The Montana Democratic Party had this announcement:
Yellowstone County Democrats nominated Laurel resident Shirley Hanson to run this November in Senate District 29, replacing former candidate Friederick Schweitzer, who dropped from the race last week.
Didn’t read exactly why Schweitzer decided to drop out. I can only assume it has something to do with news mentioned in a prior post- included below.
Apparently Schweitzer told The Billings Gazette’s Tom Lutey that he was only a placeholder for another candidate, and did not withdraw because of his medical marijuana business.
PRIOR POST
I think when this story came out I was travelling around Northeastern Montana. Nonetheless, I’d imagine many of you probably missed this story as well, as the real story was buried under an ambiguous headline. The fact that a candidate for the state legislature is running his own medical marijuana business is news in itself, even leaving aside the fact that he also happens to be the nephew of Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-MT).
So, for those of you who missed it, here’s what the Billings Gazette’s Jan Falstad reported (even if buried in the story and covered by an ambigous headline):
Billings businessman Andy Nelson, who bought the Yellowstone Hotel building in March, said he immediately responded to Gregory’s initial complaint by trying to vent the air upward onto the roof. But that didn’t stop all the odors.
In May, Nelson leased the ground floor to Care Therapeutics, a medical marijuana operation owned by Friedrick Schweitzer, a nephew of Gov. Brian Schweitzer and a Democratic candidate for the Montana Senate District 29 covering Laurel and parts of rural Billings.
“It’s hard to lease commercial real estate,” Nelson said, adding that Schweitzer is a good tenant who pays his rent on time.
She added that Friedrick Schweitzer did not return calls seeking comment.