Moderate Republicans Give Democrats De-facto Control Over Montana Legislature

mediatrackers.org ^ | 4/20/15 | Phil Rolen

[cotton1706]

Parliamentary maneuvering and a strategic partnership between moderate Republicans and Democrats in the Montana State legislature have provided Democrats with de-facto control over the House of Representatives on two key issues this session.

In a move reminiscent of the underhanded wrangling by national Democrats used to pass Obamacare in 2010, a handful “moderate” Republican legislators joined with Montana Democrats to bypass opposition by changing chamber rules to pass a state Medicaid expansion plan (SB 405) and the controversial CSKT Water Compact (SB 262).

SB 405 passed the House earlier this month on a 54-42 vote. SB 262 passed 2nd reading in the House last week on a 53-47 vote.

The moves were derided by House Republican leaders like Rep. Art Wittich (R-Bozeman), who characterized the strategy as “the law of the jungle” and simply “throwing the rules out.” Moderate Republicans legislators such as Rob Cook, Christy Clark, Jeff Welborn, Steve Fitzpatrick, Tom Berry, and Geraldine Custer repeatedly sided with Democrats, and, by simple majority vote, repeatedly overruled decisions by Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen (R-Culbertson) and the House rules committee.

House committees sent both bills to the Speaker’s desk with a “do not pass” designation which typically kills the bill unless three-fifths of the House votes to override. With Moderate Republican help and over the strong objections of conservatives, the bills went on to pass under the cover of an agreement reached at the onset of the legislative session which allowed the minority to bring a limited number of bills from committee to the full floor for debate by means of a simple majority — called “silver bullets.” Despite rulings by both Knudsen and the House Rules Committee, that the “silver bullet” rule did not apply to the agreement, a vote was held and the rules were overturned.

[cotton1706]

I have been documenting the complicity between moderate republicans and democrats for well over two years now, and will continue to do so.

It's becoming much easier to see as they've been forced to show their hands in the Congress, and in the states.

[Red Badger]

Montana: Where men are men........... and sheep are nervous...............

[Starboard]

Compromising with Democrats usually means doing things their way. The Republicans fall for this every time. I used to think this was just naïve on their part but now realize its nothing but political weakness and lack of principles.

Remember: Its not what they say. Its what they do.

[headstamp 2]

A moderate Republican is a liberal who doesn’t like paying taxes.

[Fightin Whitey]

This business was sickening to watch.

I was on the phone with the dozen fake Republicans who rushed to join arms with the lockstep (as usual) Democrats who sponsored both these rotten bills.

The fake Republicans were either non-responsive or hostile to outside comment, despite my being brief, polite, and informed.

Basically said to them that we had all (including them) to elect strong conservative majorities in both the house and the senate, and the voters are distressed to see some of them go off to the session and vote like Democrats.

They had to be under some pressure but not a one of them changed back over to the conservative side.

Exactly like the “Republicans” we send off to D.C.

[Paine in the Neck]

This is the same crap that Joe Straus pulls as Tx Speaker. A minority of RINO allies plus the support of the ‘Rats keeps him in power with a choke hold on a majority conservative House. Boehner seems to be working the same strategy.