Free Republic

After his strange speech in Philadelphia, Gov. Brian Schweitzer may have just hand-delivered an issue, wrapped in red ribbon on a silver platter, to his Republican opponent and his critics. The Democratic governor has seemingly been coasting to an easy re-election victory over Republican Roy Brown ... Schweitzer's meteoric rise may have been slowed down a tad last week. That's when reports surfaced of his odd speech July 14 to a national trial lawyers' convention in Philadelphia in July. "And the advantage is, you know, when you've got a governor on your side, whoa!" Schweitzer says in the speech. "You...

Schweitzer 'joke' may have grain of truth By JENNIFER McKEE Gazette State Bureau UPDATE 3:30 p.m. : HELENA - Gov. Brian Schweitzer said this week he was "just joking" this summer when he suggested he tampered with the hotly-contested 2006 Senate election. However, at least one Big Horn County observer was escorted out of a Crow Indian polling place that election night, (snip) Schweitzer has been criticized this week for remarks he made to a lawyer’s group in Philadelphia this July. In the remarks, Schweitzer insinuates that he tampered with election to secure a victory for Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon...

Gov. Schweitzer boasted in a speech in Philadelphia in July that he tampered with the 2006 U.S. Senate election in Montana to help Democrat Jon Tester win. Bozeman Republican activist Tamara Hall found the speech on the Internet and filed a complaint accusing the governor of vote-tampering in the race in which Tester narrowly unseated Republican incumbent Conrad Burns. She submitted a citizen's complaint against the Democratic governor this week with U.S. Attorney Bill Mercer and two state officials, Attorney General Mike McGrath and Secretary of State Brad Johnson. Hall said Schweitzer boasted in the speech that "he designed a...

Obama in Billings Wednesday Presidential candidate Barack Obama will be in Billings next Wednesday on his way to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, state Democratic Party officials confirmed Thursday. The trip will mark Obama’s fifth trip to the state during the campaign this year, an unprecedented amount of attention for a state with less than a million people and only three electoral votes. Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain has not yet visited the state. Art Noonan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, said no details of Obama’s Montana visit are yet available. He said he didn’t know if...

HELENA - Despite having already raised more than $775,000 for his re-election campaign, Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer is now turning to Republicans for money. In a highly unusual move, Schweitzer is soliciting money for his 2008 re-election campaign from individuals who donated to Republicans running for governor in 2004. The solicitation tells exactly how much the recipient gave to a Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2004 and asks for an identical amount to be given to Schweitzer and Republican Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger's re-election campaign. "We've been reaching out to people," Schweitzer said in a phone interview. "We only received 51...

State Sen. Roy Brown, R-Billings, said Monday he is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in 2008. He is the first GOP candidate to announce a challenge to Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who has announced a re-election bid next year. Brown will formally announce his candidacy on Thursday with a six-city fly-about and a 50-towns-in-10-days ground tour beginning Monday. Elected to the Montana Senate in 2006 after serving four, two-year terms in the Montana House, Brown has held several GOP legislative leadership posts. He said he was "compelled to run because state spending is completely out of control."...

HELENA - Gov. Brian Schweitzer ordered flags to fly at half-staff in Montana in memory of a soldier killed in Iraq. Flags should be lowered from Tuesday through sundown Thursday to honor Army Staff Sgt. Yance Gray of Ismay. Gray was killed Sept. 10 when the cargo truck he was riding in overturned in Baghdad. A member of the 82nd Airborne Division, Gray was one of the authors of a high-profile New York Times opinion piece critical of the progress being made in the war.

NASHVILLE — Gov. Phil Bredesen suggested himself as a model for Democratic presidential nominees Monday, though disavowing any interest in a national position and declining to state a preference for any of his party’s presidential candidates. “If one of those presidential candidates who chose not to come here today can sell themselves in Tennessee, they can sell themselves in mainstream America,” Bredesen told the Democratic Leadership Council. None of the Democratic presidential candidates spoke at the DLC gathering, though they were invited. Still, presidential politics was a topic in speeches by former President Clinton, Bredesen and three other Democratic governors...

