Look at the line up of Montana Rep. Rehberg's "listening sessions" on wolves, being held in Dlllon, Hamilton and Kalispell, Montana on October 5th and 6th.
Rehberg has drafted an anti-wolf bill that would strip gray wolves of their ESA protection, joining Montana Senators Baucus and Tester, who've introduced similar legislation in the Senate. It's easier to scapegoat wolves for doing absolutely nothing, then having to talk to your constituents about the bad economy and high unemployment rate.
Talk about a stacked deck. There are TWO environmentalists on the list. One is Mike Leahy from DOW, and someone from the Sierra Club, not confirmed. The rest are ranchers, hunters, stockgrowers, outfitters, Wildlife Services, woolgrowers, bowhunters, Montana Farmer's Union, Sportsmen For Fish and Wildlife, Ravalli County Commissioner Rancher, Big Game Forever (Utah), Montana Dept. of Livestock, Montana FWP biologists, Montanans for Multiple Use and unbelievably Toby Bridges from the anti-wolf website, Lobo Watch. On this website he discussed "sportsmen" in the Northern Rockies turning to the artificial sweetener, Xylitol, which is toxic to canines, to kill wolves if Judge Molloy relists them. This is who is invited to a "listening session" panel on wolves? Is this a joke?
The panels are so shamelessly anti-wolf, it's embarrassing. Wolves don't have a chance with this group. IMO the point of these "listening sessions" is for Rehberg to preach to his base, mine for votes for the upcoming election, then go back to Washington, DC and say this was a representative panel of Montanans who want wolves "managed". How completely transparent but totally predictable.
October 5: Dillon
9:00 AM-11:00 AM
University of Montana Western, Lewis and Clark Room at Matthews Hall
Denny Rehberg, Montana's Congressman, Rancher (Billings)
Jake Cummins, Jr., Executive Vice President, Montana Farm Bureau (Bozeman)
Meg Smith, Rancher, Member, Southwest Stockgrowers Association (Big Hole)
Rick Sandru, President, Ruby Valley Stockgrowers (Twin Bridges)
Russ Kipp, President, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association (Polaris)
Debbie Barrett, State Senator (Dillon)
Dave Schultz, Madison County Commissioner (Ennis)
Mike Leahy, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, Defenders of Wildlife (Bozeman)
John Steuber, Director, USDA Wildlife Services (Billings)
Harold Peterson, Owner, Peterson Brothers Cattle Company (Big Hole)
John Helle, President, Montana Woolgrowers Association, Sheep Rancher (Dillon)
Steve Jennings, President, Beaverhead Outdoor Association (Dillon)
Emcee: Jeff Welborn, State Representative (Dillon)
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October 5: Hamilton
3:00 PM-5:00 PM
Hamilton Performing Arts Center
Denny Rehberg, Montana's Congressman, Rancher (Billings)
Montana Farmers Union (Great Falls) *Invited, but unconfirmed
Ron Stoker, State Representative (Hamilton)
Sierra Club (Missoula) *Invited, but unconfirmed
Jack Pfau, Cattle rancher (Stevensville)
J.R. Iman, Rancher, Ravalli County Commissioner (Bitterroot)
Scott Boulanger, Former Owner, Circle K Outfitters (Darby)
Bill Merrill, President, Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (Missoula)
Ryan Benson, National Director, Big Game Forever (Utah)
Tony Jones, President, Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association (Hamilton)
Craig Jourdonnais, Wildlife Biologist, Montana FW&P (Bitterroot) *Invited, but unconfirmed
George Edwards, Livestock Loss Mitigation Coordinator, MT Dept of Livestock (Helena)
Emcee: Rusty Wickman, Former Missoula Chief of Police, Member, Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (Missoula)
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Rehberg has drafted an anti-wolf bill that would strip gray wolves of their ESA protection, joining Montana Senators Baucus and Tester, who've introduced similar legislation in the Senate. It's easier to scapegoat wolves for doing absolutely nothing, then having to talk to your constituents about the bad economy and high unemployment rate.
Talk about a stacked deck. There are TWO environmentalists on the list. One is Mike Leahy from DOW, and someone from the Sierra Club, not confirmed. The rest are ranchers, hunters, stockgrowers, outfitters, Wildlife Services, woolgrowers, bowhunters, Montana Farmer's Union, Sportsmen For Fish and Wildlife, Ravalli County Commissioner Rancher, Big Game Forever (Utah), Montana Dept. of Livestock, Montana FWP biologists, Montanans for Multiple Use and unbelievably Toby Bridges from the anti-wolf website, Lobo Watch. On this website he discussed "sportsmen" in the Northern Rockies turning to the artificial sweetener, Xylitol, which is toxic to canines, to kill wolves if Judge Molloy relists them. This is who is invited to a "listening session" panel on wolves? Is this a joke?
