Welcome to Monday! Here are the topics for today’s common sense commentary: 

• Wire Fraud
• Missoula Businesses
• Ghislaine Maxwell
• One More Thing

WIRE FRAUD:

The Republicans in Montana are having a great time commenting about a campaign finance manager for several Montana political committees that supports Democrats facing wire fraud charges. (Source)

The Montana Free Press (MTFP) is reporting that Abbey Lee Cook, who during the 2024 election cycle did campaign compliance work for roughly a dozen political committees and candidates, is accused of defrauding six different committees of a combined $253,000. 

The MTFP also reported that Cook reached a plea agreement with prosecutors Aug. 14, in which she agreed to repay the $253,000. In turn, prosecutors agree not to seek detention, leaving it up to a judge to decide the matter. Each of the three wire fraud charges against Cook carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence and a fine of $250,000. Cook is scheduled for a plea hearing Sept. 9 in U.S. District Court in Great Falls.

It will be interesting to see what the judge decides. 

MISSOULA BUSINESSES FACE HARRASSMENT:

The Western Montana News reported last week that multiple local businesses that sponsored the Missoula County Republican Central Committee booth at the Western Montana Fair are facing coordinated harassment campaigns through false online reviews and social media attacks.

The Western Montana News also reported that the harassment campaign appears to target businesses whose banners were displayed at the Republican booth during the fair, including Skinner Sights, The Beauty Haven Co., Windermere Real Estate, and Family Dermatology in Missoula. Western Montana News also sponsored the booth.

I don’t condone false reviews and attacks on social media against these businesses. 

But I do wonder what these businesses thought would happen when their signs were displayed at a Republican fair booth. 

There was no need for fake reviews and lies. People who are bothered by these businesses supporting Republicans just need to put “This business supports MAGAs” in their reviews. It’s true and to the point.

When I was a partisan, I frequently checked campaign donation records for business owners to determine if I wanted to give them my business. Also, if a business had a sign on their property for someone from the other party, they would not get my business. 

Frankly, I think it’s ridiculous for a business owner to allow any campaign signs on their property.  You’re probably pissing off half the voters. 

The way politics have gone into the toilet, many people will not place a campaign sign in their yards for fear that their home might be vandalized, or place a bumper sticker on their car because their tires might be slashed.

This is what we have become, and it sucks. 

GHISLAINE MAXWELL TRANSCRIPTS:

The U.S. Department of Justice has released the transcripts and recordings conducted with Ghislaine Maxwell. You can read/listen to the interview HERE. 

We should all remember, for what it is worth, that this is the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump.  

I think Trump got what he wanted out of this interview. If not, the transcripts would not have seen the light of day. The Associated Press (AP) reported:

Jeffrey Epstein’s imprisoned former girlfriend repeatedly denied to the Justice Department witnessing any sexually inappropriate interactions with Donald Trump, according to records released Friday meant to distance the Republican president from the disgraced financer.

Now we wait to see when Maxwell will receive a pardon. After the interview, she received a transfer to a nicer “minimum security” prison in Florida. I think the pardon will come after the midterm election. The move to a nicer prison was to keep her happy until then. 

ONE MORE THING:

Just because you can connect to your neighbor’s Bluetooth speaker and play ghost noises doesn’t mean that you should…

## HAVE A GREAT WEEK ##