Montana Legislature
Poisonous Words on Day 88
By Daniel Testa, 4-25-07
With the threat of a special session looming over a Legislature on Day 88 that has ground to a screeching halt on Montana’s biggest issues, Majority Leader Mike Lange of Billings tore into Gov. Brian Schweitzer at Wednesday’s House Republican Caucus meeting.
“I will never let this guy (Schweitzer) or anybody else cross the line that we set on Day One,” Lange said. “So my message to the governor is ‘Stick it up your ass!’ That’s my message to him. Stick it up your ass!”
Some Republicans applauded, others looked sheepish.
Lange’s remarks to fellow Republicans came after a failed early-morning attempt to negotiate a tax relief plan with Schweitzer and his staff, and offered a glimpse into the intense strain on lawmakers utterly unable to reach a plan balancing the state budget for the next two years while providing some tax relief.
“I give a crap about honor and dignity and sticking up for what you believe in. Today’s the day I’m pissed off at that S-O-B on the second floor (Schweitzer) that thinks he’s going to run the state like a dictator,” Lange said. “So I want each and every one of you to get pissed off today because your way of lifestyle is under threat. It isn’t about a few million bucks in the budget or a deal for a thousand-dollar bill or any other of that crap. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Lange’s quotes come from video shot by Beartooth NBC.
Lange and Schweitzer’s meeting dealt with House Bill 833, a conglomeration of 14 different tax relief and loophole-closing plans. They discussed whether Republicans would back the bill in exchange for Democratic support of Lange’s House Bill 678, which boosts school funding to relieve local property taxes.
“He can table every bill I have, I don’t give a shit!” Lange said. “I will not be offered a bribe.”
Lange, a potential Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, later apologized for his remarks during the House’s afternoon floor session.
“It was inappropriate,” he said. “I certainly meant no offense, I just happened to be frustrated.”
Great Falls Democrat Bill Wilson was in the room for Lange’s remarks and called the experience “surreal.” Typically a few members of the opposing party sit in on caucus meetings.
“We had pages in the room today,” Wilson said, noting the teenage volunteers who help out in the House and Senate. “They witnessed a massive denigration of this institution.”
“I’ve seen this place slide so far, I’ve seen compromise go out the window,” Wilson added. “This is a very low point in the history of this body, for that to happen publicly.”
Schweitzer sought to dispel any notion that he bullied Lange, characterizing their meeting as “very cordial, very friendly, shook hands.”
“I have the utmost respect for Rep. Lange,” Schweitzer said. “One small outburst is certainly not the measure of the man.”
Schweitzer said he is still hopeful a deal can be worked out by Friday, the session’s final day, but if not he will call a special session without pay for legislators “as soon as possible.”
If the Legislature does spill over into a special session, Schweitzer added, “it’s only because they wanted to, not because they couldn’t get it done.”
As the day wore on after the morning’s inflammatory remarks, the breakdown over that deal seemed to signal an increase in the distrust between House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans.
The Legislature has been at a stalemate all week with the four bills funding the state budget now stalled in the House. Speaker of the House Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, has said he wants Schweitzer to sign off on permanent property tax relief before he will move on the budget. Schweitzer has said he will not sign off on any tax cut until he can assess the state budget in its entirety.
But with two days left in the session, the brinksmanship is approaching a new level. The main K-12 education funding bill(PDF) is linked to Lange’s HB 678, so no action can be taken until a tax cut plan is worked out.
Even if the House does take action on some of the budget bills, there are a number of procedural maneuvers that must take place: debates, the drafting of amendments, the formation of conference committees to reconcile differences between the House and Senate.
House Democrats moved to take action on budget bills dealing with funding the state executive branch and other agencies(PDF), the judicial branch (PDF), SB 833, Schweitzer’s “Clean and Green” energy incentive plan and others, but all were shot down on party-line votes. Only two bills were successfully blasted: one to expand the Childrens Health Insurance Program, and another to fund the Legislature(PDF).
Many are still hopeful a special session can be avoided.
“We’ve got plenty of time,” said Senate Minority Whip Greg Barkus, R-Kalispell. “The debates are far, far shorter now. People are tired; people want to get out of here.”
