Hey, it’s Earth Day….who wouldn’t want to celebrate Earth Day by flying to the Everglades in a jumbo jet? That story is below. Plus, Missoula actor JK Simmons, who just won an Oscar, is teaming up with ESPN. And, George Will may not have been thinking about Montana when he penned a speech concerning the threat to the 1st Amendment…but it sure is timely considering a bill just signed by Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT). Ryan Zinke is urging Senators to vote no on AG nominee Loretta Lynch. The VA is sending veterans’ info to the FBI. 9 uncomfortable questions for Hillary Clinton. And much more….all in this week’s Political Trough.
Fitting
“Free speech has never been, in the history of our republic, more dangerously threatened than it is now.”
Posted by Aaron Flint on Wednesday, April 22, 2015
.@GovernorBullock There’s no transparency for all the undisclosed, unlimited corporate cash you’re raising #GovHypocrite #DGA #mtleg #mtpol
— MT Republican Party (@MontanaGOP) April 22, 2015
Reality Check: No disclosure for @GovernorBullock‘s undisclosed, unlimited corporate cash http://t.co/c0rYHX7Hlp #DiscloseAct #mtleg #mtpol
— MT Republican Party (@MontanaGOP) April 22, 2015
.@GovernorBullock signs the Disclose Act today to get dark money out of our elections #mtleg #mtpol pic.twitter.com/aOq8eM3xO7
— MT Democratic Party (@MTDems) April 22, 2015
Earth Day
The Daily Caller: Global Warming Alarmist Bill Nye Brags About Earth Day Airplane Flight
Bill Nye believes global warming is the greatest threat humanity faces — but apparently not great enough to make him think twice about taking an awesome Earth Day ride on Air Force One.
The self-proclaimed “science guy” took to Twitter Tuesday to brag to his over 2 million followers that he will be polluting the atmosphere with more carbon dioxide by joining President Barack Obama on an Earth Day trip on the presidential jumbo jet.
Heres the real Earth Day must-read:
Falling … falling … falling http://t.co/uAzfYGZuvl #mtpol #mtsen
— DGalt (@DGalt) April 21, 2015
Breitbart.com: Exclusive — Rep. Ryan Zinke: Senate Should Vote Against Loretta Lynch
Zinke: “Her unyielding support for the President’s unconstitutional executive amnesty, coupled with her complete disregard for the bounds to the power of the Presidency, demonstrate that she is a questionable pick, at best, to enforce the laws of this country.”
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT), a former Navy SEAL Team Six commander, tells Breitbart News exclusively that he believes Senators should vote against the confirmation of Loretta Lynch to replace Eric Holder as Attorney General of the United States.
Zinke is someone who as a freshman conservative congressman has fought against the establishment frequently, and is likely to challenge Tester for his U.S. Senate seat next go-around. If Tester does vote for Lynch, everything she does as Attorney General—including her anti-gun agenda—is likely to become a very big deal in a Senate race between Tester and Zinke.
KTVQ-TV: Tester wants to overhaul “No Child Left Behind”
Just tuning in..did Sen Tester release something against Common Core? #MTPol #students #CommonCore https://t.co/kVXmzZ0m0m
— Aaron Flint (@aaronflint) April 21, 2015
The Daily Caller: VA Sends Veterans’ Medical Info To FBI To Get Their Guns Taken Away
Documents obtained by The Daily Caller and interviews with American veterans reveal a shocking government program: The Department of Veterans Affairs is disarming America’s veterans by getting them placed on the FBI’s criminal background-check list.
The VA sends veterans’ personal medical and financial information directly to the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which can seize their guns in home raids.
Veterans deemed mentally incompetent or financially incapable are finally speaking out about the errors in the system and the fearful harassment they and their families face from the federal government. And it all starts when vets go to the VA to get medical help.
The Washington Examiner– Pew first: Gun rights top gun control in major public opinion shift
Exactly two years after President Obama’s bid for gun control following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting died in Congress, a new poll has discovered a huge shift in public opinion to backing Second Amendment gun rights and away from controlling gun ownership.
The reason: Americans now believe having a gun is the best way to protect against crime, 63 percent to 30 percent.
Pew Research Center found that while support for gun control once reached 66 percent, it has dropped to 46 percent while support for gun rights has jumped 52 percent, the highest ever in the past 25 years.
Powerful new Hillary Clinton video
The Hill- Graham: ‘Snowball’s chance in Hell’ Congress approves Iran deal
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday said President Obama’s tentative nuclear agreement with Iran would not survive its review by Congress.
“I don’t think there’s a snowball’s chance in Hell this framework will get approved by Congress after review,” Graham told host Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.”
Graham said Obama’s potential accord lacked the necessary safeguards for preventing a Tehran with nuclear arms.
The Daily Caller: 9 Uncomfortable Questions For Hillary Clinton
Here’s a few…
6.) Would you accept the endorsement of someone who helped spark an anti-Semitic riot like, say, Al Sharpton? Or do you confine your association with him just to friendly correspondence on his birthday?
7.) Do you believe that global warming is, as John Kerry has said and as you’ve intimated in the past, the greatest threat to mankind? If so, explain in detail how you sought to curb greenhouse gas emissions in your own life? Also, while president, will you set an example by grounding Air Force One?
8.) Do you think a candidate should be disqualified from running for president if they consider a former Ku Klux Klan leader as their mentor? If so, how do you justify your continued presence in the race considering you called the late Sen. Robert Byrd, who once served as a KKK recruiter, a “mentor” of yours?
The Hill: Jindal ‘tired of the hyphenated Americans’
“We used to be proud to call America the great melting pot,” Jindal said later in his remarks at the First In The Nation leadership summit in New Hampshire, noting his parents were proud of their heritage.
Still, Jindal insisted, “They weren’t coming to raise ‘Indian-Americans.’ They were coming to raise Americans.”
“I don’t know about you, I’m tired of the hyphenated Americans. No more ‘African-Americans.’ No more ‘Indian-Americans.’ No more ‘Asian-Americans,’ ” Jindal said to applause.
Helena IR:Senate panel revives Knudsen infrastructure bill
To keep its options open, a Senate committee on Tuesday revived, amended and passed out a public works bill sponsored by the House speaker that targets eastern Montana.
Two weeks ago, the Senate Finance and Claims had tabled House Bill 402, by Speaker Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson.
On Tuesday, the committee amended the bill and voted along party lines 12-7 to send the bill to the Senate floor for debate. Republicans voted for passing out the amended bill, while Democrats voted against it.
By the way, I spoke with Speaker Knudsen on Voices of Montana earlier this week. Click here to find the clip on our podcast page.
Tom Lutey had a very interesting report on trade legislation in Congress….Montana delegation cold to fast tracking trade for Obama
As President Barack Obama asks Congress to fast track two massive trade agreements, Montana’s delegation is pumping its brakes.
Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester indicated Monday they’re not yet ready to grant Obama Trade Promotion Authority, which would limit Congress to an up-or-down vote on treaties and prevent lawmakers from making amendments.
Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., said he won’t grant Obama the authority because he doesn’t like Obama’s track record on negotiations.
Posted by Aaron Flint on Wednesday, April 22, 2015