Bozoulian | Guest Column by Pete Talbot

The Bar and Montana’s U.S. Senate Race

Interesting commentary and perspective, Pete. Not a far cry from when I was in a room full of Republicans, Bob Keenan included, who were awkwardly trying to discuss how to handle the senate race. I think people wanted to support Kennan, but Conrad's got a bigger TV, I do think.

Pete - I don't know if you are purporting to be unbiased here, but if so, your objectivety needs some fine-tuning.

I think that you're right in that many attorneys pledged support to Morrison long ago, but I disagree with your theory of retribution from the Auditor's office. As for the currying of favors - are you saying that the Auditor's office is currently handing out favors to friends? If so, I must extend my disagreement.

Whether you support Jon Tester or John Morrison in this primary, we must keep in mind that one of them will win the primary, and then we must all get behind him to defeat Conrad Burns. Big Picture. Both men have given years in service to this state.

Disagree with their politics, disagree with their policies, but don't fling poo such as this so freely without thinking that some will end up dripping from Democrats the morning of June 7.

I really can't see any good reason to support Morrison. First of all, he is ethically as flawed as Burns, in my opinion. Second, I do not want a younger, maybe slightly brighter, version of Max Baucus representing Montana.

I'm ashamed to read yet another vague posting about "some concerns" with lines like "averted their eyes" and accusations such as "could be retribution".

This is not a contribution to the public discourse on important issues of policy in Montana and the country. In fact, the made up innuendos make me sick.

I'm curious why all these vague references to problems, and unsubstantiated claims are all coming from the blogosphere of people who are supporting Jon Tester. I guess that's what you do when your candidates' real campaign isn't working so well.

Let me recommend something --- you want Tester to win .. go campaign for him. Go convince Montanans that he's the guy that they should send to Washington and take Mike Mansfield's seat.

All the people working out on airy accusations and lack of attribution charges should go back and post a blog entry about an issue that's important to Montanans.

How about access to health care? How about energy independece or the increasing cost of higher education in America. That's why most people run for office, to try and solve real problems.

It's sad that those on the sidelines are more concerned about making a name for themselves slinging arrows into the night hoping someone gets hit.

I'm a pretty sorely disappointed Montanan, as well. I'm disappointed that one of my public officials lied to us about his involvement in a case he should not have been involved in. I'm disappointed that his supporters' response to fair questions about his involvement is that the campaigns should be positive -- a stance few in the Democratic Party would suggest as the proper way to deal with Burns' malfeasance.

You write that the attacks on Morrison come from Tester supporters. Some of them come from people who only recently became Tester supporters. But, honeslty, what do you expect? Morrison supporters to attack Morrison?

The only reason the Republican machine is biting its tongue is because they want a lamb for the slaughter.

John Morrison has served Montanans from the office of State auditor. He brought a fresh approach to the lack of Health Insurance for the employees of small business. Insure Montana enrolled 611 small businesses, providing health insurance for more than 3000 employees. When it is fully up and running the program will cover more than 1200 small businesses and more than 6000 employees of those businesses. No one else recognized the difficulty of providing health insurance for employees of small businesses,When many said it could not be done. He crafted a system that is solving the problem by thinking outside of the box.
Montana needs and deserves a creative, loyal, Senator whose only goal is to make the great State of Montana better for all of the residents of the State, and he approaches every problem with the attitude of "Why Not". Send him to Washington where he can serve all Montanans.
John
Montana needs and deserves a

More than 2000 years ago a wise man said, "Let him who is without sin throw the first stone."
John made a mistake, but his accomplishments far out-weigh and short coming. I ask each of you to look into the mirror and ask yourselves whether you should be throwing stones.

John made it possible for thousands of employees of small business to get affordable health insurance for themselves, their employees and their families. The health plan is funded by $1.00 per-pack of cigarette tax that was passed by the voters passed with a huge margin. He has protected the senior citizens of Montana from fradulent practices that were threatening their life savings. John does not just talk a solution to a problem, he is on the front lines resolving the problems that face the people of Montana on a daily basis. He deserves your vote, and he will represent all of the people of Montana, not just the wealthy special interests.

