Posted: October 20, 2011 at 10:39 pm

The Ground Zero of Slime

City Commissions have been the hot topic in Helena and Great Falls of late, but nowhere are local politics filled with more intrigue, money, and slime than in the Flathead.

A city election would normally be a local contest with little statewide interest. But this is Whitefish, where the local races are ground zero in the fight between those who want unregulated development at all costs, and those who support zoning protections for local citizens against big developers and polluters.  Political observers and members of the conservation community from around the state have been keeping a close eye on the upcoming city elections in Whitefish and so should you.

That’s because same big money shadow groups that spent $3-5 million to give us the Great TEA Party Legislative Disaster of 2011 cut their teeth playing in Flathead area politics, spending hundreds of thousands to influence recent city races and creating a myriad of single issue PACs  with innocuous sounding names to obscure the money trail.     To put that in perspective, the average city commission candidate here in the state’s capitol city raises $1,000 bucks or so.

First, the race for mayor:

Turner Askew,  is a current city council member and is now running for mayor.  Askew is a big shot commercial and industrial real estate broker, known for doing whatever the development industry asks.   But Turner Askew isn’t just a member of the development industry who is backed by industry cash.  He’s also an original member of the Flathead Business and Industry PAC–the group behind the one of the sleaziest political smear campaigns in recent memory.

The TEA Party has also thrown in with Askew.  In fact, the TEA Party mega-millionaire donor Ray Thompson, who was exposed by Mother Jones for bankrolling some of the TEA Party’s most radical candidates is helping to fund his campaign.

Running against Askew is John Muhlfeld.  John is well-liked and has a reputation for coming to all meetings prepared. He’s the founder of ‘River Design Group’ which has been recognized by Outside Magazine as one of the best places in the country to work.  He’s supported by local folks, no PAC’s.

Here’s who’s running for city council:

Richard Hildner is a teacher at Glacier High and is probably the most knowledgeable candidate in the race.  He’s known for attending more council meetings than the councilors.  It’s hard to go wrong electing teachers.

Frank Sweeney is a local business attorney and has been the recipient of the majority of the personal attacks and political action committees bankrolled by wealthy landowner Rick Blake. Actually, Blake was a truck driver (born Ricky Lynn Blake) until he married an heir to the Avis car rental fortune.  Blake, like Askew, is also founding member of Flathead Business and Industry Association PAC.  Perhaps thinking one PAC wouldn’t buy him enough influence, Blake also founded a one-man PAC oddly titled “We Love Stumptown.”  Sweeney has served as chairman of the local planning board and several other volunteer boards, and has lots of local support.

John Anderson, is another local attorney running for city council. He’s currently president of the local Chamber board. He seems to be a young family man who has a way of bringing folks together and who also has local support.

Then we have Mary Vail, who is most known for being a hard core supporter of one Derek Skees.  She sits in the front row of many of his lectures. Vail will probably tout her service on the local library board, but her supporters are the usual right wingers. These include Askew and Blake’s wives and several other folks from the development community.

Word on the street is that candidate Doug Wise registered to vote here only three years ago. His known associates include Rick Blake, Turner Askew, and Ryan Zinke.   When asked about city issues, Wise seems to regurgitate what he’s been told to say by them.  Once the discussion becomes more in-depth however, Wise is any thing but.  His money comes from the development community.

Finally, we have Life Noell, who is a young guy with a reputation for his great energy.  Noell is a big advocate for medical marijuana and would probably do better to focus there rather then the city council race. He’s indicated that he is not willing do any campaigning that would cost more than $50.

51 comments

  1. Dave Skinner

    Oh, come on…
    Where’s the mention of the ballot referendum and the new legal ground that’ll plow, crater-style? Or the fact that Sweeney and Hildner collaborated on that beauty?
    Where’s the mention of the money from the other side’s richies, including for certain Dan Weinberg, who made HIS money by inheriting Fel-Pro?

