Greetings! Here are the topics for today’s common sense commentary: 

• Buttigieg Visits Butte
• Money in Politics
• United States Marshal
• Anti-Weaponization Fund
• Hegseth Campaigns
• One More Thing

BUTTIGIEG VISITS BUTTE:

Several sources, including the Montana Free Press (MTFP), reported that during an hour-long speech in a packed Mother Lode Theatre, Pete Buttigieg made a rousing plea to ban corporate money from Montana politics while repeatedly sidestepping talk of a 2028 presidential run. 

MTFP reports that the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. transportation secretary drew cheers from the audience of 1,200 in Butte as he suggested that special interests and corporate spending in campaigns had drowned out the concerns of average voters. 

The 1,200 showing up in Butte is impressive – and I don’t impress easily. It shows that people want to see corporate money out of politics. 

By the way, I think Buttigieg would make a great President. 

In case you’re not familiar with the plan to get corporate money out of politics, the Transparent Election Initiative is committed to ending the influence of corporate and dark money in our politics through the groundbreaking “The Montana Plan.” Visit their website HERE and sign the petition to get it on the ballot. 

Registered Montana voters can print out the official I-194 petition form and unsworn declaration at home, sign the petition, complete an unsworn declaration, and then mail their signed petition form & completed declaration. Click HERE for more information.  

The Helena IR covered the event HERE. The Daily Montanan covered the event HERE. 

MONEY IN POLITICS:

Speaking of money in politics, I have received two postcards urging me to vote for a Republican Party Precinct person. I have received postcards before from a person wanting to be a precinct person, but these two postcards were paid for by a Political Action Committee (PAC). For a freaking precinct person! 

It was paid for by Montanans for Responsible Leadership PAC. 

I can remember when a state legislative candidate spent $500 – $1000 for the election, which made the news. Now PACs are involved in electing a precinct person. Crazy. 

Since they have plenty of money to throw around, maybe Montanans for Responsible Leadership PAC will send me a check! 

UNITED STATES MARSHAL:

The U.S. Senate voted on 49 nominees en bloc on Monday. Included was Brian Gootkin, of Montana, to be United States Marshal for the District of Montana.

The vote was 46-43 with 11 members not voting. Montana’s two U.S. Senators did show up to vote “Yea” on the nominations. (Source) 

ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND:

CBS News is reporting when President Trump and the Justice Department settled the president’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department Monday over the leak of his tax returns, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced, as part of the agreement, the creation of a $1.7+ billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which he said would “provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.” 

In other words, this is a slush fund. 

Some reports say that individuals unfairly targeted, the January 6 defendants, the Trump Administration, and Campaign Officials could be compensated. 

So if your feelings were hurt and you are MAGA, you may be able to be compensated. 

There are so many things wrong with this.  

HEGSETH CAMPAIGNS:

I can’t remember if I have ever heard of a Defense Secretary campaigning for a candidate, let alone campaigning for a candidate when there’s a war going on. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was in Kentucky Monday, campaigning for Ed Gallrein, a Trump-backed challenger to Republican congressman and frequent Trump critic Thomas Massie. (CBS News)  

Hegseth made sure to say he was at the rally in a “personal capacity” to avoid running afoul of the Hatch Act. 

It seems nothing is illegal in this administration.

ONE MORE THING:

Democracy is not dead yet, but it needs you to show up. 

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