HELENA, Mont. (AP) Montana's Republican-controlled Legislature has withdrawn its subpoenas for the emails of Supreme Court justices and the court administrator that included state judges' opinions about a bill to allow the governor to directly fill judicial vacancies between elections.
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While the 2021 Montana Legislature has left town, one of its biggest projects is just getting under way: The distribution of more than $1.6 billion of federal Covid-relief funds, from the American Rescue Plan.
GOP Investigation Into Montana Judiciary Continues, Awaiting Final Court Orders
Montana lawmakers continue their investigation into allegations of bias among members of the judicial branch. After a series of rapid developments, there’s a break in the action and it’s not clear what comes next. MTPR’s Shaylee Ragar shares her reporting with Freddy Monares.
FREDDY Shaylee, this investigation started at the tail end of the legislative session. Can you remind us how the Legislature came to investigate the judiciary?
SHAYLEE Sure. This started when an internal poll of the Montana Judges Association became public earlier this spring. It showed that some members of the judicial branch voiced support and opposition to bills moving through the legislature that could impact the judiciary.
The Montana State Capitol building in Helena.
Four newly established advisory commissions will make recommendations to Montana’s governor on how to spend more than $1.5 billion of federal pandemic relief funds.
The governor’s office Wednesday announced the commissions, made up of state lawmakers and appointees from the executive branch. They will focus on proposals to fund infrastructure, communications, economic stabilization and health projects and programs.
State lawmakers earlier this year created the commissions along with
a framework for allocating the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The commissions will review grant applications and proposals within that framework and make recommendations to Governor Greg Gianforte on which should be funded.