    Make it easy for readers, the MCV endorsees: Hildner, Sweeney, Anderson, Muhlfeld — that’s all anyone really needs to know.

    I guess Life Noell is running because of his past bit parts in scary movies, he’d be right at home in the horror flick that is WF Politburo. Mary’s conservative, you bet, but Wise’s only political money so far is to Dems. His Congressman in Tennessee and none other than Brian Schweitzer’s Senate campaign.

    • Trust No One

      No surprise Skinner is clueless. Wise contributed to Derek Skees campaign. Can’t remember where I heard it but I DON’T THINK SKEES IS A DEMOCRAT.

  2. Life Noell

    I am excited to see you’ve done your homework. Perhaps you can tell us more about this MJ loving Life Noell. Do you know anything else, or are you that out of touch. I guess you don’t know all. Surprise surprise.

    • Trust No One

      She knows a few other things too. Should I share them with the public? Cowgirl is not out of touch at all, believe it. Anytime someone runs for office their personal lives are scrutinized. She has too much class than to air your dirty laundry here.

  3. Life Noell

    Trust No One~

    I found this interesting when you wrote in reference to Mary Vail:

    “She is a very nice lady but she and her husband are very strong supporters of Derek Skees and the Tea Party. Whitefish needs Councilors who will work together again vs a 50/50 split like they have now. I think Doug Wise is a better choice.”

    Note the bit at the end. You said Doug Wise was better.

    Then, you wrote this about Doug Wise:

    “He has lived here for many years? He registered to vote here 3 years ago. During every candidate forum Doug Wise has proven he does not understand local issues and that he has a knack for regurgitating drivel from the deregulation/development community.”

    So, where do you stand Mr/Ms. Trust No One?
    or do you make fun for yourself spreading hate?

    lifenoell@yahoo.com

  4. Trust No One

    That is not spreading hate. You’re starting to sound like Skees. Walk through mud? Keep in mind ‘mud’ is created when people make bad choices. Would you vote for a public servant who has an arrest record and a history of a recent extra-marital affair? Just a question, not pointing fingers. Ah, the trials and tribulations of small town America.
    You’ve been grouped with Vail and Wise in this election, posted your picture with Zinke yet you’re a strong proponent of medical marijuana. Are you confused?

    • Trust No One

      Montana Cowgirl and I like being anonymous. It’s really fun to see people squirm when you know so much about someone and they can’t figure out who you are. If your life is an open book then have at it. I think it’s great you’re such a strong proponent of medical marijuana and serve and serve on the weed committee for Whitefish.

      • Life Noell

        Trusty~ I don’t know your side, but noxious weeds and marijuana are two different topics, at least in my opinion. Whitefish, as a majority, expressed a great deal of concern about noxious weeds in recent years, and we continue to struggle in abating them. With a rainy spring like we had, our efforts were dampened. We are losing in this effort.
        I recognise it’s a play on words for many people who can’t look past the differences of the two topics. You might find marijuana to be obnoxious, and you would have a good argument if you were compare them.

        Do you live down the street from me? Do you suffer from a napolean complex? Golfer? I’m probably way off. But I noticed you ‘name dropped’ someone you know, probably an employee of yours.

        • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

          Life, can you smoke leafy spurge?? I wish to hell you could! Would make my life a whole lot easier. My damn neighbors to the west have the best leafy spurge crop in the GF area, and they seemingly enjoy sharing with me! That sucks. Noxious weeds are a BIG problemo in Montana.

  7. Dave Skinner

    Howdy, Life, welcome to the world of anonymous trollery! Ain’t it great? Polluted with switch-hitters like Trusty — perfect in their own eyes, yet somehow not perfect enough to admit it to the world. Good catch.
    As for the money trail, so what if Wise gave a Republican money? Maybe he’s getting older and Wiser as he hits the learning curve.

