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

23 April 2017 — 2112 mdt

Flathead Memo considers withdrawing endorsement of Rob Quist

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On 4 January 2017, I endorsed Democrat Rob Quist for Congress. Today, I’m considering withdrawing that endorsement because Quist’s campaign is wrongly and in my judgment, mendaciously, claiming that his Republican opponent, Bozeman businessman Greg Gianforte, is a New Jersey multimillionaire. Here’s a paragraph from a press handout under his campaign’s letterhead that was emailed this evening:

End Citizens United drew a clear contrast between Quist and New Jersey multimillionaire Greg Gianforte, who has funded groups that work to loosen campaign finance laws and allow dark money influence in our elections – including the Montana Family Foundation, a major opponent of Montana’s Disclose Act.

I’m not comfortable with a campaign that treats telling the truth not as a moral obligation but as a political tactic, no different in principle from telling a lie.

Some people dismiss the New Jersey multimillionaire accusation as “just politics.” Some employ pretzel “logic” to defend the accusation as fair comment. None of this helps Quist, who so far has a reputation as a straight shooter.

Losing that reputation because his campaign twists the truth about Gianforte will greatly diminish Quist’s odds of winning. Just ask Hillary Clinton how her reputation as a cold-blooded liar helped her defeat Donald Trump.