Press Release

HELENA, Mont. – Do you want to Keep America Great and play a role in re-electing President Donald J. Trump this November?

Consider representing Montana as a delegate at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina from August 24th-27th!

Montanans who wish to be considered by the Nominating Committee for this role must fill out this form and return it to MTGOP Headquarters no later than April 13th.

Delegates to the Republican National Convention will be chosen at Montana’s State Delegate Convention which is scheduled to be held on June 12th-13th in Missoula. Delegates must be a resident of the state of Montana.

There are two ways to submit your form:

• Scan and email by April 13th, 2020 to spenser@mtgop.org, or
• Mail to MTGOP, P.O. Box 935, Helena, MT, 59624.

Let’s continue to work together to #MakeMontanaRed and #KeepAmericaGreat!

HELENA, Mont. – Remember what is on the line this November.

For the second time in 24 hours, Senate Democrats have recklessly blocked the Coronavirus relief package from moving forward. This package would provide immediate relief to Montana families, hospitals, and small businesses who are suffering during this crisis.

Senator Jon Tester joined Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats not once, but twice, and blocked this must-pass measure from advancing.

Our families, small businesses, health care workers, hospitals, first responders, and others hard-hit by the Coronavirus pandemic need this financial help now. The political games must end, and we need to come together and get this bill done for the good of our country.

Senator Tester must put politics aside and vote YES on the Coronavirus relief package today!

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HELENA, Mont. – Following a meeting of the MTGOP Executive Board, the Montana Republican Party released the following statement today as a recommendation to Central Committees to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus.

“It is our patriotic duty to follow the guidance of our leaders to the best of our abilities during the COVID-19 national emergency,” said Chairman Don “K”. “In support of the President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America, MTGOP recommends that our Central Committees postpone in-person events larger than 10 people and heed CDC recommendations until further notice by the Administration. We encourage Central Committees to conduct electronic meetings as needed.”

For additional information on the President’s guidance to slow the spread of COVID-19, please visit coronavirus.gov.

HELENA, Mont. – Montana Republicans are more unified and electrified than ever before. In addition to the nearly 200 Republican candidates that filed for office, at least one Republican candidate is on the ballot in 116 out of 125 legislative races across the state as of the filing deadline on Monday, March 9th. This gives Republicans an immediate and substantial edge against the Democrats, who are running in less than 90 of the 125 legislative races.

“Montanans who prize freedom, liberty, and opportunity for all are in a better position than ever to elect candidates in 2020 that embody these values,” says Montana Republican Party Chair Don “K”. “As the numbers show, our party is more energized than ever before – in red and blue areas alike.

“100% participation is always our goal, but 92% in legislative races across the state is an outstanding achievement. I’m proud of my team, and I’m grateful to every Montanan who has become a part of the red wave. There is always room for more – and I encourage even more Montanans to get involved as we fight to preserve our freedoms and our Montana way of life. A red wave is coming!”

The further Democrats shift to the left on issues like the Second Amendment, border security, or a complete government takeover of healthcare, the more out of touch they become with Montanans and our values.

Our state and country has a clear choice between freedom or socialism in 2020, and Republicans are rallying to the occasion.

Montana will hold its primaries on June 2nd. If you’d like to join in on our efforts to uphold freedom in Montana and across the country, please contact MTGOPvolunteer@mtgop.org for information on how to get involved.

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HELENA, Mont. – Today, the Montana Republican Party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission requesting an immediate investigation and enforcement action against the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and the Montana Conservation Voters Fund. 

“In an exchange during a municipal election in 2019, it was expressly stated that the League of Conservation Voters and Montana Conservation Voters financial support includes contributions from ‘big foundations and donors from around the country and world,’” said Spenser Merwin, MTGOP Executive Director. 

“Given the extent of these groups’ direct involvement in municipal, state, and federal campaigns throughout Montana, the threat of foreign contributions being used in any municipal, state, or federal election activity justifies a legitimate investigation to ensure they are complying with the law.” 

Foreign interference in any election in the United States through foreign-sourced contributions is prohibited under federal law. Therefore, the Montana Republican Party calls on Governor Bullock and all Montana Democrats in the 2020 election to reject any support from the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and the Montana Conservation Voters Fund until it is clear that resources spent on electioneering are not in any way sourced from foreign contributions.

Background: 

Democrats deride “dark money”, however, their candidates continue to benefit from undisclosed environmental groups like the League of Conservation Voters. Now there is a potential threat of foreign interference by way of the lack of disclosure for these politically active organizations.

The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund contributed $38,000 on September 6th, 2019 to the Montana Conservation Voters (MCV) Fund during a period coinciding with campaign expenditures from MCV in local municipal elections, including city council elections in Missoula and Billings.

Mailers, text messages, and other communications were issued through MCV urging the support for the organization’s endorsed candidates campaigning for Missoula City Council. 

During a text message exchange urging the support of a particular candidate, a member or employee of MCV stated that the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund is an organization that works on “federal races,” gives MCV “support grants from… time to time” and “is all legal work.” The individual also states that the League of Conservation Voters receives its support from “big foundations and donors around the country and world.”

Please find the full complaint here.   

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Paid for by the Montana Republican State Central Committee. Mike Hopkins, Treasurer. PO BOX 935 Helena, MT 59624.

 

HELENA, Mont. – All it took was one meeting with Chuck Schumer to force Governor Bullock into the U.S. Senate race, marking the latest meddling by Democrat Party insiders in our Montana elections.

In a new video released by the Montana Republican Party today, Montanans are provided with a behind-the-scenes look into how key Democrat Party leaders have tried to control the outcome of Montana’s elections over the last six years.

