Tagged: Jim Shockley

Posted: May 26, 2012 at 6:01 pm

Candidate Blasts Out-of-State Money in Attorney General Primary

It isn’t just Democrats that are following where the out-of-state money is flowing the in the AG primaries. Sen. Jim Shockley, who is campaigning to be the GOP nominee for AG, is speaking out against the out-of-state corporate funders at the Republican State Leadership Committee. The RSLC is spending $108,217 to support Shockley’s opponent Tim Fox in the GOP primary for the state’s attorney general. Shockley has and Op-ed and a radio ad out. In the opinion piece, he writes:

I believe that the attorney general’s race should be decided by Montana voters with contributions from individuals. Let us tell out-of-state corporations that their money cannot buy a Montana election.

Click here to hear the radio ad: Jim Shockley – out of state money ad.

Posted: December 21, 2011 at 7:26 pm

“Knee-Walking Drunk” Endorses Open Container Guy

Bitterroot state senator Jim Shockley’s citation earlier this year for drinking canned red beer while driving inspired the Republican to step down from his position. (He chaired the legislative committee drafting tougher DUI laws.) But, it didn’t stop him from accepting the endorsement of former Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), whose infamous “I’m ready to go get knee-walking drunk!” foot-in-mouth syndrome led to his Senate demise.

Shockley announced the endorsement on his campaign website.

Perhaps this will become a kind of theme, a stream of endorsements by drinking advocates. Maybe those involved in the infamous and tragic Shane Hedges DUI accident and death of the House Majority Leader (in which Judy Martz barely escaped a prosecution for evidence tampering) will chime in. Rs have kept a steady pace since then so there are lots of endorsement opportunities for the campaign.

A review:

Of course, there is Alan Hale, Shockley’s colleague in the state house who is campaigning in favor of drinking and driving.

Brad Johnson, the former Secretary of State, got pulled over for a DUI and went subsequently to treatment, though it didn’t seem to faze him: from a rehab center, he actively continued campaigning in his PSC race and is now running again for Secretary of State, a position voters ousted him from in 2008.

Greg Barkus got a few DUIs on the road over the last decade; Scott Boggio, a GOP legislator from Red Lodge, ran up on a curb while driving around with another repub, Elsie Arntzen, and got pulled over, and turned out to be massively drunk, though of course Arntzen, a DUI Task Force member, expressed the usual right-wing-passenger-shock, and said she “had no idea” driver Boggio was impaired.

And of course then Barkus went for the hat-trick, a third DUI, this time in style by running a boat up into the rocky shore of Flathead Lake, causing injuries all around, with passenger Rehberg, drunk himself, taking a page out of Arntzen’s script and saying he was shocked to hear that the driver was impaired.

Then there was recently Brad Molnar, who mowed his car into that of some hapless girl just last year, and fled the scene and was placed under a restraining order from any contact with the victim.

Drinking, Driving, Boating, Hit and Runs. What is most important is that Republicans will often fight publicly for stiffer sentencing for criminals, and against the evil smoking of marijuana, and in favor of “values”.

Posted: December 17, 2011 at 9:37 am

Racism, Sexism, and Just Plain Dumb

“We’re NOT Racists”

The Southern Poverty Law Center’s latest Intelligence Report focuses on the recent uptick in extremist activity in Kalispell and the Flathead. In the article “A Gathering of Eagles: Extremists Look to Montana” the SPLC details the activities of the various far-right movements and their leaders, including Chuck Baldwin, who is running for Lt. Governor here. The good quick summary of the Baldwin’s son Timothy Baldwin takes issue with the report on the TEA Party blog PolyMontana, calling it’s reporting a “sinister” conspiracy. Apparently, this blog is a “group” that is somehow involved.

Look here where this SPLC-like group in Montana describes my formation of the institution as, “Right Wing Re-education Camp Opening in the Flathead.” Like SPLC, that “Montana group” did not attempt to contact me about my education program. Their journalism appears as un-credible as SPLC’s, if that’s possible.

