Democratic Senator Jon Tester, currently in his bid for a fourth term in predominantly Republican Montana, faces a pivotal race in 2024. His reelection is crucial for Democrats, who are defending three Senate seats in states won by Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections—Ohio and West Virginia being the others. Tester is expected to confront Tim Sheehy, a former Navy Seal turned aerospace CEO, endorsed by Trump and key Republican figures.
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Knudsen issues statement on court’s stay of Biden’s 1557 rule change
In a significant legal development, a federal court has granted Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s request to halt the Biden administration’s controversial new rule concerning gender-transition treatments. The rule, proposed under Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), aimed to tie federal funding to compliance with mandates requiring healthcare providers to offer gender-transition medical procedures.
Attorney General Knudsen, who filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) rule in June, welcomed the court’s decision as a rebuke to what he termed the administration’s “lawless order.” The ruling blocks enforcement of the rule that would have compelled healthcare providers to perform gender-transition procedures on adults and children seeking such treatments, or risk losing federal funding.
“The Biden administration issued another lawless order and it was rightfully smacked down by the court,” Attorney General Knudsen asserted in a statement following the decision. “Forcing healthcare providers to perform dangerous and life-altering experimental procedures and burdening states with the cost is a step too far, especially when these treatments can cause irreversible damage, even to children.”
Montana Senate Race Heating Up
Jon Tester, the Democratic Senator from Montana, is striving to retain his seat in a state that strongly supported Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Despite Montana’s conservative leaning, Tester has managed to secure victories in several tough elections over the past decade, maintaining his popularity with the state’s right-leaning voters.
This November, Tester faces potentially one of the toughest re-election battles of his career. To win a fourth term, he must significantly outperform President Joe Biden, who tops the Democratic ticket. His main opponent is Republican Tim Sheehy, a businessman and retired Navy SEAL. Current polling suggests a tight race.
The latest poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies for the Montana Republican Party, reveals a deadlock between Tester and Sheehy, each receiving 46 percent support among 500 likely voters surveyed between June 11 and 13. Interestingly, Tester is polling 20 points better than Biden in Montana, where 57 percent of respondents favor Trump compared to 37 percent for Biden. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 4.38 percentage points.
Knudsen responds to Supreme Court Victory
Attorney General Knudsen spearheaded a coalition of 24 states urging the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court’s decision in March. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a previous ruling by a lower court that prevented states and local governments from enforcing laws aimed at preventing public spaces from turning into homeless encampments.
Following the decision in Johnson v. City of Grants Pass, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued the following statement
:“This is a huge win for cities across Montana that are suffering from unsafe public spaces. For too long local governments have been unable to address the rampant homeless camps and their side effects in communities across the state because their hands were tied. Cities like Bozeman and Missoula can’t hide behind the lower court’s flawed decision any longer. Now, they can enforce the laws that stop Montana streets from becoming camps for the homeless.”
Poll: Tester, Sheehy tied at 46% in Senate Race
A recent poll has unveiled a highly competitive race for Montana’s Senate seat, showing Democratic incumbent Jon Tester in a dead heat with his Republican challenger, Tim Sheehy. According to the latest polling data by Public Opinion Strategies, both candidates are currently tied at 46% among likely voters surveyed statewide.
The results underscore the closely contested nature of the upcoming election, highlighting the strength of support for both Senator Jon Tester and his challenger, Tim Sheehy. Tester, a seasoned politician and current Senator representing Montana, has been a prominent figure in state politics. Throughout his tenure, Tester has come under fire for campaign as a moderate in Montana, while racking up one of the most liberal voting records in the Senate.
Knudsen’s office secures life sentence for man convicted injuring MHP trooper
HELENA– Jason Allen Miller was sentenced to life without parole for running over and seriously injuring Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson in February 2023. In April, Miller was found guilty on all counts including attempted deliberate homicide, criminal endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal possession of dangerous drugs, aggravated kidnapping, and a sentencing enhancement for the use of a weapon.
“Today we made it clear that violence against Montana law enforcement officers will not be tolerated. I’m proud of our prosecutors in the Attorney General’s Office who helped hold the perpetrator to account and ensured justice was served in this case,” Attorney General Knudsen said.