The panels are so shamelessly anti-wolf, it's embarrassing. Wolves don't have a chance with this group. IMO the point of these "listening sessions" is for Rehberg to preach to his base, mine for votes for the upcoming election, then go back to Washington, DC and say this was a representative panel of Montanans who want wolves "managed". How completely transparent but totally predictable.
October 5: Dillon
9:00 AM-11:00 AM
University of Montana Western, Lewis and Clark Room at Matthews Hall
Denny Rehberg, Montana's Congressman, Rancher (Billings)
Jake Cummins, Jr., Executive Vice President, Montana Farm Bureau (Bozeman)
Meg Smith, Rancher, Member, Southwest Stockgrowers Association (Big Hole)
Rick Sandru, President, Ruby Valley Stockgrowers (Twin Bridges)
Russ Kipp, President, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association (Polaris)
Debbie Barrett, State Senator (Dillon)
Dave Schultz, Madison County Commissioner (Ennis)
Mike Leahy, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, Defenders of Wildlife (Bozeman)
John Steuber, Director, USDA Wildlife Services (Billings)
Harold Peterson, Owner, Peterson Brothers Cattle Company (Big Hole)
John Helle, President, Montana Woolgrowers Association, Sheep Rancher (Dillon)
Steve Jennings, President, Beaverhead Outdoor Association (Dillon)
Emcee: Jeff Welborn, State Representative (Dillon)
=======
October 5: Hamilton
3:00 PM-5:00 PM
Hamilton Performing Arts Center
Denny Rehberg, Montana's Congressman, Rancher (Billings)
Montana Farmers Union (Great Falls) *Invited, but unconfirmed
Ron Stoker, State Representative (Hamilton)
Sierra Club (Missoula) *Invited, but unconfirmed
Jack Pfau, Cattle rancher (Stevensville)
J.R. Iman, Rancher, Ravalli County Commissioner (Bitterroot)
Scott Boulanger, Former Owner, Circle K Outfitters (Darby)
Bill Merrill, President, Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (Missoula)
Ryan Benson, National Director, Big Game Forever (Utah)
Tony Jones, President, Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association (Hamilton)
Craig Jourdonnais, Wildlife Biologist, Montana FW&P (Bitterroot) *Invited, but unconfirmed
George Edwards, Livestock Loss Mitigation Coordinator, MT Dept of Livestock (Helena)
Emcee: Rusty Wickman, Former Missoula Chief of Police, Member, Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (Missoula)
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October 6: Kalispell
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Flathead Valley Community College, Arts and Technology Large Meeting Room
Denny Rehberg, Montana's Congressman, Rancher (Billings)
Gary Wardell, Board Member, Five Valleys Chapter Safari Club International (Kalispell)
Wayne Slaght, Rancher, Chair, Endangered Species Committee, Montana Stockgrowers Association (Ovando)
Chuck Hunt, President, Flathead Wildlife Incorporated (Kalispell)
Mike Meuli, Cattle Rancher (Kalispell)
Gerald Bennett, State Representative (Libby)
Edwin (Ed) Jonas, Cattle Rancher (Rollins)
Clarice Ryan, Board Member, Montanans for Multiple Use (Flathead)
Kirk Murphy, Director of Operations, Division III, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (Polson)
Jason Tounsley, President, Montana Bow Hunters Association (Billings)
Toby Bridger, President, Lobo Watch (Missoula)
Joe Maurier, Director, Montana FW&P (Helena) *Invited, but unconfirmed
Emcee: Bruce Tutvedt, State Senator (Kalispell)
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Wolf Warriors if you can attend any of these meetings please do!! I know it will be uncomfortable but wolves are voiceless. If we don't stand for them who will?
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2 comments:
This reminds me of a public meeting held by former NM Congressman Steve Pearce a few years back on Mexican wolf and other conservation issues. I think the panel is considerably more "stacked' against wolves at Rehberg's hearing than at Pearce's meeting--although heaven knows, it was bad enough.
I do hope pro-wolf folks turn out for these sessions and publicize the totally stacked nature of the hearing. This sort of kangaroo court proceeding can't help Rehberg's cause on the national level, assuming people all over the country make their opinions known to their own House members.
Maska............appreciate your reinforcing thoughts about these kangaroo courts..............
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