HELENA - The state's top campaign cop has dismissed a Republican Party complaint that said Gov. Brian Schweitzer accepted an illegal corporate contribution by attending political events at the Kentucky Derby this spring. Schweitzer, a Democrat, traveled to the Derby in Louisville, Ky., the weekend of May 5 at the expense of the Democratic Governors Association. Schweitzer is finance chairman for the association, a private organization that raises money and otherwise assists Democratic candidates running for governor in states across the nation. The Montana Republican Party alleged that association activities could help promote Schweitzer's re-election in 2008, and therefore corporate...

During its May special session, the Montana Legislature approved a one-time tax rebate of $400 for Montana homeowners proposed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Great. Everyone likes money. But unlike the famous Bush administration rebate of 2001, this rebate is not an automatic process, which raises the question: How do I get paid? The reason the process is not so simple is the manner in which Montana property taxes are collected. The law specifies that only primary residences in which the owner lived for at least seven months during 2006 are eligible for the rebate, and according to Montana Department of...

HELENA - Gov. Brian Schweitzer has raised slightly more than $600,000 for his 2008 re-election campaign and reported having about a record $500,000 left in the bank on June 30, a report filed Thursday showed.... As of June 30, Schweitzer's campaign showed an ending fund balance of $506,505, which his campaign claimed to be a record amount of cash on hand for a candidate for governor at this stage.

HELENA - The House Republican majority leader, Michael Lange, unleashed a profanity-laced tirade at Gov. Brian Schweitzer Wednesday, saying the Democratic governor "can go straight to hell." Lange, of Billings, exploded during a meeting of House Republicans Wednesday morning and repeatedly attacked Schweitzer, who was not present. The GOP leader called Schweitzer an "SOB on the second floor that thinks he's going to run this state like a dictator." He later apologized to fellow House members on the floor. Rep. Bill Wilson, D-Great Falls, then rose on a "point of personal privilege" to respond, saying he had never heard anything...

State Sen. Mike Cooney, a well-known name in Montana Democratic politics, recently accepted an unadvertised $72,000-a-year job in state government. Cooney said the job had nothing to do with political patronage and ... Kelly also brushed aside the suggestion that Cooney got the job because he's a prominent Democrat. Cooney, who served as secretary of state for 12 years ending in 2000, will begin work as head of the Department of Labor's Business Standards Division on July 10, said Keith Kelly, the state labor commissioner who heads the department. Kelly, a Democrat appointed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer, said he approached...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, May 27, 2006 – A delegation of U.S. governors arrived here yesterday to visit with servicemembers. Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt visits with servicemembers serving here in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom May 26. Blunt and fellow governors Brian Schweitzer, of Montana, and Mitt Romney, of Massachusetts, shared lunch with servicemembers to check on the welfare of their constituents. Photo by Staff Sgt. Robert R. Ramon, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Govs. Brian Schweitzer, of Montana; Matt Blunt, of Missouri; and Mitt Romney, of Massachusetts, shared lunch with servicemembers to check on their constituents...

MISSOULA - The national popularity of Gov. Brian Schweitzer and the upsurge of Democrats in office in Montana may give the state a serious political role in the next presidential election, Montana Democratic Party Chairman Dennis McDonald said Thursday in Missoula. "The whole country is watching what's going on here in Montana," he told an audience brought together by the Missoula Organization of Realtors. "We've become a blue state." People watched with "fascination and wonderment" as Democrats won back the governor's office - for the first time since 1988 - and control of the state Senate last fall. "Brian's obviously...

TULSA, Okla. -- Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer visited a demonstration plant that converts natural gas into synthetic diesel fuel and said the process could help wean the country off foreign oil. This technology could also be used to make diesel fuel from coal, which is in abundance in Montana. "The country has two options for energy until we build a bridge to a hydrogen economy," Schweitzer said in a visit Wednesday to the Syntroleum Corp. plant. "We can either continue to give money to dictators who want to destroy our way of life, or we can provide tens of thousands...

HELENA, Montana (Reuters) - Montana's governor wants to solve America's rising energy costs using a technology discovered in Germany 80 years ago that converts coal into gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel. The Fischer-Tropsch technology, discovered by German researchers in 1923 and later used by the Nazis to convert coal into wartime fuels, was not economical as long as oil cost less than $30 a barrel. But with U.S. crude oil now hitting more than double that price, Gov. Brian Schweitzer's plan is getting more attention across the country and some analysts are taking him very seriously. Montana is "sitting on...