At noon, the female Senate leadership were in the office of Majority Leader Carol Williams, D-Missoula, eating lunch and watching the House debates on TV.
“As you can see, we’re hanging on every word,” Williams said, pointing to the TV.
“I really do think the Senate Republicans are going to help us out of this dilemma,” Williams added.
But House Democrats were not as hopeful.
“We didn’t get enough done today,” said Minority Leader John Parker, D-Great Falls. “We’re right on track for a special session.”
Republicans maintain their only goal for this session is permanent property tax relief and say Democrats are trying to muscle that option out of the way with a bloated budget and rampant government expansion. Dems counter that any ongoing tax cuts must be sustainable.
It’s the same argument the parties have been having for months, with no solution in sight.
“We were no different on Day One than on Day 88,” Lange said.
[End of article]Thank You Lange for standing up and saying enough is enough. The Governor should not be able to strong arm our representatives into the direction he wants to go in. This is not a Dictatorship. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours. So the Governor says let's forget about what your constituents want, were going to do it my way or there is no way!!!! Is the Governor going without pay if they go into special session? Can we put a stop to this tyrant, this would be dictator. Montana will regret ever putting Schweitzer into office, can we survive his reign? I hear the rumblings at the Capital and it is not good. But to many fear the King.
Comment By Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers!, 4-25-07The governor's a "tyrant"?? Wow, jesse. You're bout as bright as Lange! For you see, jess, do you REALLY think it's very bright for lange to hammer a governor with a SEVENTY PERCENT APPROVAL RATING?! At the same time, jess, you and bozo lange are accusing SEVENTY FRIGGIN' PERCENT of the Montana populace as being too stupid to recognize a dictator when they see one! Man! You fellas certainly MUST be experts about things up one's ass, cause your heads are definitely there! Keep it up! Keep it UP there, up your ass! Montana will finally be rid of you morons for good come next election!
Comment By Jesse, 4-25-07look in the mirror Larry.
Comment By Jesse, 4-25-07The 70% rating was 2 years ago. If we did a poll now it would not even be close to 70%. Smoke screens.
Comment By jay, 4-25-07i thought we elected these people to represent us in a CIVIL society. Lange's remarks are unquestionably inappropriate no matter what the context. Pissed is one thing, unhinged is quite another. We don't need politicians shooting from the hip when they are supposed to be taking steady aim. With reckless behavior like that on display who knows where the bullets are flying ??
Comment By Jesse, 4-25-07We should be more concerned over our unhinged Governor, and where are his bullets flying. The atmosphere at the Capital is one walking on eggshells, for fear of retribution by the King and his Royal Court. What about his unsavory appointments, one being Stan Boone. Although I don't agree with Lange's language he did apologize. Alot more than I can say about Larry and his mouth. When is NewWest going to put a stop to your rants Larry, like the Billings Blog did? Not soon enough.
Comment By Dean Flemming, 4-26-07Wow. I expect to read about this kind of behavior and wind-bagging in Sacramento...Nice to see that the "Californication" of Montana is finally complete. Stop putting party before people! Let's throw all the bums out and get some folks in there will represent us. Enough! Grow up and do the job you were elected to do!
Comment By Matthew Koehler, 4-26-07Here is the link to the video clip featuring Mr. Lange's comments:
http://www.billingsgazette.net/m/players/flv_video/video.php?v=/m/video/2007/04/25/lange
It was a feigned apology to say the least. When's the last time you told someone to "stick it up their ass" hoping not to offend them? If you listen closely I think you can still hear the cheering of Max Baucus and every member of his staff. Please, someone get Rep. Lange a nice gift from the cheese selection at Worden's. He's got the whine covered.
Comment By Sanjay Talwani, 4-26-07If Lange can't keep his cool in a roomful of Republicans, how's he going to stand up to Khrushchev?
Comment By Tim, 4-26-07I'm sorry but when an idiot like Lange is elected, he is going to act like an idiot!
