There's a massive exodus of sanity in too many parts of this country. I don't even know what to say about things like this...

Coming from a man is one thing, coming from a woman is a disgrace to all women.

In their power glee, they are going to go too far and be repudiated next cycle.

1st R governor in 16 years. He's not a native Montanan - important to them. He's a NJ transplant, who's been running for years till he finally got something.

He's a drumpf adherent.

Malpractice by MT Dem party, imho.

This has to stop. Montana is in a really bad place right now.

Ripped her a new one and asked for a phone call back. Told her I’d welcome her call.

I didn't ask for a return phone call because I would have lost my temper and turned into the Psycho Bitch from Hell and that would have defeated the purpose.

If she wants to call me back then my number should show on her machine.

After leaving a message about the heinous language in this bill sponsored by Dr. Jane Gillette of Bozeman, I received a phone call a few minutes ago from the executive director of the state bar association, and the husband of Dr. Gillette, Christopher Gillette. We had a long conversation about the bill particularly the section of the bill that we have been concerned about today. He told me that this section of the bill is DOA, thankfully. He does not know if the bill will be reworked and submitted as something else without this section or not.

He explained to me that the intent of the bill was not to give rapists access to children born to their victims as a result of rape. He cited two recent examples in Montana where the mothers petition to discontinue parental rights to the fathers of their children. He indicated that in these two specific cases, mothers had charged the fathers of their children with rape after the children had been born and after a parental relationship had been legally established. He said the intent was to make sure that children had access to their birth parents for the benefit of the children. We went back and forth about the intent and the actual language in the bill, which in my opinion was poorly written at best and could easily be interpreted as a way to once again dismiss the rights of women especially in instances of rape. He agreed the language could have been better and was written by an associate of his. Jane Gillette had been asked to carry the bill and that’s why her name was on on it.

All that said, I explained to him my concern that these two alleged cases had inspired this type of legislation at all. If in fact the two women in question had not been actually raped and had made the allegations in an effort to wrongfully deny parental rights of the birth fathers, why couldn’t this play out in court? If the birth fathers had been wronged and hadn’t committed rape, could they not hire an attorney and through discovery it would come to light that they weren’t guilty as charged? Why do we need a law that could be used against women to force them into the humiliation of sharing parental rights with their rapist.

Long story short, I will say that it took Mr. Gillette a certain amount of courage to call me personally because I blistered Jane’s ass on her voicemail. I was pissed. He was very concerned that his wife, Dr. Jane Gillette, would be adversely affected by the impression this legislation has left constituents with. I told him that she should be concerned. If she had read the bill and not just slapped her name on it, she might have come away with the same impression we did and maybe she did support it and didn’t like the blowback. Any proposed legislation that even hints at whittling away women’s basic civil rights will be watched closely by the rest of us paying attention in MT.

I’m no fool. There are dozens of photos online of Dr. Gillette posing with Daines, Gianforte, Rosendale etc. If she truly didn’t understand the contents of the bill with her name on it, she better start paying attention because she’s being used by Republican thugs in Montana.

You called the bar association too?

That you can remember that much of the conversation is mind boggling. An associate of Mr. Gillette (who is himself a family law lawyer) wrote the bill and he doesn't know if it will be rewritten? And Jane put her name on it? Sounds like a friend and family kind of bill and does not pass the smell test.

Apparently she doesn't have the courage to call you back personally but passes it on to her lawyer husband ... or he screens her phone calls for her so she doesn't get upset.

"maybe she did support it and didn’t like the blowback" that sounds like it to me.

This whole bill stinks.

So, talk to your family about you running for office. Montana needs you!

To clarify, I didn’t call the state bar association...Christopher Gillette called me on behalf of his wife. He told me what his position was with the state bar. He was very pleasant but I am not sure if he was genuine or just working me? I have to tell you I was so damned mad when I called Dr. Jane Gillette this morning. Mr. Gillette said “you were clearly upset.” Ummm. Yeah...I’m tired of having my civil rights effed with. I’ve got his phone number if anyone wants it. He offered it freely.

As far as running for office...I do think about it. I don’t know if I could keep my cool with all the idiots out there.

I met Jane Gillette 3 years ago when she ran the first time. We chatted for about 10 - 15 minutes and I thought she was the nicest woman. I told her of my frustrations with the shit the republicans pull, their insincerity, selfishness while serving for their own personal self over the country and she nodded her head while saying "I understand" or "it bothers me too". It was later that night when I looked at the flier she handed me and was shocked that she was a republican.

I should have known that like any experienced liar, they will look right into your eyes and say and do whatever they have to in order to get what they want, your vote.

Keeping your cool is no longer a requirement to run for office as long as you don't call the "gentleman" across the aisle an asshole. Even when they are.

They aren’t going to let this go people. We need to keep an eye on them.

https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/montana-lawmaker-withdraws-controversial-parenting-bill/article_318b52f6-5652-544e-914e-12870f44c303.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

I passed her phone number on to everyone I know in the state and most of them have daughters. Apparently, we did a knock out job on the phone calls. Gillette is not right for the job. I also think that her husband and his lawyer buddies are the ones who put this in front of her and that is why he is tending to her phone calls.

I am not sure that they wrote this bill as they are claiming or if they are trying to backpedal to cover their asses. This is only one of the many disgusting bills they are trying to pass.

I hope GG screws himself with his idiocy and we will be able to do a recall on his corrupt ass.

Thanks again MM.

about all of that.

ETA: Thank you GD for bringing this to our attention.