    • Trust No One

      C’mon Skinner, is that all you got? Let me help you here, lord knows you need it. Wise didn’t give to a republican, he donated to an idiot member of the Tea Party. There is a difference, you should read about it sometime. As for the money trail, get a new source for info. The one you use now sucks.

      • Dave Skinner

        Trustless, I used the same source you did, Derek’s C-whatever forms on CPPs website. I agree the thourthe thucks. Which brings up another point…where the heck are the Democractic Legislative Alumni PAC’s forms for 2010? They threw 9000 at North Valley PAC but there’s no corresponding records to show when it hit DLA’s bankroll. Thucks.
        By the way, Rick Blake’s new radio ad ought to get some screams going.

      • montanafesto

        Trust No One, do you have a better source for the campaign money trail than the candidate’s actual C5s filed with the Commissioner of Political Practices? Interesting.

  8. Life Noell

    “Trust No One” says, (to Whitefish people) in a comment on a Whitefish Pilot editorial:
    “Not to worry your limited little minds soon we’ll have another strong mayor and a forward looking council.”
    10/21/2011

    • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

      Call it what it is. FASCISM! Now, if that’s what people want, well then, it’s over. Democracy’s done. Life’s a series of choices. But let’s be up front about it. The fascists are saying that America would be better off as a fascist nation. And it seems like a whole lotta folks agree. But for GOD’S sake don’t call it democracy any longer. Call it what it is. FASCISM! The insult is to imply that it’s still democracy.

    • Ilikewoods

      Livingstone actually thought this makes him brighter then the rest! A stupid man talking on behalf of a world wide killer??? that Livingstone was willing to look the other way and find Gadhafi a home that didn’t extradite him or the money he wanted to steal from the Libya People? Amazing! Help a man who killed innocent Americans! An he thinks himself an American Patriot? INSULTING!

    • montanafesto

      It is certainly a bizarre move, but it really should no way reflect on the entire party. I really don’t understand his reasoning behind attempts to ensure Gadhafi wasn’t forced to stand trial for war crimes, but I am no expert on such matters. I must be missing something?

  11. Montana Right

    Livingstone’s idea, if implemented, would have saved the US hundreds of millions of dollars that we would not have had to spend on drone attacks, intelligence, arms, etc.

    Perhaps Rick Hill, who spent his years in Congress racking up giant deficits by voting for Democrat budgets, and who raised taxes on Montana businesses to rescue a failed work-comp system, could learn a thing or two about saving money.

    • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

      Oh BULLSHIT, dufus! Let’s see some FACTS to indicate that Livingstool is anything but a major BULLSHITTER! The dude’s got some major screws loose!

    • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

      Neil Livingstool…..BWHAHAHAHAAAAA! Oooo! He’s just SO scary. And connected! What a dumbass.

  12. James Conner

    If the story is true, and I have my doubts, it proves only that Gadhafi’s family was as nutty as he was. Even during the last weeks he probably could have gotten a message to the UN that he’d give up in exchange for a safe haven and safe transport to it. He could have gotten out had he really wanted to. Instead, he chose to fight to the death.

    And why Livingstone? Why not Bill Richardson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, or dozens of other people?

  13. Tea Man

    Because Livingstone did this for a living. Probably knew the family, and he made a fortune providing such services to dictators.

  14. Cowgirl

    I just learned that Wise, as well as Vail, are both campaign donors to Derek Skees. And the TEA Party mayoral candidate publicly endorsed Skees, too. Askew and Vail both put their names in a Skees endorsement ad.