He also says he is not a racist and that:

“Some of my closest friends are of African descent. The same can be said of Chuck Baldwin.”

Blame the Messenger

Kudos are due to friend of women Pete Talbot for calling out the idiocy in the comments following the Missoulian’s article on the “3 UM football players allegedly involved in sexual assault on campus.” Comments like the one that attacked the reporter for daring to report on the matter ”on game day” demonstrate why sexual assaults often go unreported.

Interesting how the article or slander or crap or hearsay or what ever was written by a woman…..is that why it was released on game day with no facts or proof?”

Throw Away

More evidence has come to light this week that the GOP has thrown away a major statewide office. It seems they couldn’t even find a candidate for attorney general that knows the disclosure guidelines for campaign materials. Pasted below are screenshots from a recent web ad Republican state legislator Jim Shockely (R-Bitterrooter) ran in the Billings Gazette. The ads, which are missing the legally required party affiliation, can be viewed in their original context on the Gazette website here and here.

He also lacks visible party affiliation on his campaign website (screenshot), so the omission does not appear accidental. Nor does the campaign appear to be active. According to the campaign calendar he just left for Alabama for two weeks.

I’ve written before that the GOP has strangely conceded the AG’s race, as evidenced by the fact that their guy doesn’t even know which way is up. His major contribution to Montana policy in my opinion is getting caught drinking a red beer in his car.

Posted: November 15, 2011 at 8:37 pm

Shockley Shockers

A couple of items from Republican Attorney General candidate Jim Shockley this week demonstrate a shocking lack of skills and indicate the state senator from Ravalli county is probably not ready for statewide office.

First, a unique fundraising piece put out by the campaign seems to explain why Shockley isn’t raising money.

Second, the genius brain trust that seems to be advising the would-be AG might want to rethink their strategy. Or maybe they’re deliberately advising him on the best way to lose. If that’s the case I say: carry on.

Shockley is positioning himself as the big brother, big government conservative who readily takes a position against the will of Montanans. Recall his odd rant in July against the judge’s ruling on the unconstitutionality of the GOP’s medical marijuana law had him actually taking the side of the federal government over Montana citizens.

And now his piece in November’s issue of Montana Lawyer has Shockley trying to refight the lost battle over legal aid in dying:

http://www.montanabar.org/associations/7121/November%202011%20mt%20lawyer.pdf (starting on page 7)

This one is already over. The bill to make aid in dying illegal in Montana failed. Badly. The practice is legal (as Sen. Anders Blewett so articulately explains in the same periodical on page 6). 63% of Montanans agree with the court decision that affirmed the legality of the practice, too.

According to Shockley, Montanans are just not quite up to the challenge of making their own medical decisions. What’s next? They’re just not up to having guns in their homes?

Posted: November 2, 2011 at 8:18 pm

The Best

The blogosphere in Montana is like anything else. Sometimes you get a small group of guys that shows up and seeks to define the conversation. Sometimes statements are made that aren’t true– and are made in such a way only certain voices are supposed to matter. I started blogging to add a female voice to that element when it does pop up. All things being equal, I like to do the same for women candidates. There seems to be a bit of this element who are ganging up on Democratic AG candidate Pam Bucy.

Pam Bucy is the one of the best female candidates that Montanans have ever had for high office.

She’s a 20 year prosecutor and an accomplished lawyer with extensive private and public practice experience. She’s good looking and personable–the whole package so to speak, an odds-on favorite. Now, some have decided to try to tear her down in favor of someone who has a good future but is very young and is not as progressive as Bucy.

Pam Bucy, who would be Montana’s first female Attorney General, is a dream candidate. In fact, the GOP has strangely conceded the AG’s race, as evidenced by the fact that their guy doesn’t even know which way is up. His major contribution to Montana policy is getting caught drinking a red beer in his car. I mean this is a cycle where they even recruited a real candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction–a seat Republicans never win. Shockley’s not even raising money. He is clearly not ready for prime time.

I’m proud to say Pam Bucy is.

