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Montana Governor Steve Bullock (D) vetoed legislation that would have made the state a “Constitutional carry” state. That is, individuals would be permitted to exercise their right to bear arms as defined in the US Constitution’s Second Amendment without having to obtain state or local government permission to do so. In his veto message, Bullock declared that “the idea that an individual is qualified to determine whether he needs to carry a firearm is absurd. Selfish concern for self-preservation at the expense of broader social goals must not derail sensible gun control. Right now, far too many people have guns....

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A budget analysis shows the work that the Montana Legislature has done so far this session would leave the state in the black financially but with about half the cash reserves that Gov. Steve Bullock wants. The preliminary analysis released Wednesday shows budget subcommittees cutting $46 million more in general fund spending than the governor’s budget proposal. The state would have $159 million in reserves in 2019, compared with the $300 million cushion Bullock is seeking.

<p>WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump has offered the position of interior secretary to Representative Ryan Zinke, Republican of Montana and a former Navy SEAL commander, according to two officials familiar with Mr. Trump’s decision.</p> <p>As head of the agency that oversees energy exploration on the nation’s public lands and waters, Mr. Zinke would be charged with carrying out the aggressive pro-drilling agenda championed by Mr. Trump on the campaign trail.</p>

BILLINGS -- As bipartisan crowd-pleasers go, few get Montanans nodding more approvingly than calls for a balanced federal budget, which is why U.S. Sen. Steve Daines recently offered a bill forcing his peers to go unpaid unless they reign in spending. “As I travel around Montana, as I did in December wrapping up a 56-county tour, when I talk about this bill, it’s a bill that will literally bring applause from across the state,” Daines told The Gazette. The state of Montana balances its budget. The federal government should do the same, or so goes the narrative that literally every...

Montana's attorney general's office has been unable to find legal grounds to challenge a judge's decision to send a man to jail for 60 days for repeatedly raping his 12-year-old daughter. The amount of time behind bars, considered lenient by many, is 'reprehensible' but that alone was not enough to appeal the October 4 sentence issued by District Judge John McKeon, State Department of Justice spokesman Eric Sell said Monday. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4026162/Montana-incest-sentence-reprehensible-no-way-appeal.html#ixzz4Sk5uFZPH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

The divisive presidential campaign between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is putting political rifts between parties and genders on display across the country. There’s some agreement in Montana though, where according to the 30th annual Montana Poll conducted by students and faculty at Montana State University, both men and women prefer Donald Trump. “Trump is ahead of Clinton by 16 points,” said MSU Polling Director Dr. Nisha Bellinger said. “We have Trump at 43 percent and Clinton 27 percent. 37 percent of the females favor Trump as compared to 33 percent of females who favor Clinton. So Trump, as far...

GLASGOW, Mont. -- An eastern Montana man has been given a 30-year suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to raping his 12-year-old daughter last year. District Judge John McKeon sentenced the man to 60 days in jail for incest, giving him credit for 17 already served, the Glasgow Courier reported. The man also was ordered to complete community-based sex-offender treatment and register as a sex offender. The Associated Press is not naming the man to avoid identifying the victim of a sexual assault. Deputy Valley County Attorney Dylan Jensen recommended a 100-year prison sentence with 75 years suspended - as...

A former Montana State University student has filed a lawsuit alleging the university failed to protect him from a roommate who stole his money and engaged in unspecified sexual behavior described as disturbing. Evan Clark’s lawsuit against the state alleges campus officials, including the dean of students, knew his roommate had been removed from other dormitory rooms due to the alleged sexual misconduct, but ignored Clark’s requests to have him moved until Clark went to Bozeman police. Clark became so depressed that he took an overdose of painkillers in late November 2015 and quit going to class.

In a nine-word per curiam decision, eight justices of the United States Supreme Court have revealed they are deadlocked in a 4 to 4 divide on the new immigration procedures of the Obama administration, with its executive decision to not deport the immigrant parents of children born in the United States (thus citizens) and give them legal status but less than citizenship in the process. The State of Texas, joined by 25 others states, filed a lawsuit to block this executive action, which affects between 4 and 5 million immigrants in the United States. The case was before the Supreme...