Miller received live without parole in the Montana State Prison for his attempt on Trooper Johnson’s life, followed by 10 years for the use of a weapon, 15 years for criminal endangerment, 15 years for criminal mischief, five years for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, and 15 years for aggravated kidnapping, which means Miller will be in prison for life, without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 25 years. He also owes the Johnson family over $75,000 in restitution, and over $1.2 million to the State for Trooper Johnson’s care, treatment, and trial expenses.
Attorney General Knudsen issues statement on Supreme Court’s NRA v. Vullo decision
HELENA – The Supreme Court ruled in favor today of the National Rifle Association (NRA), in its case against a New York state official who trampled on the organization’s First Amendment right to free speech. In response to the NRA v. Vullo ruling, Attorney General Austin Knudsen released the following statement:
“The Supreme Court made the right decision today in protecting one of the greatest privileges we have as Americans: free speech. The Justices unanimously affirmed what we already knew, elected officials cannot use their authority to financially cripple or stifle their political opponents’ First Amendment rights. As attorney general, I will continue to fight for the rights of Montanans and all Americans.”
Knudsen dominates fundraising in AG race
Recent campaign finance filings reveal that with just a month remaining until Montana’s June 4 primary, Attorney General Austin Knudsen holds substantial financial advantages over his opponents.
Incumbent Republican Knudsen secured over $56,000 during the month raising his total raised to $394,000. With expenditures totaling approximately $19,000, he concludes the period with over $230,000 in cash on hand.
His Republican contender, Logan Olson, has not disclosed any fundraising or spending activities thus far.
On the Democratic side, Ben Alke, who faces no primary opponent, raised $15,000 during the month, bringing his total fundraising efforts to nearly $82,000. Spending around $8,000 during the same period, he currently holds approximately $74,000 in cash reserves.
Knudsen leads coalition against Biden administration’s attack on women’s rights
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has taken a stand against the Biden administration’s contentious Title IX rule, leading a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit aimed at protecting the rights and safety of girls and young women. This lawsuit marks the 44th legal action initiated by Attorney General Knudsen against the Biden administration.
The rule, published by the Department of Education, expands Title IX to include “gender identity,” a move perceived as undermining the longstanding protections for girls and women in education. Attorney General Knudsen emphasized concerns that this expansion would erase the distinction between males and females in educational and athletic opportunities, potentially disadvantaging women. Moreover, the rule mandates the sharing of facilities like bathrooms, locker rooms, and dormitories, raising safety concerns for female students.
Knudsen criticized the rule as disregarding scientific reality and accused the Biden administration of prioritizing political agendas over women’s rights. He vowed to continue advocating for women’s protection and uphold Montana’s laws against federal overreach.
Knudsen files lawsuit against Biden’s rule banning private gun sales
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen spearheaded a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s recent assault on Americans’ Second Amendment rights. This legal action marks the 45th lawsuit initiated by Attorney General Knudsen against the Biden administration.
The lawsuit challenges the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule, titled “Definition of ‘Engaged in the Business’ as a Dealer in Firearms,” which threatens to criminalize law-abiding citizens for selling even a single firearm for profit without obtaining a federal license. Attorney General Knudsen asserted, “This is another attempt by the Biden administration to criminalize law-abiding Montanans for exercising their right to keep and bear arms.”
The contentious rule expands the definition of a “dealer” to include anyone who sells or offers firearms for sale, imposing civil, administrative, or criminal penalties on those who engage in such transactions without a federal license. Furthermore, it broadens the concept of profit to include non-monetary exchanges, potentially criminalizing innocent sales between friends and family members.
Multiple states sue over Biden Title IX rule
(The Center Square) – Several Republican attorneys general have sued over the Biden administration’s Title IX rule change, arguing it is illegal. More states are expected to follow.
The lawsuits come after the Biden administration’s Department of Education rewrote the Title IX statute to expand the definition of “sex” to include “gender identity.”
Title IX, which is part of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Montana AG praises Congress’s TikTok ban
(The Center Square) – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said he’s glad to see the federal government take action against TikTok.
A foreign aid package signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday includes language requiring TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest it within a year.
“I’m glad to see that Congress finally acted and followed Montana’s lead,” Knudsen said in a press release.
In 2023, Montana was the first state to ban TikTok on government devices and networks citing concerns about privacy and national security. Formally known as Senate Bill 419, Knudsen’s office played a role in drafting the legislation.