Posted: July 15, 2011 at 5:15 pm

Montana Republican Bats for the Wrong Team

Jim Shockley The nutty actions of Montana Republicans are difficult to fathom sometimes.

Montana Republicans usually try to position themselves as standing up to the federal Government, but state senator and would be Attorney General Jim Shockley (R-Victor) is instead standing up for it. In a rant against Judge Reynolds’ ruling on the unconstitutionality of the GOP’s medical marijuana law in the Helena IR, Shockley argues the side of the federal government against Montana citizens (and the Montana Constitution) when it comes to the state’s ability to pass medical marijuana laws.

“The legislature realized the tough situation that federal law enforcement was put in by the current law”

Shockley’s argument is that the legislature acted to limit Montana citizens wishes (expressed through a medical marijuana ballot initiative that passed with a wide margin of support) in a way that would keep the federal government happy, a clear departure from Montana GOP theology.

The real problem is that Shockley seems to be blaming the judge for his own failure to write constitutional legislation. An attorney who fancies himself qualified to be Attorney General should have known better. He didn’t. Passing bad legislation and complaining about it after the fact isn’t what immediately comes to mind when one is looking for leadership qualities.

Posted: July 6, 2011 at 6:42 am

Latest “Cash on Hand” Reports Look Good for Dems

Democrats are looking good in the upcoming statewide elections according to the latest fundraising reports. The Billings Gazette reported that Steve Bullock (D) is neck and neck with Rick Hill (R) when it comes to cash-on-hand (the most important number to watch because it tells of the candidates future ability to campaign). Hill had $197k to Bullock’s $196k. This is especially good for Bullock given Hill’s heavy influx of lobbyist cash and the proclivity of his corporate backers to attempt to buy Hill the seat.

Here’s what the other candidates have in the bank:

Stapleton (R) $32,106 (Though the Gazette reports that earlier in the campaign, he lent his campaign $40,000.)
Miller (R) $30,180 (Miller has yet to loan his campaign serious cash so still may have the ability to do so.)
Wanzenried (D) $18,790
O’Hara (R) $10,358

Not filing: Livingstone, Lassle , Winkler

In most of the Tier B statewide races, Democrats also made a strong showing: including in the race for auditor (Monica Lindeen (D) has $23k in the bank and no opponent), and Secretary of State (Linda McCulloch (D) has $23k in the bank, more than double the Repub’s $11k. State Superintendent Denise Juneau (D) has the most in the bank with $28k and no opponent.

Only in the AG race were democrats lagging, Jim Shockley (R) had $3k in the bank and Jesse Laslovich (D) hadn’t raised anything yet, though he only filed quite recently.

Posted: June 20, 2011 at 8:01 am

Another Republican With An Alcohol Problem

This time it’s Idaho state Senator John McGee—state senate GOP Caucus chairman, and a past “Republican Legislator of the Year.”

According to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, McGee started the eventful night Saturday drinking in a golf course clubhouse. McGee left the clubhouse and began walking before coming to a Ford Excursion with a trailer hooked up. The SUV was unlocked with the keys inside. McGee got inside and drove away. At some point, McGee tried turning the vehicle and trailer around in a driveway near Overland and Victory in Boise. McGee was unsuccessful at turning around and the Excursion and trailer jack-knifed. McGee then exited the vehicle and walked back and forth a few times before climbing back in and going to sleep. Two witnesses in a nearby house were watching all of the events transpire and called police. When police arrived McGee told authorities he was on his way to Jackpot.

Here in Montana, we know that aspirations for leadership and higher office don’t prevent Republicans from getting behind the wheel of a car with a drink in hand. While state Sen. Jim Shockley’s citation earlier this year for drinking canned red beer while driving inspired the Republican to step down from his position chairing the legislative committee drafting tougher DUI laws, it’s not going to stop him from painfully going forward with his campaign for Montana Attorney General – though we predict he’ll shift focus to on cracking down on (legal) medical marijuana, since his “tough on DUI dreams” are dead at his own hands.