Welcome to Friday! Here are the topics that caught my eye this week: 

• Montana Legislature
• Government Shutdown
• Shot His Pa

MONTANA LEGISLATURE:

Be aware! The circus is coming back after the break!

The Montana Legislature will be back in session with the State Senate meeting today (March 14) and the State House meeting Monday (March 17). 

The Montana Free Press (MTFP) reports that Day 2 of State Senator Jason Ellsworth’s ethics hearing begins today (Friday).  

The MTFP is also reporting that records show that several Montana senators, including the chair of the ethics committee, are out of state compliance with disclosing business, property or investment relationships that could be conflicts of interest. The D1 business disclosure form is something not only candidates for office are expected to file with the Commissioner of Political Practices, but also “holdover senators” in election years when they’re not on the ballot. Disclosure forms are missing for about 25 state senators, according to a hardcopy search of COPP data. 

It’s amazing that “about 25 state senators” are not in compliance. It seems that many of our elected officials feel they are above the law. 

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN:

The leader of the U.S. Senate Democrats, Chuck Schumer, has indicated he will support the Republican funding bill. The Associated Press (AP) reports:

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer relented Thursday rather than risk a government shutdown, announcing he’s ready to start the process of considering a Republican-led government funding bill that has fiercely divided Democrats under pressure to impose limits on the Trump administration.

The AP also reported, “Trump has taken a blowtorch to our country and wielded chaos like a weapon,” Schumer said. “For Donald Trump, a shutdown would be a gift. It would be the best distraction he could ask for from his awful agenda.”

I guess the sound of “Schumer Shutdown” did not play well with the Democrats. 

The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate will need several Democrats to help meet the 60-vote threshold (cloture) to send the bill to a final vote.  

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) will not support the bill. He posted the following message on X:

Despite @DOGE’s findings of loony left-wing USAID programs, the Republican spending bill continues to fund the very foreign aid @elonmusk proposes to cut! The bill continues spending at the inflated pandemic levels and will add $2T to the debt this year. Count me as a hell no!

After some drama, I predict the Senate will get it passed before midnight tonight.  

SHOT HIS PA:

The following headline caught my attention:

Memphis man says he was shot by his dog while lying in bed

NBC News is reporting that a man told officers he was lying on his bed with a friend when his dog jumped onto the bed and its paw got stuck in the gun’s trigger guard, police said. The pet ended up hitting the trigger, the gun went off and the man was grazed in his upper left thigh, police said. 

You probably know what the Second Amendment folks will say: 

The only way to stop a bad dog with a gun is with a good dog with a gun…

## HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ##