The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-air-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air Force</a> has requested that Congress pass legislation to stop wind turbines from encroaching on nuclear missile sites throughout the U.S.
According to the Air Force, underground nuclear missile sites in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado need to be shielded from the growing wind turbine industry for safety and security concerns. The Air Force <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/air-force-asks-congress-protect-nuclear-launch-sites-104685988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> that 46 of the 450 underground nuclear missile sites have been “severely” encroached upon. Some wind turbines can stand 650 feet tall and present a barrier for helicopters carrying technicians or others who need to access the sites.
“When you think about a wind turbine, and even fields of wind turbines, they’ll stretch for miles,” Staff Sgt. Chase Rose, a UH-1 Huey flight engineer at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, told the Associated Press. “They’re monstrous, and then you have gigantic blades spinning on them as well. Not only is that a physical obstacle, but those turbines, they create the hazards like turbulence as well. That can be really dangerous for us to fly into. So it’s a very complex situation, when you have to deal with those.”
The Air Force is advocating for legislation that would mandate a 2-nautical-mile buffer zone around the hundreds of underground missile launch sites throughout the U.S. The Air Force and the American Clean Power Association drafted the legislation.
“The wind industry recognizes the nuclear missile silo mission is unique,&#8221; said American Clean Power Association spokesman Jason Ryan. “However, one-size-fits-all setbacks do not make sense for other [Department of Defense] missions or assets as site-specific and mission-specific evaluations are necessary to ensure military readiness.”
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Air Force Maj. Victoria Hight, a spokeswoman for F.E. Warren Air Force Base, said the wind turbines can hamper “safe helicopter transit and nuclear security operations” but that the Air Force supports &#8220;renewable energy efforts to include wind turbines, and we continue to work with energy industry partners to ensure the country’s green energy needs are met.” 

The Biden administration has <a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-advances-15-onshore-clean-energy-projects-potential-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aggressively pushed</a> a “transition” to green energy, including announcing the development of onshore renewable energy projects across the West.
“Investing in clean and reliable renewable energy represents the [Bureau of Land Management&#8217;s] commitment to addressing climate change and supports direction from the President and Congress to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025,” the Bureau of Land Management said on Monday when announcing plans for 15 major projects throughout the West.

Sustainable power is the future

Air Force Requests Congressional Intervention Over Wind Turbines Near Nuclear Missile Sites

