While top lawmakers and the governor are mostly staying above the fray as differences over budget policy have arisen this session, this story sure makes it seem like something is out of sync. Matt Gouras of the Associated Press just moved the following the piece on the AP wire:
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The top Republican and top Democrat in the Legislature skipped a scheduled meeting with Gov. Brian Schweitzer, and said they would like agendas in advance before holding future meetings.
Republican Sen. President Bob Story showed up Thursday morning just to tell Schweitzer that neither he nor Democratic House Speaker Bob Bergren would attend the meeting. Story said he would prefer to know what Schweitzer would like to discuss before attending such meetings.
The meeting Thursday appeared on Schweitzer’s public schedule, and several reporters were in the room when Story delivered the news.
Schweitzer said he was not taking it as a sub and said he only planned to talk to the leaders about how things were going so far in the Legislature.