    • Dave Skinner

      Well, Skees DID win the primary, WAS the Republican candidate, and in the end certainly offered voters a different option than the charming Will Hammerquist. While I have to wonder about some of the bills Skees introduced, he did in fact vote right on most of the big issues in the Lege, at least in a far more satisfactory manner than Mr. Hammerquist would have. Money well spent, for that reason alone.
      I must say that the entire race-card thing about Derek strikes me as strictly a function of having no ability to argue on the issue merits.
      So he has a jacket with a Confederate flag on it, big deal. Seem to recall the logo has an American flag on it. And I don’t hear you sports disowning Occupy Wall Street for the anti-Semitic rants or the Guy Fawkes masked hooligans.
      As for the Beckman “connection,” first, it’s been a while since the Freemen. Not everyone knows who Red Beckman is, or was, even in conservative circles. I know who Beckman is, what he is, want nothing to do with his kooky garbage. Can only imagine if I’d gone down there just to hear his crap only to find out I’d been tagged as a Beckman adherent. And while we’re at it, anyone have a transcript of whatever Beckman spoke of? Maybe he just nailed his credibility coffin even tighter — although in my view, it was welded shut decades ago.
      I’d say you need to be better-focused on what you might find objectionable about Skees’ actual positions.

      • Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

        It’s so great to have been born yesterday. That way, everything is new to you. But really, dave, ONLY a complete asshole sports a Confederidiot FLAG on their jackets in Montana. We AIN’T the old southern racists here. But HEY, what do YOU find admirable enough about the old south to wear a Confederidiot Flag? Huh? Anything? Anything? You see, to MOST reasonable, rational, THINKING people, an ENTIRE FREAKIN’ ECONOMY, a WHOLE ECONOMY, based upon the subjugation and slavery of a fellow human being is abhorent! But not to Gen. Robert E. Skees. And ya know, davey, by GOD I’ll buy your dumb as dog shit argument if you can name ONE, only ONE Montana politico in recent memory who sported a Confederidiot Flag! Hell, even Cornhole BURNS wasn’t that stoopid! Davey, you appear to be like the General in that you’re BOTH just whistlin’ Dixie…….OUT YOUR ASSES! Hope this helps.

  15. ILIKEWOODS

    Really David you have to turn FOX and Noise off… you sound just like them now; with all the BS and No real evidence catagory! In fact the more I read from you the More I find myself chuckling!

  16. Trust No One

    Davynyrd Skynyrd demonstrated right off the bat he doesn’t know much when he shot his mouth off about Doug Wise’s campaign contributions. As for the referendum, when half your council caters to to development community and ignores their constituents it’s bound to happen sooner or later. Almost 50 people showed up in Whitefish City Council chambers and told their City Council the 2010 interlocal agreement was unacceptable. 100% of the City residents and 80% of the doughnut residents spoke against the agreement but half the Council ignored them. I heard about your conversation after the Commissioners meeting with a local horse trainer. Word is you brought a stick to a gun fight because you didn’t know what the hell you were talking about. No surprise there.

    • Dave Skinner

      Well, Trustless,
      Thanks for letting us know which camp you’re in, and to whom you listen. The conversation was with Rebecca Norton, Dick Zoellner and for a bit Mayre Flowers. I figured it would hit the gossip circuit.
      As for my being slow on the response to Dick and Becky, the fact is, I found their opposition to the county wanting to poll donut property owners rather illogical, and I’m not used to non-linear discussions.
      I understand there are some people who would rather go to City Council than watch Monday Night Football or be with their families. Fine. I’m not one of them. So forgive me if I don’t know every jot and tittle of every arcane little bicker — but then, I see no reason to ask forgiveness.
      Most of the rest of us are just sick and tired of the bickering and litigation. We don’t want to know all the details, we simply want the budget balanced and the small-town council to act like what it is — not Seattle, Aspen or Portland.
      Next, I fully understand the idea “the world is run by those who show up” — like all those K Street lobbyists. But stacking a room does not always equate real support in the community.
      The world is really run by those we vote for to act on our behalf. And by those who vote — which is being denied to the donut.
      I guess when the ballot results and the survey are all in, either the donut WANTS to be thrown under the Whitefish bus, or they don’t. And the citizens of Whitefish either are okay with disenfranchising the donut, or they aren’t. And they will either toe the MCV NIMBY line when they vote for Council, or they won’t.