FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 12, 2020
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Helena, MT – The Billings Gazette this weekend reported on an open letter by more than 100 Montana doctors, nurses, caregivers, and public health experts criticizing Greg Gianforte for not taking personal responsibility when it comes to the pandemic, and urging him to stop his reckless behavior and take the public health crisis seriously.
The letter “criticized Gianforte, the state’s current U.S. House representative, for three instances” of reckless behavior, including attending a raucous concert in Helena that violated COVID-19 restrictions (without a mask), entering the gubernatorial debate maskless three days later, and joking about the pandemic at an event in Helena, offering to give a supporter a hug.
“Your refusal to commit to wearing a mask in public is a threat to the health and safety of our communities. It’s not taking personal responsibility, and it’s certainly not the leadership that Montanans deserve,” the health professionals wrote.
The letter came as cases of COVID 19 are spiking around the state.
“So Congressman, as a group of doctors, nurses, caregivers, and health care professionals, we urge you to stop your reckless behavior, and start taking this pandemic seriously,” the letter concluded. “Montanans’ lives depend on it.”
The letter to Gianforte was signed by:
1. Abigail Combs, Caregiver, Butte
2. Alison Sharkey-Hines, Caregiver, Butte
3. Amy Matheny, MD MPH FAAFP, Missoula
4. Andrew Melcher, Caregiver, Great Falls
5. Anna Volkersz, Caregiver, Bozeman
6. Anna Whiting Sorrell, former Director MDPHHS and Director Billings Area Indian Health Service, Evaro Hill
7. Anne Murphy, MD, Missoula
8. Ashley Fling, Caregiver, Anaconda
9. Ashley Isaacson, Caregiver, Butte
10. Ashton Smith, Caregiver, Anaconda
11. Becky Facincani, Caregiver, Butte
12. Bonnie Knight, Caregiver, Black Eagle
13. Brach Newmiller, Caregiver, Billings
14. Breanne Utgaard, RN, Polson
15. Brenda M DeGrazio, CNM, Missoula
16. Brittney Quane, Caregiver, Butte
17. Caitlin McLaughlin, Caregiver, Butte
18. Candy Dorscher, Caregiver, Butte
19. Carla Macey, Caregiver, Melrose
20. Carol Cady, MD, Missoula
21. Celeste Thompson, Caregiver, Missoula
22. Cherie Knowles, Caregiver, Lolo
23. Chuck Butler, Helena
24. Cindy Craddock, Caregiver, Billings
25. Connie Sharp, Caregiver, Glasgow
26. Cora Neumann, Ph.D., public health expert, Bozeman
27. Cristopher Love, Caregiver, Billings
28. D’Shane Barnett, public health advocate, Missoula
29. Darci Thorsrud, RN, Missoula
30. Darin Bell, MD, Missoula
31. Dave Tessier, MD, Missoula
32. David Daniels, Caregiver, Anaconda
33. David Schuldberg, Ph.D., Missoula
34. Dawn E Doyle, Caregiver, Billings
35. Deb Agnew, MD, Billings
36. Delphine Camarillo, Caregiver, Billings
37. Denise Macoy, Caregiver, Butte
38. Destin Nettles, Caregiver, Butte
39. Devon Hines, Caregiver, Butte
40. Dezaray Stebbins, Caregiver, Butte
41. Donna Beall, PharmD FCCP CPP, Missoula
42. Douglas R Allington, PharmD, Missoula
43. Douglas Webber, MD, Missoula
44. Drew Stebbins, Caregiver, Butte
45. Dru Decelles, Caregiver, Billings
46. Emily Colomeda, public health expert, Lake County
47. Emily Coyle, health consultant, Missoula
48. Emma Wright, MD, Missoula
49. Eric Fox, MD, Missoula
50. Franklin Clark, Caregiver, Butte
51. George Risi, MD MSc Fellow IDSA, Missoula
52. Gerry Knight, Caregiver, Black Eagle
53. Greg Oliver, RN, Missoula
54. Hayley Blackburn, Pharm.D. BCACP BC-ADM, Missoula
55. Heather Jensen, Caregiver, Butte
56. Jacquie Helt, public health advocate, Missoula
57. Jake Jensen, Caregiver, Butte
58. Jamie Harding, FNP-BC, Missoula
59. Jessica Cozzens, MD, Billings
60. Janice Givler, MD, Missoula
61. Jami Lynch, RN, Ronan
62. Jessica Scheer, Nurse Practitioner, Billings
63. Katie Jones, MD, Billings
64. Katie Vance, Caregiver, Butte
65. Kendra Knezovich, Caregiver, Butte
66. Kendra Procacci, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Missoula
67. Kerry Haney, PharmD, Missoula
68. Kristi Stacy, Caregiver, Frenchtown
69. Laurie Glover, APRN FNP-BC
70. Leslie Hunt, Caregiver, Butte
71. Linda Riley, Caregiver, Butte
72. Lindsay Richards, MD, Missoula
73. Lisa Jensen, Caregiver, Butte
74. Lisa Venuti, PharmD, Missoula
75. Lois Schuett, Caregiver, Butte
76. Lora Wier, public health advocate and former public health nurse, Choteau
77. Lori Swartz, Caregiver, Missoula
78. Lynn Holman, Caregiver, Troy
79. Margaret A Cronin, MD, Missoula
80. Margaret Eddy, MD, Missoula
81. Mark Miles, MD, Great Falls
82. Maria Titus, Caregiver, Missoula
83. Michelle Ramirez, Caregiver, Butte
84. Nancy Fitch, MD, Missoula
85. Ned Vasquez, MD, Missoula
86. Neva Oliver, FNP, Missoula
87. Nicole Farren, Caregiver, Butte
88. Patricia Carrick, FNP, Dillon
89. Rainie Setter, Caregiver, Butte
90. Rebecca Knight, Caregiver, Great Falls
91. Rhearae Newholy, Caregiver, Busby
92. Rob Stenger, MD MPH, Missoula
93. Roni Griffith, LNP, Helena
94. Sarah Watson, MD, Missoula
95. Shan Guisinger, Ph.D, Missoula
96. Shannon Bowling, Caregiver, Butte
97. Shelly Beeler, Caregiver, Whitehall
98. Sierrah Parini, Caregiver, Butte
99. Stephanie Bennett, Caregiver, Butte
100. Tammi Boe, Caregiver, Billings
101. Tara Perkins, Caregiver, Butte
102. Teresa Shiner, RN BSN, CRRN
103. Timothy Visscher, MD, Bozeman
104. Tom Bulger, MD, Missoula
105. Tom Roberts, MD, Missoula
106. Tracia Schenberg, Caregiver, Missoula
107. Tracia Schenberg, Caregiver, Missoula
108. Victoria Bell, Caregiver, Butte
109. William S Gallea, MD FAECP, Helena
110. Winnifred Schafer, Caregiver, Wolf Point
111. Winter Maulding, Caregiver, Butte
112. Wynter Hines, Caregiver, Butte
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