Arkansas

Energy

Montana

Nebraska

North Dakota

U.S. Air Force

Wyoming

Republican attorneys general from five states have sent a letter to the biggest law firms in the U.S. telling them to end <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/racial-discrimination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">racial preference programs</a> or face accountability. 
On Tuesday, the <a href="https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2023-08/Letter_to_AM_100_Law_Firms_re_Race_Discrimination_Final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> was sent by Montana AG Austin Knudsen, Arkansas AG Tim Griffin, Iowa AG Brenna Bird, Kansas AG Kris Kobach, and Kentucky AG <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kentucky-ag-daniel-cameron-wins-gop-governor-primary-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Cameron</a> to the managing partners, chairs, and CEOs of American Lawyer (Am Law) 100 Firms, a ranking of the 100 biggest law firms in the country. It warned the firms that any discriminatory treatment for hiring violates federal law and that they could be sanctioned if they treat anyone differently because of their skin color. 
“Specifically, you owe a duty to refrain from discriminating on the basis of race, whether under the label of &#8216;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diversity, equity, and inclusion</a>,&#8217; or otherwise. Put simply, differential treatment based on race and skin color, even for purportedly &#8216;benign&#8217; purposes, is unlawful, divisive, and exposes your firm to serious legal consequences, including potentially fines, damages, and injunctive relief,” the letter said. 
The letter referenced the June ruling from the Supreme Court that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-issues-landmark-ruling-on-affirmative-action-at-universities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struck down</a> the racially-based acceptance policies of Harvard and the University of North Carolina where certain metrics favored minority students. Some Republicans have said that the Supreme Court ruling can be applied to hiring practices in the private sector, including at law firms. 
According to the Tuesday letter, racial discrimination for employment and promotions may be present in law firms, which they said would violate federal law. 
“These discriminatory practices include, among other things, explicit racial quotas and preferences in hiring, recruiting, retention, promotion, and advancement. They also include shocking race-based contracting practices, such as racial preferences and quotas in selecting suppliers, providing overt preferential treatment to customers on the basis of race, and pressuring contractors to adopt the company’s racially discriminatory quotas and preferences,” the AGs wrote. 
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The letter cited the racial quota for leadership and staff positions at Baker McKenzie, a prominent Chicago law firm. In addition to quotas, the Republicans warned that DEI programming could also be illegal. 
“Activities that utilize racial segregation, race stereotyping, and race scapegoating may violate civil rights laws because they can create a hostile environment and/or involve activities that result in different treatment on the basis of race. This is particularly true when participation in such exercises is compulsory,” the Republicans said. 
The firms were advised to end any “unlawful race-based quotas” or face accountability.  “If you choose not to do so, know that you will be held accountable — sooner rather than later — for treating individuals differently because of the color of their skin,” the letter said. 
Last month, 13 Republican attorneys general sent out a <a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/corporate-racial-discrimination-multistate-letter.pdf?sfvrsn=968abc1a_2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar warning</a> to Fortune 500 companies, again pointing to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President &amp; Fellows of Harvard College.

President Trump Has Rally In Kansas

Republican AGs Tell Nation’s Top Law Firms To Stop Racial Preference Hiring Or Face Accountability

Republican AGs Tell Nation's Top Law Firms To Stop Racial Preference Hiring Or Face Accountability

Affirmative Action

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Politics

Racial Bias

Racial Discrimination

Social Issues

Supreme Court

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana</a> judge on Monday sided with 16 young climate activists in a case dealing with the state&#8217;s fossil fuel permits.
District Court Judge Kathy Seeley ruled that the state&#8217;s approval process for fossil fuel permits violates Montana&#8217;s state constitution because it does not take into account the effects of carbon emissions.
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&#8220;Montana&#8217;s emissions and climate change have been proven to be a substantial factor in causing climate impacts to Montana&#8217;s environment,&#8221; Seeley <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66505659" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. &#8220;Plaintiffs have proven that as children and youth, they are disproportionately harmed by fossil fuel pollution and climate impacts.&#8221;
The plaintiffs, who are between ages five and 22, sued the state, claiming Montana&#8217;s fossil fuel policies contribute to climate change.
Their lawsuit cited a 1972 clause in Montana&#8217;s constitution that says &#8220;the state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.&#8221;
Monday&#8217;s ruling means Montana must start taking climate change into account when deciding whether to approve fossil fuel projects such as power plants. The state originally made it illegal to consider “actual or potential impacts that are regional, national, or global in nature” in fossil fuel project decisions back in 2011.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, a Republican, plans to appeal the ruling.
“This ruling is absurd, but not surprising from a judge who let the plaintiffs’ attorneys put on a weeklong taxpayer-funded publicity stunt that was supposed to be a trial,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/montana-youth-climate-ruling.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Emily Flower, a spokeswoman for the attorney general.
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“Montanans can’t be blamed for changing the climate,” she said.
Montana has a long history of producing and relying on coal and gas for electricity and exports. The state has the largest coal reserves in the country, <a href="https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=MT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about</a> 30% of the nation&#8217;s total, and in 2021 produced about 5% of the nation&#8217;s coal.
&#8220;This is a huge win for Montana, for youth, for democracy, and for our climate. More rulings like this will certainly come,&#8221; said Julia Olson, the founder of Our Children’s Trust, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the young plaintiffs.
Olson said the case marks a &#8220;turning point&#8221; in this generation&#8217;s efforts to &#8220;save the planet.&#8221;
Rikki Held, 22, was the lead plaintiff in the case. She grew up on her family&#8217;s 7,000-acre ranch in Montana and said she has witnessed extreme weather, flooding, and wildfires that have impacted crops and livestock on the ranch, which she believes are caused by climate change.
“I just have a lot of hope for the future,” Held <a href="https://www.wvxu.org/2023-08-15/lead-youth-plaintiff-on-unbelievable-victory-in-constitutional-climate-case-against-montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> of the decision. “With decisions like this and all of the other court cases coming, there’s going to be a change. It’s just a matter of time now.”
Young people in other states have sued over what they say are the negative effects of climate change as well. Although similar lawsuits have been brought in the past, the Montana case was the first of its kind to go to trial.
A case in Hawaii <a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/montana-youth-victory-could-spur-momentum-on-other-climate-cases/#:~:text=Youth%20plaintiffs%20in%20the%20Hawaii,the%20young%20people%27s%20constitutional%20rights." target="_blank" rel="noopener">involves</a> young plaintiffs who sued over the state&#8217;s transportation system, which they say causes excessive greenhouse gas emissions and violates the young people&#8217;s constitutional rights.
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USA – Energy – Colstrip Coal-Fired Power Plant

