This morning in any newspaper in Montana, you are likely to read the AP story showing that Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) is still out-raising and out-spending his opponent, Congressman Denny Rehberg (R-MT).
But here’s a report you are not likely to read about in your morning newspaper. Senator Tester’s campaign has been charging Congressman Rehberg with launching a “war on women.” They even had the head of the abortion-rights group Planned Parenthood travel out to the Big Sky state to shore up their base. Now, a new report out of The Washington Free Beacon shows that Senator Tester pays his female staffers less than he pays his male staffers. How much less? 34.2%
Click here to read the full story, which is gaining national attention on The Drudge Report this morning.
A group of Democratic female senators on Wednesday declared war on the so-called “gender pay gap,” urging their colleagues to pass the aptly named Paycheck Fairness Act when Congress returns from recess next month. However, a substantial gender pay gap exists in their own offices, a Washington Free Beacon analysis of Senate salary data reveals.
Women working for Senate Democrats in 2011 pulled in an average salary of $60,877. Men made about $6,500 more.
Other notable Senators whose “gender pay gap” was larger than 23 percent:
•Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.)—47.6 percent
•Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D., N.M.)—40 percent
•Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.)—34.2 percent
Meanwhile, the conservative outlet, PJMedia.com highlights a recent ad attacking Congressman Rehberg that attempts to portray an everyday rancher criticizing the congressman.
Steve Charter, it turns out, is not quite the everyday Montanan. Rancher or not, Steve Charter is an environmental activist. He sits on the board of directors of the Northern Plains Resource Council. The NPRC opposes both the XL pipeline and the American coal industry. While the majority of Montanans and Americans have questioned President Obama’s political decision to scuttle the XL, Charter’s NPRC praised the job-killing decision.
Charter also runs another environmental advocacy group, the Bull Mountain Landowners Association, and from that position advocates against coal mining in Montana. According to the National Mining Association, Montana ranks as the nation’s fifth largest coal producer.