Dodger-in-Chief: Gianforte Refuses to Answer Straight Questions About Bills Republican Legislators Are Sending to His Desk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 14th, 2023

CONTACT
hadley@montanademocrats.org

Won’t answer about his position on Abortion, Charter Schools, on Trans Health Care, even on TikTok. 

Helena, MT –  Montana’s Governor won’t give the people a straight answer. He’s been asked by reporters about how he plans to act on consequential legislation that may be heading to his desk soon – and he and his tight-lipped spokespeople dodge every question every time. 

When asked about bills that would divert millions in taxpayer funding from public schools to charter schools, Gianforte “declined to take a position on which he might support.”  

“Yet when it came to one of the biggest questions hanging over education policy during the session, Gianforte deflected,” according to reporting by the Montana Free Press.

When asked about whether or not he’ll sign the bill banning social media app TikTok which is garnering national attention, a spokeswoman for Gianforte deflected once more, saying he will “carefully consider any bill the Legislature sends to his desk.”

When asked simply about “his thoughts” on SB 99, an extremist bill that would ban gender-affirming care in Montana, Gianforte tried a clumsy dodge: “Yeah, so there’s a lot of bills moving through the Legislature. I was proud to get the recognition that this is one of the best states in the country to practice medicine. And our priorities in health care have really been to increase access to care and we’ll continue to promote those priorities.”

When a reporter pressed, he repeated his deflection: “So there’s a lot of bills moving through the Legislature. I understand that’s on its way to my desk, but hasn’t made it yet. And, when it does, we’ll give it careful consideration.” 

When asked about whether or not he would sign the abortion ban bill HB 721, which would ban the most common method of second trimester abortion in Montana and would be effective immediately upon the Governor’ signature, Gianforte’s spokeswoman “did not respond to a question Monday asking whether the governor intends to sign the bill when it arrives on his desk.” 

When asked if he would sign the Senate jungle primary bill SB 566 (also getting national attention), once more Gianforte “declined to respond to questions.” 

“Gianforte won’t give an honest or straight answer to the people who elected him to office,” says Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party. “We’d like to remind the Dodger-in-Chief that he works for the people of Montana. And we deserve answers. Hiding behind silent spokespeople, deflections, and meaningless so-called ‘statements’ is not leadership, it’s cowardice.”
 

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