Judge Hands Win To 16 Young Climate Activists In Montana

Climate Change

Courts

Environment

Fossil Fuels

U.S.

The president of the American Library Association (ALA) is standing by her “Marxist” views as a backlash grows against the association among <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republican-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican</a> lawmakers.
Emily Drabinski, a self-proclaimed “Marxist lesbian,” took over as president of the ALA in July. The ALA is the largest nonprofit trade organization for libraries, recent wielding its influence against efforts to <a href="https://news.wttw.com/2022/04/18/american-library-association-director-says-book-bans-aim-suppress-social-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban</a> sexually explicit content from school libraries and to <a href="https://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommend</a> dozens of LGBT books for minors.
The backlash against Drabinski began over a post she made to social media before taking her spot at the head of the ALA.
“I just cannot believe that a Marxist lesbian who believes that collective power is possible to build and can be wielded for a better world is the president-elect of @ALALibrary,” Drabinski wrote in an April 2022 post. “I am so excited for what we will do together. Solidarity! And my mom is SO PROUD. I love you mom.”
Despite the backlash, she doubled-down in an interview with <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/american-library-association-president-marxist-lesbian-rcna98254" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> published on Monday.
“I was excited to highlight and celebrate two aspects of my identity that are really important to me, and are often under a lot of scrutiny,” Drabinski said, adding that she wanted to be an example for other library employees who shared her identities. “I didn’t anticipate these kinds of targeted attacks being used as a bludgeon against library workers across the country. I really think that is regrettable, and I wish that wasn’t happening right now.”
The Montana State Library Commission became the first state commission to leave the ALA over Drabinski’s comments in July. Montana State Library Commissioner Tamara Hall <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/montana-library-commissioner-praises-move-leave-american-library-association-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> the decision, calling it a “statement” about “what’s right for Montana.”
“We’re pulling out based on the fact that our oath of office for Montana and for the federal government is in direct violation of [Drabinski’s] Marxist opinion,” Hall said at the time.
In addition to Montana, lawmakers in other states – including Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Wyoming – have led calls to separate off from the ALA over concerns about Drabinski’s Marxism and the political agenda of the ALA.