HELENA — Gov. Brian Schweitzer on Thursday declared an emergency for wildfire danger because of current bone-dry conditions and forecasts for continued hot, dry weather, authorizing National Guard pilots to begin training to fight wildfires (Snip) Schweitzer warned of the possibility for a wildfire “blowup” earlier this year and in March asked the National Guard to return some of Montana’s 1,500 Guard troops and aircraft in Iraq and elsewhere for the wildfire season. He claims the Defense Department has turned a deaf ear to his request, although military officials say no state has been left with less than half of...

HELENA - A new fixture on the Montana Republican Party's Web site tracks, down to the second, the elapsed time since Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer agreed to an audit of finances for the ball celebrating his inauguration. The site's "Governor's Ball Watch" was at 171 days on Sunday. "It's time to show us the money and tell the people of Montana how much was raised, who it was raised from, and what (they) did with it," said Chuck Butler, a communications adviser to Karl Ohs, the state Republican chairman. "It's like, c'mon ... what's taking so long?" Butler, who managed...

Montana gov. mentioned as 2008 contender BOB ANEZ Associated Press HELENA, Mont. - Gov. Brian Schweitzer sits in his Capitol office, scanning a recent Roll Call article in which pundits float his name as a possible presidential contender. They say the "rancher-politician from Big Sky Country" might be the Democrats' "best shot to take back the White House." Schweitzer tosses the article aside. "These people are kooky," he says. Schweitzer, in office barely 200 days, has drawn unusual attention for the new chief executive of a state usually on the sidelines when it comes to national politics. His victory as...

HELENA - The Pentagon has turned a deaf ear to Gov. Brian Schweitzer's request to return more of the state's National Guard members to Montana for the heart of the wildfire season, the governor said Tuesday. Schweitzer said the Defense Department not only ignored his March plea to reduce the number of Montana Guard soldiers deployed, but has since increased its demand on state units. Lt. Gen. Steven Blum, the Army general in charge of National Guard forces, provided information this week showing that 44 percent of Montana's Guard members were mobilized as of July 12. That is the third...

Regretfully, we've had a recent influx of liberal democrats, which have assisted in the election of the democrat governor Brian swizzler Schweitzer. Presently, he is actively engaged in inviting more people to Montana, presumably democrats, to increase their strangle-hold on this once conservative state. So, I am personally inviting all of my conservative FREEPER friends to visit this website and invite themselves and their conservative family and friends, to come to Montana. The first beer is on me, after that, you gotta buy your own. :-) Below is a link to the website. Invite a Friend

HELENA - Gov. Brian Schweitzer's populist message about the "stench" of politics emanating from Washington, D.C., has struck a nerve with Americans all over the country. Schweitzer, who dished on Washington politics with Lou Dobbs on CNN two weeks ago, railed against the cozy relationship between politicians and lobbyists, and told viewers that he has to wash the "stink" off every time he leaves the nation's capital. His candid remarks prompted Americans from around the country to send him e-mails of adoration. Schweitzer will be on Lou Dobbs' show again at 4 p.m. Thursday on CNN. "Here I am at...

HELENA — The Montana Family Foundation criticized Gov. Brian Schweitzer's plans Thursday to allow a governor-appointed family and marriage council to terminate, shortly after his administration yanked television advertisements promoting abstinence from Montana's airwaves. The Montana Family Foundation is a conservative non-profit group that says it is working to strengthen family relationships. "We have programs that are working,'' said Jeff Laszloffy, president of the Montana Family Foundation and a former Laurel legislator. "I would hate to see them go away.'' Consolidating government is Schweitzer's prerogative. There are 50 governor-appointed committees in the Department of Public Health and Human Services involving...

SPOKANE, Wash. -- With drought and the threat of catastrophic wildfires facing the Northwest this summer, the governors of Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho were meeting in Spokane on Wednesday to share information on how to deal with the problems. The governors also planned to discuss issues related to the Columbia River, which drains portions of all four states, and economic development, said Kim Contris, a spokeswoman for Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire, a Democrat elected in November. Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne will also attend. "They'll be talking about cooperation," Contris said....

