MDP Statement on House Republicans Silencing Rep. Zephyr

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 20th, 2023

CONTACT
hadley@montanademocrats.org

House Republicans Refuse to Acknowledge the Democrat on the Floor

Helena, MT – On the House Floor on Thursday, Republican leadership refused to acknowledge Rep. Zooey Zephyr (D-Missoula) during debate about SB 458, which misdefines ‘sex’ in Montana Code and could risk $7 billion in federal funding. This unprecedented move to deny a duly elected Montana legislator the opportunity to speak followed shortly after the right-wing Montana Freedom Caucus targeted Rep. Zephyr with threats of censure. 

Minority Leader Kim Abbott stood and called out the Republicans for failing to recognize an elected member of the body: “These are hard debates that we have every single day. We need to have them with respect and dignity and we need to respect the integrity of the House… I’ve worked with the Majority Leader for two sessions trying to make sure this place can run well and that we’re respected and we both take that seriously, but with that, Mr. Speaker, I disagree that this was the proper way to do this.” 

Democratic members of the House stood to second the Minority Leader’s objection to the Speaker’s interpretation of the Rules, and the House stood at ease so the House Rules Committee could vote on the Democrats’ motion to appeal. The motion to appeal failed.

In response to House Republicans’ undemocratic actions silencing Rep. Zooey Zephyr (D-Missoula) and the right-wing Montana Freedom Caucus’ threats of censure, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party Sheila Hogan released the following statement: 

“Targeting and intentionally misgendering the first openly transgender woman legislator in Montana is beneath the office our legislators hold. It's another cruel and weak attempt by extremist Republicans to distract Montanans from their failure to pass any meaningful legislation for working families across the state.” 

###