Banned Books Week 2022

‘Marxist Lesbian’ President Of American Library Association Doubles Down On Agenda ‘For A Better World’

Library

Marxism

New details have emerged about where <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/arizona">Arizona</a> teen Alicia Navarro was during the four years she was considered missing.
Navarro had reportedly been seen with an unknown man numerous times in Havre, Montana, the town where she walked into a police station last week to remove herself from the missing person list. Garrett Smith, who lived in the same apartment building as Navarro, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/29/alicia-navarro-fought-with-man-threatened-to-go-back-before-reappearance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post he heard her fighting with the man she was living with.
“I was here the other day and I heard them yelling. She did say, ‘I will go back.’ But that’s all I heard,” he told the outlet. “It was the day before she turned herself in.”
It is not yet known how Navarro got to Montana, but Smith told the Post that she and a man in his 20s had been living in the apartment complex for at least a year. Smith also said he spoke to Navarro for the first time when she said she was “looking for her uncle” near a post office. This occurred just days before she walked into the Havre police station.
“She was asking for directions. She looked scared,” he said, adding that she didn’t appear to know the area.
Navarro reportedly <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/29/alicia-navarro-told-montana-cops-she-wanted-a-drivers-license/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> authorities that she wanted to be removed from the missing person’s list so she could get a driver’s license and live a “normal life.”
“She said she was walking with her uncle and got lost and she’s looking for 6th Street,” Smith said. “I later found out that she was referring to him as her uncle.”
Jessica Nunez reported her daughter missing after she disappeared at the age of 14 on September 15, 2019. At the time, Navarro left a note saying, “I ran away. I will be back, I swear. I’m sorry.” Her mother feared that Navarro might have been lured away from home by someone she met on the internet. Nunez also noted that her daughter was diagnosed as high-functioning on the autism spectrum, the AP reported.
Navarro’s disappearance launched a nationwide search that included help from the FBI, which received thousands of tips over the years, Glendale, Arizona, police spokesman Jose Santiago said at <a href="https://fb.watch/m2hnWUMorl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press conference</a> on Wednesday.
“For more than four years detectives here have followed up on THOUSANDS of leads,” the Glendale Police Department posted on Facebook. “This week, Alicia walked into a police department in a small town in Montana and identified herself. At that point, Federal partners, local police along with detectives here at Glendale Police began their investigation into this individual. Through our interviews, along with family members, we are confident that the now 18-year-old young lady is indeed Alicia Navarro.”
The police department cautioned that the case was not closed.
“We are continuing to investigate her whereabouts for the last four years and will do so alongside our Federal partners. Alicia is asking for privacy at this time. We are thankful we can bring some type of closure to her family. We are also thankful she appears to be in good health and happy.”

Alicia Navarro Missing Poster

New Details Emerge About Arizona Teen Missing For 4 Years Who Recently Came Forward

Arizona

Crime

Missing Person

Teenagers

An Arizona teenager who disappeared from her home in 2019 has been found safe in Montana, more than 1,000 miles away.
This week, Alicia Navarro, now 18, walked alone into a Montana police station around 40 miles from the Canadian border and introduced herself, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-teen-safe-arizona-montana-b3ede877b83bdb7383ceef1f60a5b72b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Jessica Nunez reported her daughter missing after she disappeared at the age of 14 on September 15, 2019. At the time, Navarro left a note saying, “I ran away. I will be back, I swear. I’m sorry.” Her mother feared that Navarro may have been lured away from home by someone she met on the internet. Nunez also noted that her daughter was diagnosed as high-functioning on the autism spectrum, the AP reported.
Navarro’s disappearance in 2019 launched a nationwide search that included help from the FBI, which received thousands of tips over the years, Glendale, Arizona, police spokesman Jose Santiago said at <a href="https://fb.watch/m2hnWUMorl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press conference</a> on Wednesday.
“Alicia went missing in September of 2019, for more than four years detectives here have followed up on THOUSANDS of leads,” the Glendale Police Department wrote on Facebook. “This week, Alicia walked into a police department in a small town in Montana and identified herself. At that point, Federal partners, local police along with detectives here at Glendale Police began their investigation into this individual. Through our interviews, along with family members, we are confident that the now 18-year-old young lady is indeed Alicia Navarro.”
The police department cautioned that the case was not closed.
“We are continuing to investigate her whereabouts for the last four years and will do so alongside our Federal partners. Alicia is asking for privacy at this time. We are thankful we can bring some type of closure to her family. We are also thankful she appears to be in good health and happy,” they wrote.
At the news conference, Santiago noted that Navarro “is by all accounts safe, she is by all accounts healthy, and she is by all accounts happy.” He added that she hadn’t been harmed and that she wasn’t being held against her will while she was missing. She also faces no criminal charges.
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“She is not in any kind of trouble,” Santiago said at the press conference.
Lt. Scott Waite also spoke, saying Navarro had an “emotionally overwhelming” reunion with her mother, during which she was “very apologetic [as] to what she has put her mother through.”
Nunez thanked God for her daughter’s safe return.
“I want to give glory to God for answering prayers and for this miracle,” Nunez said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=102396696282154" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a video on Facebook</a>.
“For everyone who has missing loved ones, I want you to use this case as an example,” she added. “Miracles do exist. Never lose hope and always fight.”