Comment By Steve, 4-26-07This has been a thoroughly pathetic process and reflects badly on all Montanans, especially Republicans this session. Lange seems to think that a combination of belligerence and tax cuts will cement his political future, but he's coming off like a petulant meat head. Sure, permanent tax cuts are great, but how do you pay for it? And how are they going to figure that out with bare hours left in the session? You'd think with their short-sighted legislative track record over the past few decades, Republicans in this state would start thinking more about what's best for Montanans and less about what's best for the national Republican "movement". To Lange, I say stop the howler monkey routine and start using those few remaining brain cells to consider ideas that originate outside of his own thick skull.
Comment By mike, 4-26-07Yes, yes, exactly what Steve said! We are way past the time for ideology for either end of the spectrum. There needs to be a renewed emphasis on just plain, get it done competence; just work on workable outcomes for a while and, when things straighten back out a bit, we'll be able to afford to entertain the nuts in some more arguing about ideology, but not right now. The country is in pickle and we need to get back on track for a bit.
Comment By Jesse, 4-26-07The Governor should not be able to coerce and hold Bills hostage until he gets what he wants. It slows down the process, it is unethical. It makes him a Dictator. He has run rough shod over the Republicans, which most of you on this post don't understand, so let's put it in this prospective, it's a Republican Governor doing the same thing to all you Democrats, stopping all the Bills you feel passionate about, oh boy, wouldn't you be screaming foul. So you say it shouldn't be partisan, well it is, because Republicans and Democrats seldom agree on anything, that is why they are two seperate distinct parties. Those Paiges will hear worse going home from the Capital, listening to their IPODS. Most of them hear worse in their homes, sad but true. I know most of those Paiges have said worse things. What it boils down to is Lange was tired of putting up with the Governors bull. He should have cooled off before spouting off. But is their anyone of you on this post that has not blown their cool at work? Governor Schweitzer does not care about Montana, Lange does, that is why he is so passionate. Schweitzer will move on to greener pastures. He's got the White House in mind, not Montana.
He is only interested in the Glory, getting his name in the paper, spending our tax dollars traveling all over the country for what, to get his name out there for his next political step, it isn't for Montana.
Was a Republican for all my voting-living years! My father and mother were Repub's also - Well for the Federal I'll remain a Repub but never again for the state. Lange apparently needs some mental health treatment to control his anger. He represents us Repubicans for our State - Voters get him out of there in the next election.. How many of our youth (pages) witnessed his 2-3 yr.old ability to control himself. He actually should be relieved of his duties and commit himself to mental health treatment. Montanans are tough - no doubt about that - but they also have self-control.
Comment By RCM, 4-27-07Jesse, it's not the Governor holding up bills, it's Sales. Cooney agreed to a vote on Lange's tax and education funding bill and a conference committee was formed. THe problem is that Lange doesn't have the votes. Sales and Lange won't even let the House vote against the budget bills and create conference committees. I thought the reason for splitting the budget bill into smaller parts was to allow for the participation of more legislators on more conference committees, but it doesn't appear to matter now. The Repubs call for permanent property tax relief is also hollow, because nothing is permanent, the next legislature can simply change it back. My problem with the House leadership is that they think they have a lot more power than they really do, and no concept of what it really means to compromise. The narrow margin of control they have in one house is not enough to control the outcome of the most important issue of the session, the allocation of the budget and taxpayers surplus. The Dems have the Senate and the Governor's Office. That's the greater power, and the House Leadership simply will not accept that.
Comment By Pronghorn, 4-27-07"The caucus ended with some House Republicans chanting, 'Stay 'til May! Stay 'til May!'"
Dumb legislators chanting in unison. Wow. Anyone familiar with Animal Farm (George Orwell) might find this reminiscent of the sheep--so dumb that they could be taught to chant the ruling class's propaganda even though it wasn't in their best interest.
The guv was too kind when he said one outburst is not the measure of the man.
Yes it is.
Jesse... you criticize the Gov. for being a "tyrant". Curious... how do you feel about GW? Does he qualify as "tyrant" in your book as well. If not, he should.
Comment By Jesse, 4-29-07In general I really don't care for any politician. They have to much control, it is no longer about we the people.
Comment By elfman, 4-30-07I wasn't asking "in general". I was asking specifically about GW.
Comment By Jesse, 5-02-07Republicans the lesser of two evils.
Comment By elfman, 5-02-07Okay, I will answer for you. GW is a tyrant... and a stupid one at that.
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