Gianforte Ignores Constituent, Refuses to Condemn Running Mate’s Attacks on Common-Sense Eviction Protections During Public Health Crisis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 06, 2020

CONTACT
press@montanademocrats.org

Gianforte Ignores Constituent, Refuses to Condemn Running Mate’s Attacks on Common-Sense Eviction Protections During Public Health Crisis

Congressman Ignored Direct Question from Constituent During Tele-Townhall

Helena, MT – Last week, Governor Steve Bullock announced a series of consumer protections to soften the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the provisions were orders to halt evictions, foreclosures, and the cancellation of utility services for 10 days, a measure taken by Republican and Democratic governors in numerous states including Arizona, Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, and Texas. Greg Gianforte’s running mate, Kristen Juras, called these common-sense measures “socialism” and said, “I suspect this will be challenged in court.” 

While holding a tele-townhall this morning, a constituent asked Gianforte if he agrees with Juras’s comments. Gianforte stumbled over his words and refused to answer.

GG: And first we’d like to go to Megan in Bozeman. Megan, are you with us?

Megan: Thank you so much for having me.

GG: What’s your question today.

Megan: My question is do you agree with your running mate, that Bullock’s 11 day order protecting people from eviction is wrong?

GG: I — you know — I haven’t made a comment on that. We’re really here — do you have a question for the doctor or for the SBA today?

Megan: No, that was my question.

GG: Okay, thank you. Well next go to James in Lewistown.

Mr. Gianforte – the question is simple. Do you support Governor Bullock’s commonsense consumer protections, or do you agree with your running mate, who believes that working families don’t deserve any protection from eviction and utility cancellation during a national emergency? Over 40,000 Montanans have filed for unemployment in the last two weeks – don’t they deserve to know if a Gianforte/Juras administration would stand with them during their hour of need?

“During times like these, Montanans expect honesty and transparency from their elected officials — not cowardly refusals to answer legitimate questions from  constituents. If Gianforte agrees with Kristen Juras that our struggling neighbors deserve to be thrown out of their homes, he should have the decency to say so,” said MDP Executive Director Sandi Luckey. “If Gianforte can’t handle direct questions from the people he’s supposed to represent, how can Montanans trust him to lead our state through a once-in-a-generation crisis like we’re facing now?

###