A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

22 December 2016

Did security concerns cause Montana’s governor
to chicken-out of a press conference in Whitefish?

Gov. Steve Bullock was supposed to be in Whitefish today, holding a press conference concerning the online campaign by anti-Semites to blacken the reputation of Whitefish businesses. But according to the Whitefish Pilot, he’ll write an oped instead:

The governor had been scheduled to address the media regarding the online harassment of Whitefish businesses and Jewish families have been receiving from neo-Nazi followers of part-time Whitefish resident and white nationalist leader Richard Spencer. Bullock instead is issuing an opinion piece “on a global subject” to area news media outlets.

Ronja Abel, deputy communications director with the Governor’s Office, would not say whether the cancellation was related to reported security concerns, but noted it “was the way things unfolded.”

Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said he had communicated with the Governor’s Office, and said there was a “cooperative effort in communications” among the Governor’s Office, Whitefish Police, the FBI and other federal partners. Dial also said he could not directly address the security issue, but added “we told them what our experts say; the FBI told them what their experts say.”

Bullock needs to come clean on this. So do the Whitefish police department, the Flathead County sheriff, and the FBI. Was there a credible threat to harm Bullock? Were the resources and skill of law enforcement authorities so meagre they couldn’t protect him from a spitball? Or is he hiding behind security concerns to avoid flying to Whitefish so close to Christmas?

Whatever his reasons, his decision to stay in Helena makes Whitefish look like a dangerous place and law enforcement authorities look like incompetent fools. That’s not what Whitefish needs.

Even if there was a threat, that’s no reason to cancel a visit. To the contrary, it’s more reason to carry through with the visit, which because of the threat becomes an opportunity to prove how men of courage respond to bullies and thugs, and to honor the citizens of Whitefish for their fortitude and decency.