Page 6 - Flathead Beacon // 11.26.14

6 | NOVEMBER 26, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM Kalispell Senator Disputes Censure
READER POLL
FLATHEADBEACON.COM
Do You Agree with President Obama Taking Executive Action on Immigration?
43% YES 57% NO TOTAL VOTES: 237
Do You Agree with the Court’s Decision to Overturn Montana’s Gay Marriage Ban?
51% YES 49% NO TOTAL VOTES: 246
Should Glacier Park Increase Entrance Fees to Improve Visitor Services and Facilities?
45% YES 55% NO TOTAL VOTES: 135
ONLINE POLL RESULTS ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC
Longtime legislator Bruce Tutvedt says ‘kangaroo court’ convened to make false statements
By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Beacon
The Flathead County Republican Cen- tral Committee publicly and unanimously censured veteran Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, R- Kalispell, for “official misconduct and for undermining the credibility of Republi- cans in Flathead County,” but Tutvedt says the censure is groundless and erroneous.
The panel, which sent a copy of the two-page censure to every Republican leg- islator in Montana, accused Tutvedt of at- tacking GOP candidates in Flathead Coun- ty and statewide “using deceptive, inflam- matory and unethical allegations,” using his financial involvement with the Mon- tanans for Responsible Leadership politi- cal action committee and MT BASE PAC.
Tutvedt, a farmer who represents Sen- ate District 3, has emerged as a leader in a Republican effort to disrupt a faction of hardline conservatives who last session opposed Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock’s policy initiatives at nearly every turn.
Tutvedt and other so-called “respon- sible Republicans” at times split with the more conservative leadership to work with minority Democrats and pass key legisla- tion, including an increased state budget and a major bill that increased state sup- port for public schools.
The censure, which was signed by the committee’s chairman, Jayson Peters, also accuses Tutvedt of improperly ac- cepting a $22,000 donation on behalf of the Montanans for Responsible Leader- ship PAC at a Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal meeting in May.
“Tutvedt ... used dark money expen- ditures to support efforts against fellow Republicans who had expressed their concerns about the CSKT Water Com- pact as currently written,” according to the censure.
State Sen. Bruce Tutvedt. BEACON FILE PHOTO
At the tribal meeting, the censure says
Tutvedt told tribal leadership that he had secured a slate of Republican candidates who would vote early in the 2015 session to approve the CSKT tribal water com- pact. The censure says Tutvedt, who is one of the largest irrigators in the Flathead Valley, used the money to oppose hardline conservatives who pledged to reject the compact in the June primary.
But Tutvedt said he has done nothing improper, calling the censure meritless and counterproductive. He said it refer- ences a “tiny snippet” of a lengthy conver- sation with tribal leadership.
“It was a kangaroo court and they didn’t invite me. It was conducted by a small subset of the Republican party that doesn’t respect responsible Republicans who want to craft solutions and represent their constituents,” Tutvedt said.
The PACs that he represents have done nothing wrong, he said, which is why the Montana Commissioner of Political Prac- tices dismissed earlier complaints filed against Tutvedt and other Republicans as “frivolous.”
The timing of the recent censure, Tut- vedt said, also smacks of dubious intent by the Flathead Republicans as it was distrib- uted just before the Montana Senate com- mittee assignments were announced. He said the censure was an effort to derail his assignment as chair of the taxation com- mittee.
“It was a concerted attempt done the night before the Senate Committee as- signments, so they met and had their brouhaha and they failed, because I’m chair of taxation,” he said. “They wanted to stop me from being chair of Senate tax- ation because I am a fiscal conservative who believes you don’t pass tax cuts you can’t afford.”
“Why perform this meaningless public charade to again highlight the division in the Republican Party when they have ab- solutely no facts?” he added.
In the 2012 Republican primary, Tut- vedt defeated Peters and Rollan Roberts II for the Senate seat. Peters’ name appeared on the ballot even though he had with- drawn from the race.
[email protected]
from Flathead Republicans
To Celebrate
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
op
20% off all Pillows
20% off selected items
op
217 Main St, Kalispell • 406-890-2000 • www.bestowheartandhome.com
+Cool kids chairs favorite movie
HAPPY HAIRCUT!
Walk Ins Welcome! We cut grown ups hair too! 406-270-3692 130 E Idaho St. in Kalispell
PLAY AREA with toys