Montanans who are lovers of the outdoors and wildlife would do well to note the greenwashing by our president and the politicians who support him. President Trump has called himself the
greatest environmentalist since Teddy Roosevelt. This is the president who has, for example, drastically shrunk the size of national monuments and nominated a BLM chief who favored selling off the nation’s public lands. Despite some election year turnarounds, Sen. Daines and Rep. Gianforte have League of Conservation Voters records of 6% and 5%.
Daines’ recent proposal to increase fines for illegal landing in wilderness is an attempt to hide his 2018 request to open eight airstrips in the Bob Marshall wilderness. Although Gianforte claims
to be a supporter of those who hunt and fish, he has long been criticized for suing to undo an easement allowing public access through his property to the East Gallatin River. Now he has chosen a running mate whose published papers argue for a legal right of property owners to exclude the public from stream access.
If you care about Montana’s outdoors and its wildlife, don’t let these candidates fool you into thinking they are on your side.
Ned Hettinger
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 10/10/20