A West Glacier man was killed by a grizzly bear Wednesday afternoon while riding his mountain bike on a forested trail in the Halfmoon Lakes area south of Glacier National Park.

KALISPELL, Mont. – Montana authorities say a grizzly bear attacked and killed a bicyclist riding in the Flathead National Forest just outside Glacier National Park. Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry told The Associated Press the person was killed Wednesday afternoon about a mile from the West Glacier KOA campground.

KALISPELL - 18 teens have been charged with misdemeanors related to a spree of vandalism at Flathead High School that occurred in early May. 21 students were allegedly involved in the destruction that included drinking fountains torn from the walls and toilet paper strewn through the halls. 18 recent graduates of FHS face misdemeanor criminal mischief and trespassing according to the Flathead County Attorney's Office. The remaining three individuals' cases are being reviewed. School officials estimate the students caused $4,000 in damage.

On Tuesday Donald Trump closed the door on the Republican nomination for President by winning all five of the remaining primaries — New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, New Mexico and California. Trump won the last 16 Republican contests. Trump has 1,536 delegates and counting. Trump may also be the first candidate in the modern era to have funded his campaign by himself during the primary season. Although his results are much more impressive, he only spent a quarter the amount of money as Democrats Clinton and Sanders. He proved to be the real capitalist in the primary while Clinton and...

The Ninth Circuit Court has upheld the ruling of the lower court in the Edward Peruta v. County of San Diego case and affirmed the Second Amendment does not include a right to conceal a firearm. The Peruta case challenged the legality of denying permits to conceal and carry a firearm unless the applicant for a permit has "good reason" to do so. A three-judge panel initially ruled that the San Diego County Sheriff's Department did not have the right to deny the permit. The case was subsequently heard by the entire Ninth Circuit Court and their decision was...

Trump closed out the primary election season with wins in South Dakota, New Mexico, New Jersey, Montana, and California. While Sen. Bernie Sanders remains actively campaigning for the Democratic nomination against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Trump became the GOP’s presumptive nominee shortly after winning Indiana’s May 3 primary election. The American businessman surpassed 2012 nominee Mitt Romney’s and 2008 nominee John McCain’s primary election vote totals by late in April according to Politico calculations. Previous record holder George W. Bush received just 10.8 million votes in 2000, a number far surpassed by Trump’s over 13 million votes with...

Tuesday, June 7th primaries California – 546 delegates Montana – 27 delegates New Jersey – 142 delegates New Mexico – 43 delegates South Dakota – 25 delegates North Dakota – D Caucus – 25 D delegates

HELENA - Montana voters headed to the polls Tuesday to decide presidential and gubernatorial primaries – although local legislative races are the ones with the most political impact in the state. More than two-dozen Republican legislative primaries in all corners in the state feature contests between candidates from the party’s moderate and conservative wings, as each faction looks to control the 2017 Legislature. As of Tuesday morning, nearly 180,000 Montanans had already voted, via absentee ballots. Political observers say the absentee count indicates a relatively high voter turnout for a primary election, probably in the 40 percent to 50 percent...

You are cordially invited to attend a post-election press conference with Donald J. Trump When: Tuesday, June 7, 2016 @ 9PM EDT Where: Trump National Golf Club Westchester in Westchester, NY Attire: PJs (Black Tie Optional) Dom Perignon and a selection of appetizers and French pastries with be served. R.S.V.P @ nikos1121

Hillary Clinton is on the cusp of clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, and could move closer as Puerto Rico's primary results are announced Sunday night. The former secretary of state is competing with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to win a majority of Puerto Rico's 60 delegates. Clinton began the day 60 delegates shy of the 2,383 she needs to win the Democratic nomination -- with 1,776 pledged delegates and another 547 superdelegates. Sanders, meanwhile, started Sunday with 1,547 delegates total: 1,501 pledged delegates and another 46 superdelegates. Clinton is closing in on a historic nomination as the first female presidential...