Hunter, Liberal Republicans Threaten Knudsen’s Position as Speaker

Democratic Minority Leader Hunter has changed the rules with 51 votes, although the rules clearly state that 2/3rds of the House needs to vote in order to change the rules. The rules did not matter to him.

Democratic Minority Leader Hunter has lied about his gentleman’s agreement with Speaker Knudsen. He said that the Democrats will not oppose legislation going to appropriations. And then he admitted on the House Floor that he had changed his mind and would not send Medicaid Expansion (SB 405) to the House appropriations committee. In the end, his word meant nothing.

So far during the 2015 session, the Democrats have cut enough deals with a handful of liberal Republicans to get everything the Democrats have wanted. Just enough Republicans played the game and sold their votes for their own gain.

Democratic Minority Leader Hunter is now threatening Austin Knudsen, who is the Speaker of the House, and the rest of the Republican leadership team. The Democrats have cut enough deals with the 11 liberal Republicans to replace Speaker Knudsen if the Water Compact does not go their way. When is enough, enough? And just how far will the 11 liberal Republicans go cutting deals with the Democrats?

We expect these antics when watching House of Cards, or in Washington, D.C. Is this what Montana politics have become?

Apparently rules, promises, and Medicaid expansion aren’t enough. Now the Democrats have resorted to threatening Speaker Knudsen, the one man who has kept his word and has worked to prevent the House from becoming a circus. The real question is, what won’t the Democrats do to get their way?

1 comment

  1. Marcus, your logic defies me. First, how would Hunter be able to change the rules if that were not allowed? Wouldn’t a rule allowing or disallowing such imply that Hunter is indeed working within the system? Or did you want legislative anarchy to reign, whatever that might look like?

    I don’t understand the legal basis of a Gentleman’s Agreement, and it’s been awhile since I’ve seen the Gregory Peck film. Could you refresh my memory as to their value?

    It seems that cutting deals is a bad thing to you, Marcus. Wow, you must not be in business. I have to cut deals every day, myself…it’s how I put food on the table.

    I’m not sure what threats you’re talking about, but I’d love to see you expound upon them.

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