By Richard Ellis, Stevensville
When did the Ravalli County Commissioners (or should we call them the Ravioli County Commissioners) begin to write for Comedy Central? When I read the news story that our commissioners wrote a letter to Attorney General Tim Fox asking him to investigate the funding of environmental organizations such as the Montana Wilderness Association, Montana Wildlife Federation, Montana Mountain Mamas, and Our Land Our Legacy, I actually burst out laughing. Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Sarah Silverman, Joan Rivers, W.C. Fields, step aside. Let’s give a big hand to Greg Chilcott, Jeff Burrows and Chris Hoffman.
It seems that our commissioners are offended by a billboard that is critical of their policies regarding the environment. Therefore, they conclude that a new Montana organization, Our Land Our Legacy, must be taking dark money from outsiders, perhaps even from Russia.
Can’t you just picture Vladimir Putin, the former KGB thug, sitting in his office in the Kremlin, keeping track of environmental organizations in Montana and deciding to funnel money to a brand new organization so that it could criticize the Ravalli County Commissioners. Boy, that’s getting a big bang for the buck! Way to go, Vlad! But here is the question. Has anyone heard U.S. intelligence agencies or House and Senate committees suggest that Russia was backing critics of our county commissioners?
It seems that these remarkable charges were made by Keith Kubista of Stevensville and were based on the claims of a Washington, D.C. lobbyist named Rick Berman, who has made a career of defending Big Tobacco and opposing environmental regulations. Is he part of the swamp?
It appears, also, that Berman has stated publicly that he runs money “through non-profit organizations that are insulated from having to disclose donors. There is total anonymity,” he states. “People don’t know who supports us.” Gee! Does that sound like dark money?
When I read the news accounts of the commissioners’ letter, I burst out laughing. It was the best laugh of the day. And I laugh every time I think of it. A laugh a day keeps the doctor away. Keep it up, commissioners. Comedy Central may come calling.
But in the meantime, don’t forget the important principle of free speech. And will you investigate everyone and every organization that disagrees with you? Will you investigate Keith Kubista and the organizations to which he belongs and their funding sources? Will you investigate Rick Berman?