by Scott Weaver, Hamilton
Nearly 6 months after Trump supporters rioted & assaulted the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 egged on by the former president’s false claims, Congress in May strove to form a bipartisan commission to investigate in-depth what happened. Similar to the 9/11 Commission, with Republican input, each party’s Congressional leadership were to select five to the commission of 10 non-government members. The House approved the commission with a bipartisan vote. Spokesman for Matt Rosendale, Harry Fones, said Rosendale opposed the commission because he didn’t think it was about the riot at all: “Rep. Rosendale voted against it because this commission was a political diversion and politically controlled by the other party who are attempting to divert attention away from the failures of the Biden administration.”
In June, a bipartisan bill was passed in the House to award police officers who helped defend the Capitol against the violence on Jan. 6 one of the highest civilian honors, the Congressional Gold Medal, for their heroism. It was overwhelmingly supported, 406-21, with opposition only from some conservative Republicans, Matt Rosendale among them.
The following day, a day after the Senate voted unanimously in favor of establishing Juneteenth a federal holiday to commemorate the end of chattel slavery in the U.S., 14 House members — all Republicans — voted against the bill, many citing concerns over the name of the holiday and whether it confuses/conflicts with the 4th of July holiday. Montana’s Rosendale among them, issued the following statement: “Let’s call an ace an ace. This is an effort by the Left to create a day out of whole cloth to celebrate identity politics as part of its larger efforts to make Critical Race Theory the reigning ideology of our country. Since I believe in treating everyone equally, regardless of race, and that we should be focused on what unites us rather than our differences, I will vote no.”
On July 12, Rosendale sent a letter to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees addressing his perceived concern about American athletes using the games “to perpetuate divisive, hateful, and anti-American ideologies.” Another conspiracy of ‘the Left’? In addition to Representative Rosendale, the letter was only signed by a small minority of US Representatives, less than 10%. Among them were Marjorie Taylor Greene, Chip Roy, Paul A. Gosar – that lot.
Now, according to his letter in our most recent Bitterroot Star – “Rosendale decries ‘left wing’ extremism in the military”. He is planning a long-pressure campaign against so-called Leftists at the Department of Defense, teaching of ‘Critical Race Theory’ there, and what he views as anti-American teaching with their plan ending in an inability to “fight & win wars”. However, again, the letter was signed by only a small minority of US Representatives, far less than 10%.
These are just a few recent examples of Rosendale’s radical-right position(s) where he is primarily focused on what he thinks is “fighting the Pelosi/Biden agenda” & ‘the Left’, rather than improving the lives of Americans & Montanans. He is out of touch. He is indeed fringe, conspiratorial, and I’d say rather paranoid. As the lone representative, he is not good for Montana; not good for America. Matt Rosendale needs to be voted out of Congress at first opportunity. Certainly, we deserve, and can do, better.