Arizona Teen Missing For 4 Years Found Safe In Montana

The Montana State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/library">Library</a> Commission voted Tuesday to cut all ties with the American Library Association (ALA), saying they cannot associate with a group led by a self-described &#8220;Marxist.&#8221;
Five commissioners <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2023/07/12/montana-state-library-commission-votes-to-withdraw-from-national-association/">voted</a> in favor of withdrawing from the ALA, while one commissioner, Brian Rossmann, voted &#8220;no&#8221; and another, Peggy Taylor, abstained.
During a meeting last month, the commission took issue with Emily Drabinski, the new president of the American Library Association, tweeting that she is a &#8220;Marxist lesbian&#8221; last year.
&#8220;l just cannot believe that a Marxist lesbian who believes that collective power is possible to build and can be wielded for a better world is the president-elect of @ALALibrary. I am so excited for what we will do together. Solidarity!&#8221; Drabinski tweeted back in April 2022.
&#8220;And my mom is so proud. I love you mom,&#8221; she added.
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BREAKING: The Montana State Library Commission just officially voted to break all ties with the American Library Association over the fact that they elected a self described &quot;marxist lesbian&quot; as their president. 
They are the first state to separate from the ALA. <a href="https://t.co/AS77PQ4eN6">pic.twitter.com/AS77PQ4eN6</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1678822094723858432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The commission wrote to the ALA announcing their &#8220;immediate separation.&#8221;
&#8220;Our oath of office and resulting duty to the Constitution forbids association with an organization led by a Marxist,&#8221; the commission wrote in its letter.
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Drabinski was elected to lead the ALA in April last year, when she posted the tweet, but she did not take office until this month. On Tuesday, she reacted to the Montana State Library Commission&#8217;s decision in a short tweet.
&#8220;That is not the Montana — or Montanans — I know,&#8221; Drabinski tweeted.
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That is not the Montana—or Montanans—I know.
&mdash; Emily Drabinski (@edrabinski) <a href="https://twitter.com/edrabinski/status/1678840073851207680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The commission held a public comment period on the ALA issue before the vote to withdraw. Both those who supported staying with the ALA and those who supported severing ties wrote in to express their opinion.
One Montana librarian who said he has been involved in the library system for nearly 25 years urged the commission to leave the ALA, according to <a href="https://ftpaspen.msl.mt.gov/EventResources/20230710154132_24756.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documents</a> from the commission.
&#8220;I have watched my profession go from honorable to shameful,&#8221; the librarian wrote. &#8220;Libraries all over the country and within Montana have shifted from serving communities to serving power. I am in full awareness that the reason for this shift aligns with the new ALA president’s expertise in critical pedagogy,&#8221; which he called &#8220;hatred shielded within compassion.&#8221;
He specifically mentioned Drag Queen Story Hour as <a href="https://www.ala.org/advocacy/libraries-respond-drag-queen-story-hour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an example</a> of the ALA&#8217;s toxic influence on local libraries.
The proposal to withdraw from the ALA was <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2023/07/12/montana-state-library-commission-votes-to-withdraw-from-national-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put forward</a> at last month&#8217;s meeting by Commissioner Tom Burnett, who was appointed by Governor Greg Gianforte, a Republican. Burnett also drafted the language of the letter to the ALA.
Commissioner and Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen, a Republican, supported the decision to withdraw but said they could potentially consider joining the ALA again next year.
“I believe we can rebuild. I believe that we can reauthorize later if indeed, after a year’s time, the American Library Association has a different leader or a different path,” Arntzen said at the June 22 meeting.
Libraries have become a flashpoint in the culture debate over the last few years, with conservatives sounding the alarm about inappropriate children&#8217;s content, such as sexually explicit books, available in school libraries as well as public libraries.
Last month, hundreds of Catholic parents and others <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-parents-call-to-defund-public-library-over-pornographic-childrens-books-at-county-board-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">packed</a> into a Warren County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors meeting to protest dozens of children’s books in the Front Royal public library they say contain inappropriate sexual content.

