Anyone who read Democrat candidate for Attorney General Ben Alke’s recent letter is left wondering: Who is he, and why is he running? The letter provides plenty of platitudes but no substance. By contrast, we can look back at the last three years and know exactly where Attorney General Austin Knudsen stands on issues and what he will do to fight for Montana during his second term.
As a former county prosecutor, Attorney General Knudsen has put the safety of Montana communities at the forefront of his efforts. And as a former legislator and two-term Speaker of the House, he has been able to deliver results in terms of tougher and more effective laws and more resources to assist local law enforcement agencies in their fight against drugs and crime.
Those who deal drugs that kill another person can now be sentenced to up to 100 years in prison, and dealers of deadly fentanyl now face mandatory minimum sentences instead of a slap on the wrist. Under the new laws, human traffickers face new and enhanced penalties for crimes involving forced labor or commercial sex trafficking.