Click HERE for video.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane… You may recall that back in 2014, President Obama, Senator Reid, and Governor Bullock cut a backroom deal to appoint Bullock’s then-Lieutenant Governor John Walsh to the U.S. Senate in an attempt to give him a leg up in the upcoming election.

That didn’t turn out so well when John Walsh had to drop out of the race for plagiarizing his college thesis.

Fast forward to today, Obama and Schumer applied the maximum pressure in private meetings with Bullock to arm-twist him into the race.

Remember – running for Senate was the last possible thing Bullock ever wanted to do. He said he wasn’t interested in, excited about, or found the race to be compelling…

Steve Bullock is in this race for Chuck Schumer. He is not in this race for Montana.

Once again, the Democrat Party leaders got their way with their candidate of choice here in Montana. But if the past is any indication, this won’t end up going as they think.

Montanans deserve a U.S. Senator who is running to serve them – not Chuck Schumer and Barack Obama.

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Schumer’s New Puppet: Governor Steve Bullock Chuck Schumer is having a great day. He just gained a new puppet in Gov. Steve Bullock.After months and months of denying interest in running for the Senate, as soon as Chuck Schumer got involved, Bullock changed his mind. He was forced into a race he wasn’t interested in, excited about, or found to be compelling… All it took Schumer was one trip to Montana to bully Bullock into getting in line and reporting to him. Let’s be clear, Steve Bullock does not report to Montana. Steve Bullock reports to Chuck Schumer. When it comes to impeaching and removing Trump, banning semi-automatic weapons, sanctuary cities, the Iran Deal, and a carbon tax, Bullock stands with Schumer and not with Montanans. Montanans should know they can’t trust Governor Bullock. Click HERE to download video###

 

 

Paid for by the Montana Republican State Central Committee. Mike Hopkins, Treasurer. PO BOX 935 Helena, MT 59624.

 

HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Republican Party today filed an official ethics complaint against Governor Steve Bullock alleging Bullock illegally used his state government resources during his failed campaign for President.

Executive Director Spenser Merwin filed the complaint with the state’s Commissioner of Political Practices, who is charged with enforcing state ethics laws.

The complaint alleges, and provides evidence, that Bullock illegally used multiple official state government social media accounts to campaign for office. Using state resources to further a political campaign is illegal in Montana.

“Governor Bullock spent years using state personnel, time, and resources to build up his official @GovernorBullock social media accounts, then turned around and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars using those same accounts in his embarrassing presidential campaign,” Merwin said. “This is an egregious abuse of Montana’s ethics laws, and Bullock needs to be held accountable for once again using taxpayer resources to campaign.”

“Now that Governor Bullock is flip-flopping on his word and readying yet another ill-advised campaign, COPP needs to act immediately to prevent the Governor from continuing to use taxpayer resources to advance his personal political ambitions,” Merwin continued. “Bullock needs to immediately stop the usage of his @GovernorBullock social media accounts to campaign, and COPP needs to hold him accountable and treat him the same as other elected officials. The Governor does not get a pass when it comes to Montana’s ethics laws.”

 

Detailed analysis of Bullock’s ethics violations and photo evidence of his law-breaking is available in the official ethics complaint.

 

You can view the full complaint HERE

 

 

Background: Bullock has a long history of abusing taxpayer dollars—and getting caught.

 

KULR8: Governor Bullock accused of wrongly spending taxpayer dollars (07/15/2019)

 

Great Falls Tribune: Governor to pay some security costs in presidential bid (07/15/2019)

 

KTVQ: Two Highway Patrol officers accompanied Bullock on his initial presidential campaign swing through Iowa last week, and the costs of that “executive protection” are borne by state taxpayers (05/22/2019)

 

AP: Bullock took too long to report state plane use during campaign, top political cop says (06/29/2017)

 

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Political watchdog faults Bullock for state plane reports (06/29/2017)

 

KULR8: Governor Bullock settles complaint tied to misuse of state plane (09/05/2017)

 

Billings Gazette: Gov. Bullock settles campaign violation over state airplane for $3,000 (09/05/2017)

HELENA – Montana Republican Party Chairman Don “K” Kaltschmidt released the following statement today following reports that Montana Governor Steve Bullock, despite months and months of on-the-record denials, will be entering the U.S. Senate race.

“Gov. Bullock isn’t actually interested nor does he have the skills or abilities to be a U.S. Senator— he said so himself, he simply couldn’t resist the pressure from Barack Obama and Chuck Schumer. While Bullock stands with the radical left in support of a complete government takeover of health care, sanctuary cities, gun bans, and removing President Trump from office, we’re proud that Senator Daines stands with the people of Montana and works with President Trump to protect our values and defend our way of life.”

 

Background:

‘Candidly, I just don’t know if I would find being a Senator that compelling.’” (Montana Standard, 2/7/18)

‘I’ve said earlier that really doesn’t interest me,’ Bullock said in an interview.  (Politico, 11/28/18)

Bullock: ‘I would rule it out. And I have ruled it out.’ (MSNBC, 7/17/19)

AP: Bullock squashes talk of Senate run after presidential bid

“I’ve said before, during and after that I’m not going to be running for Senate,” Bullock said. “I’ve made that clear, that’s just not what I want to do.”(AP, 12/04/2019)

Bullock: ‘You know, Rachel, this wasn’t an either/or. Like I was never going to run for the Senate… And I do think that I have both the skills and abilities as an executive to bridge some divides. That’s the kind of work that I’ve always done… Never been a legislator and have great respect for the senators, but this is something that never really got me excited.’”( MSNBC, 5/15/19)

‘I’ve expressed all along [that] I just don’t have an interest in running for U.S. Senate,’ Bullock said. ‘I think that my skill set, and what I’ve done, I just wouldn’t enjoy it, so I’d ruled it out.’” (Montana Free Press, 3/12/19)

 

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