Dear Editor:
Experience and Safety in the Attorney General Race
Raph Graybill comes to the Attorney General as the only candidate who served as a law enforcement officer as a member of the NYPD. In private practice he represented inventors and entrepreneurs harmed by unfair business practices by multinational corporations and banks. As Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Bullock, he went to court against the federal government beating the IRS when they tried to shield dark money groups from disclosing the names of their corporate donors. He took on the feds again and won when they broke our U.S. Constitution by illegally appointing an anti-public lands extremist as director of the Bureau of Land Management. And, Graybill successfully defended the Habitat Montana program before the Montana Supreme Court when extremists on the Land Board tried to kill the program and public access for hunting and fishing.
Like he’s done time and time before, Graybill will be our independent watchdog as Attorney General and fight for our rights and values. He will defend our healthcare protections, lower prescription drug costs and stand up for farmers and ranchers against price manipulation.
His opponent, Roosevelt County Austin Knudsen, claims to be tough on crime. But Roosevelt County has the highest crime rate in the state. As a legislator, he introduced no bills to address the drugs and addiction. In fact, he voted to rip away our healthcare, which provides mental health, and drug treatment services to Montanans, and law enforcement agree these services keep our communities safe. Knudsen is not serious about tackling the meth problem in Montana.
When COVID -19 cases began to rise, Knudson authorized the County Rodeo against the recommendations from his Roosevelt County Public Health to not hold large gatherings and wear masks. As of 9/25, Roosevelt County has 219 active cases. Roosevelt County has a population of about 11,000, but has the 4th largest number of cases in the state, behind more populated counties like Yellowstone, Flathead, and Cascade. Neighboring Richland County only has 10 active cases because we followed Board of Health guidelines and canceled the County Fair and Rodeo.
My vote will be Raph Graybill for Attorney General, who is the only candidate that has been before the Montana and US Supreme Courts to defend our values. Graybill is committed to serving Montana by preserving our right to healthcare, public education and keeping our communities safe. My vote is based on qualifications and trust, and we cannot trust Austin Knudsen.
Janet Martineau
Sidney, MT
Dear Editor:
Melissa Romano is the education champion we need in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Montana needs the dedication and commitment to our public education system that Melissa Romano has demonstrated time and time again. She will ensure our children and teachers have the resources they need to succeed in the coming school year. Her opponent, Elsie Arntzen has failed to show the leadership Montana needs during these difficult times. She has continually prioritized the needs of private institutions over public schools. In contrast, Melissa Romano has stepped up to the plate in the era of COVID-19. Romano has created a blog called, Teaching Together, for teachers and parents to utilize, hosts Story Time on a weekly basis, and honors teachers making a difference with her Celebrate Teachers program. Melissa Romano will restore leadership to the Office of Superintendent come this fall.
Barb Gartner,
Glendive, MT
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