Just a few thoughts on Mr McDonald's post. First of all, as the State Auditor, Morrison already works for all Montanan's. Furthermore as such he has a responsibility to us to do his job in an ethical manner. And we have an equal responsibility to see that he does so, and if he is conducting our business in a way that is unethical we have the right demand satisfaction. Second, I'm going to echo something that Singer said that aparently has yet to sink in with some folks. This scandal of lies, and shady dealings, and what amounts to blackmail will break. Its only a matter of when. Is it funny to anyone else that Burns' ads are targeting Tester and Richards, but have been relatively silent when it comes to the Auditor? Is it because Morrison is an untouchable, or that they can't find any dirt? No, they want Morrison to win the primary, because they know that if he does the subject of ethics and influence in politics will be completely off the table. And speaking of "flinging poo" if you think that the Morrison scandal will not affect every other race in this state, you are wrong. The Republican's "Handshake with Montana" is all about trust and integrity. What Morrison has done is shameful. It's shameful to the Democratic party and its to the office that he holds and its shameful to Montana. Once the story breaks the state GOP is going to latch onto it, and they'll run on "returning dignity to Helena" and everything that we have worked for will be up for grabs. Say good bye to any hopes of increasing funding to higher ed, or finding a solution to the CBM problem, or encouraging renewable energy in this state. Make no mistake about it, if Morrison wins he will cost us more than the seat of Mike Mansfield. You are right on one account though Don, the Auditor is human and he made a mistake, and that in and of itself I can forgive. But he should have done the honorable thing at the beginning, and dropped out of the race. Perhaps he still will, but I'm not betting on it. And I'm going to work like hell for Tester up until the very end.

Duly noted, Don. I'll also stop criticizing Conrad Burns because, like him, I am sinner.

Maybe we should all just withdraw from politics.

"The only reason the Republican machine is biting its tongue is because they want a lamb for the slaughter'

Not true. I think we are making note of all the great quotes from democrats so we can use them in the fall. Here's one: "I really can't see any good reason to support Morrison."

jeff...you will need more than "great quotes" from Democrats to keep Burns in office...and out of jail.

Don,

Who investigates Morrison?

Montana investors lost millions of dollars due to his handling of the David Tacke/Venue Tech investigation and his refusal to enforce his own cease and desist order apparently so that he wouldn't have to reveal before his 2004 re-election campaign that he had had an affair with David Tacke's then-fiance', now wife Suzanne Harding.

I too can forgive Morrison for an extra-marital affair. President Clinton had many affairs, was a philanderer of the first order, yet was a good president.

What I can't forgive is Morrison putting his political ambitions/career ahead of the investors of Montana whom he was supposed to protect. Had he complied with the Montana Ethics Code in 2002 and publically announced his conflict of interest as required and completely separated himself from the case, I would have no problem with him.

Doing so would have required Morrison to publically disclose his affair with Harding, and Morrison wasn't about to do that before his 2004 election. Maybe Tacke even implicitly or explicitly balckmailed the state auditor, one the reasons he was allowed to stay in business until the Feds finally shut him down and sent him to prison in 2005.

At the debate here in Billings on May 9, Morrison responded to Jon Tester that his office had done an oustanding job in the Tacke/Venue Tech investigation, that he was not involved in the investigation, and that the Idaho State Securities Commissioner had Morrison deserved an A+ for the way he handled this mess.

Elizabeth Baker, the outside attorney hired to investigate Tacke, and Carol Powell, Morrison's own deputy auditor have both stated that Morrison was directly involved in the investigation and the enforcement action taken against Tacke and Venue Tech.

And since Morrison is so popular in our neighboring state to the west, maybe he should run for the US Senate from Idaho?

The legislature needs to investigate Morrison and the Tacke/Venue Tech mess as the Montana legislature does have the power to impeach the executive officers--of which the state auditor is one.

Conrad is being investigated in the Abramoff scandal by the DOJ, and that's great. Morrison is not being investigated yet for Tacke/Venue Tech, and that stinks. No one--Conrad Burns or John Morrison--is above the law.

And if I'm Burns' campaign manager, I am hoping and praying that my oppponent will not be the Big Sandy farmer but the unethical Missoula personal-injury lawyer.