26-0c91-11ee-a1bd-db656978a517.html
Here’s the real reason that Rosie is furious. The feds didn’t notify our constitutionalist sheriff first so he that he could mobilize his militia! Can you imagine the feds being so rude? The feds know that Jesse thinks he can ignore any federal law he wants, so why would they notify such an outlaw? To give him time to intervene? They did notify the local police though who aren’t self-proclaimed enemies of the government.
Rosie has yet to state what law was broken because there was none. He even mentioned that the feds were very polite and professional. So for the moment, Rosie is trying to inflate a tempest in a tea cup into open rebellion against the current administration! His rhetoric, although long on bombast, is short on facts. It’s a fuzzy call to arms that even most MAGAs are finding hard to support. And hence once again, poor Rosie is left looking the bloviating fool in search a great outrage to rouse the masses to rebellion. I don’t think snubbing his pal Jesse is going to do it though! And Rosie’s endless outrage eventually begins to wear thin tilting windmills. Maybe he should try drag queens for awhile to reclaim his bonafides!
In my view, Hunter Biden is a sacrificial lamb, and it’s a shame. There is a two-tier justice system here – 14 corrupt politicians to make a point, and the other to administer true Justice. In my view there should be no overlap there should be only the one which administers true justice. I’m finding it very tiresome to continue to see the GOP wasting time and our money just trying to make a point. Their treatment of Adam Schiff is a case in point. I was proud of Schiff for the speech he made on the floor yesterday.