By Skip Kowalski, Stevensville
In these contentious times, Montana needs more unity. Yet, Theresa Manzella, Republican candidate for Senate District 44, has shown more interest in highlighting our differences while ignoring our critical common pressing issues. If this shows her priorities, she is clearly neglecting the needs of average Montanans.
She is frequently seen associating with ideologues from outside Montana. For example, she posted: “Ken Ivory of The American Lands Council, presentation in Hamilton, MT, Dec 11, 2013” on Youtube. Ken Ivory was with the Utah based American Lands Council and came to Ravalli County several years ago to promote transferring Montana’s National Forests and other federal lands to the state. Theresa is also responsible for inviting Karen Budd-Falen, a right-wing Wyoming based attorney and anti-government promoter, to tell us how to write county-based land use plans. This is the same Budd-Falen who wrote a land-use plan for Catron County, New Mexico, that stated “federal and state agents threaten the life, liberty and happiness” of county residents and “that they present a clear and present danger to the land and livelihood of every man, woman and child.” (Ravalli Republic, November 18, 2017). More recently, Theresa was a featured speaker at a “Liberate America” rally in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho sponsored by Matt Shea, the discredited Washington State Representative, alleged terrorist and promoter of creating a 51st state from parts of Washington and Idaho (Inlander, July 30, 2020). He also assisted Ammon Bundy in planning the take-over of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon (Seattle Times, December 19, 2019). Theresa shared time on the agenda with a number of other right-wing anti-government activists including Ammon Bundy.
Ms. Manzella has a right to be an extreme right-wing conservative activist. After all, many Ravalli County and Montana residents identify with these movements. However, is it appropriate behavior for an elected representative? Her frequent association with the fringe elements of her party suggests that she is more interested in fostering division between the federal, state and local governments and among the citizens of the valley than she is in seeking common ground solutions for all residents of her District. By frequently encouraging the far right who has no use for either the federal government or citizens who share differing political views, Manzella is only fanning the flames of discontent.
Theresa can’t even get along with the moderate members of her own party. She knowingly criticizes more moderate Republicans as RINOs (Republicans in name only). Her attacks on Nancy Ballance for working with Democrats over issues related to health care (Medicaid Expansion) and the state gas tax showed us that her loyalty is really to her ideology and not to her constituents. Medicaid Expansion retained health care for thousands and funds from the gas tax are at work maintaining and improving our critically needed transportation infrastructure. Theresa’s blind commitment to party ideology shows an unwillingness to solve pressing problems and overshadows using common sense to meet the needs of disadvantaged Montanans and the public at large.
Possibly the most telling indictor that Theresa doesn’t value collaboration, cooperation or compromise was revealed in her closing remarks to participants of the “Liberate America” rally in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho this past June and posted on Youtube. She summarized her presentation proclaiming: “You need to know your Constitutional Rights if you are to protect them” and “Only virtuous people are capable of freedom.” I took these comments to mean that we need to agree with her interpretation of the Constitution and her definition of virtue in order to deserve freedom. She also advised everyone to know the Lord and know “our enemies.” What “enemies”? I assume that the enemies she is referring to are her fellow Americans who may not share her definition of values. Since Theresa describes herself as a Christian Conservative Republican, I see some contradiction, hypocrisy and irony in her advice.
In this period of extreme divisiveness, Montanans don’t need more polarization. From what I see, Theresa Manzella is on a mission to provide just that.