by Helen Sabin, Corvallis
This reply is for MAH, July 28, 2023, who has a burning desire to denigrate and demean Representative Wayne Rusk and his actions in the state legislature this year. All MAH showed is that he is ignorant of campaign laws, campaign requirements, Article V, the Constitution, and the Convention of States.
MAH claimed that Rusk voted for the Convention of States (COS) bills in this year’s legislative session due to receiving campaign contributions from a COS PAC. MAH apparently isn’t aware that Rusk is in the HOUSE, not the SENATE, and could NOT vote on the Convention Of States bill, SJ2, as he claims Rusk did. Duh!
MAH is also stunningly incorrect about Rusk voting for the COS bills due to money that a financial group sent to Rusk’s campaign. Rusk had NO knowledge of this donation, did not see it, request it, and did not even spend it. It never came into Rusk’s hands. Financial groups often do this in campaigns. Thus, MAH’s second point is what we commonly call disinformation! Rusk is NOT for sale.
The only vote that Rusk could make on this topic was a blast motion on the House Floor that was defeated and tabled by committee. Thus, MAH’s claim that Rusk was bought by the COS is incorrect, innuendo, and could possibly be slander by MAH against Rusk. No proof of this exists.
Like many in the state legislature, Rusk had to make some decisions on “hard” votes but states that he would always try to use the Constitution as his guide. That is what the people of Montana required of him, and he did it as he promised to all who voted for him.
It is clear that MAH doesn’t know the constitution, the campaign laws, how the senate and house operate, and is basically uneducated and ignorant of Constitutional issues.
MAH needs to read Robert Natelson’s, “The Law of Article V.” That would be a great start. That is, if MAH can “read and comprehend” above an 8th grade level which is where most Americans read and understand today, according to the Literacy Project. Seeing the way he wrote his reply to another op-ed, I doubt 8th grade is his level. 5th grade maybe.