Coming to you from The Western Word world headquarters located deep in a MAGA-proof bunker in Montana. This is Thursday Thoughts! 

Here are the topics for today’s column:

• MT AG Austin Knudsen
• The Ballot Box
• Racicot Endorses Tester
• Sheehy – Powerless & Useless

MT AG AUSTIN KNUDSEN:

The Montana Free Press (MTFP) reports that the Commission on Practice recommended Wednesday that Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s license to practice law be suspended for three months for actions committed by himself or Department of Justice attorneys he supervises. The commission found that Knudsen undermined the public’s trust in the legal system back in 2021 when the attorney general refused to comply with a Supreme Court order and disparaged justices. 

Knudsen says he will appeal. 

The MTFP also reported that the Montana Supreme Court will decide the matter and isn’t required to follow the sentence recommended by the commission. Knudsen is campaigning for reelection currently. Every Montana attorney general since 1942 to seek a second term has been reelected. 

This recommendation is quite interesting and the timing is not good for Knudsen. The big question is can Knudsen be the AG if he is suspended? 

According to the Montana Code:

(2) Any person with the foregoing qualifications is eligible to the office of attorney general if an attorney in good standing admitted to practice law in Montana who has engaged in the active practice thereof for at least five years before election. (Source)

Read the complete article from the MTFP HERE. The Helena IR has a report HERE. 

THE BALLOT BOX: 

There was a lot of feigned outrage across Montana MAGA land when a video caught a man touching a ballot box in Glacier County. 

I saw the video and the first thing I thought was, “Is that all?” 

The Montana Secretary of State’s office identified the individual in the footage as Laszlo Gendler, who has been employed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). He was supposedly sent there to see how secure the ballot box was. (Source)

I guess it was secure and they have cameras to monitor it.

This was a nothingburger. It was a screwup by not notifying the local election office beforehand, but overall it was a nothingburger. 

RACICOT ENDORSES TESTER:

Former Montana Republican Governor Marc Racicot endorsed U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat, this week. It’s an endorsement that sent the MAGA crowd into a frenzy.

Racicot writes that a lot has changed in Montana since I served in the governor’s office. But the collective love for our state and country has remained strong. That’s why I’m asking you to join me in embracing our state’s tradition of ‘voting for person over party’ and cast your ballot for Sen. Jon Tester.  

You can read the full endorsement HERE. 

SHEEHY – POWERLESS & USELESS:

I received a mailer from my friends at the Montana AFL-CIO and it reminded me of some comments Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Tim Sheehy, made earlier this year. Sheehy said if he was elected:

“As a junior senator, I can’t lead legislation. I can’t draft bills.” 

“I’m not going to promise I’m going to bring you home a billion-dollar new interstate or I’m going to build you a bridge.”

“So I will be the most junior, powerless, useless person in the Senate when I get there.”

Montana will lose a lot if Jon Tester is not reelected. That is a fact and even Tim Sheehy knows it. 

Check out the FRONT and BACK of the mailer.   

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