HELENA - Gov. Brian Schweitzer made national headlines at the National Governors Association meeting this week when he publicly criticized President Bush's proposed Medicaid cuts and Social Security plan. However, one Republican lawmaker in Montana said Schweitzer was out of line. The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that Schweitzer, a Democrat, used "harsh words" when answering reporters' questions at a press conference about the Republican president's proposed budget cuts and plans to privatize Social Security. "Honey works a lot better than vinegar," said Senate Minority Leader, Bob Keenan, R-Bigfork, who wrote the governor expressing his concerns. "The real Brian Schweitzer...

HELENA - Gov.-elect Brian Schweitzer proposed a state general fund budget Tuesday that calls for spending more on economic development, public schools and the University System and low-income families through expanded energy assistance and health insurance for their children.The Democrat, who takes over as Montana's governor on Monday, called for no general fund tax increase in his budget over the next two years. He was able to take advantage of growing state general fund revenues, which are projected to be 4.78 percent higher than they were two years ago, thanks primarily to higher individual income, corporate income and natural resource...

Brown, Schweitzer, Velazquez and testosterone By ROB NATELSON It had to happen. Just when commentators – myself included – were talking about the “feminization” of our culture, here it comes: the testosterone election! First, there was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Next a firefight bursts out between George W. Bush and John Kerry over who will be tougher on terrorism. (It’s a clue that Bush will win this election that the focus has shifted toward the traditionally “Republican” issue of national defense and away from traditionally “Democratic” issues.) Now testosterone is pumping through the Montana governor’s race via the masculine issue of guns:...

Fundamentally, Bush Works on Faith By Peter Schweizer and Rochelle Schweizer Peter Schweizer, a fellow at the Hoover Institution, and Rochelle Schweizer are the authors of "The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty." April 11, 2004 NEW YORK — Ask Bush family members and friends about the intersection between the war on terrorism and George W. Bush's Christian faith and you get some strong answers. "George sees this as a religious war," one family member told us. "He doesn't have a PC view of this war. His view is that they are trying to kill the Christians. And we the Christians...

Lt. Gov. Karl Ohs Monday is expected to announce his support for Secretary of State Bob Brown in the Republican primary contest for governor. Ohs, reached in Helena late Friday afternoon declined to confirm that was his intention, but said he is scheduled to make his choice known in Billings Monday morning. “I’ll have an announcement on Monday,” he said. “At this point I’d better not say anything more.” In mid-September Gov. Judy Martz said she favored Billings businessman Pat Davison as her replacement. Martz decided against seeking a second term in the 2004 election. Brown, Davison and former GOP...

STATEHOUSE UPDATE To the surprise of few, two governors who have been mired in controversy announced last week that they would not seek re-election in ’04. Democrat Robert Wise of West Virginia and Republican Judy Martz of Montana both cited their need to deal with personal troubles as the chief reason for standing down. Wise had recently admitted an extramarital affair. Martz conceded she had cared for and washed the clothes of her top policy adviser after he crashed a car, killing the state house majority leader. She harbored him overnight without calling the police. Montana’s first woman governor, however,...

HELENA - Many Montana politicians are eyeing the 2004 governor's race, but many Republicans are waiting to see whether Gov. Judy Martz decides to run for re-election before announcing their plans. So far, only two major party candidates have declared: Democrat Brian Schweitzer of Whitefish, who lost a close race to U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns in 2000, and Republican Tom Keating, a former long-time Billings legislator who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2000. Also, Robert Kelle-her, a Butte lawyer, Constitutional Convention delegate and frequent candidate, has announced that he will run, but he hasn't disclosed on which political party...

HELENA -- Democrat Brian Schweitzer already has raised more $254,000 for his race for governor in 2004, a total that he says has shattered fund-raising records for Montana gubernatorial candidates. He filed a fund-raising report Monday. Schweitzer, who narrowly lost to U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., raised $254,903 from Jan. 8 through March 31, despite refusing to take money from political action committees and political parties. His campaign reported $229,377 in the bank at the close of the reporting period. The Democrat said he has received money from 1,843 individual donors, with 91 percent from Montana. He and his wife,...