C-Level Stack Of Books At Eisenhower Library

Montana State Library Commission Votes To Cut Ties With American Library Association Over ‘Marxist Lesbian’ President

Montana State Library Commission Votes To Cut Ties With American Library Association Over 'Marxist Lesbian' President

Woke Culture

Wokeness

At least two GOP legislators in Montana have reported receiving suspicious letters containing white powder, following similar reports from both Kansas and Tennessee, Governor Greg Gianforte <a href="https://twitter.com/GovGianforte/status/1672428285349834753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1672428285349834753%7Ctwgr%5E49cffb3baed97108ef51771a5297973e958c7991%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fmontana-republicans-receive-letters-with-mysterious-white-powder%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Friday.
Montana House leadership confirmed that two Republicans — Reps. Rhonda Knudsen and Neil Duram — received letters at their homes. Both letters had local return addresses but had been post office markings from Kansas City, NBC Montana <a href="https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/montana-representatives-release-statements-after-threatening-letters-containing-white-powder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Some Republicans in Kansas and Tennessee have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-tennessee-republicans-receive-suspicious-packages-radical-trans-activism-suspected" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speculated</a> the letters could be the result of radical trans activism and an attempt to intimidate lawmakers. 
&#8220;These letters mailed to Speaker Pro Tempore Rhonda Knudsen and Rep. Neil Duram containing an unknown substance are a continuation of the threats and hate directed at legislators during the session,” Montana House Speaker Matt Regier said in a statement. “Just as we stood firm during the session, we will not be threatened or distracted now. We are in tumultuous times and House leadership will continue our objective to protect Montanans&#8217; freedom and safety no matter what cowardly threats are directed at us.”
Both of the state representatives who received the letters were unharmed, the Montana Senate GOP <a href="https://twitter.com/MTSenateGOP/status/1672430155581595648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1672430155581595648%7Ctwgr%5E40da22589db552110cc1ec3cad52dd1bbe8d8fd4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailycaller.com%2F2023%2F06%2F25%2Fgop-officials-suspicious-packages-cases-montana-kansas-tennessee-white-powder-substance%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Friday, and the authorities plan to test the substance. Governor Greg Gianforte tweeted on Friday that he had received “disturbing” reports regarding the letters and said his office and the state will provide any resources necessary to aid in the investigation. It&#8217;s not clear yet what the letters said, but they were reported as &#8220;vague and threatening,&#8221; according to NBC Montana.
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I&#39;ve received disturbing reports that Montana legislators are receiving anonymous, threatening letters containing white powder. The state will bring to bear whatever resources are needed to support law enforcement officers as they investigate.
&mdash; Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovGianforte/status/1672428285349834753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The news out of Montana follows a string of reports in both Kansas and Tennessee of similar cases. In Kansas, over 100 letters have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-republican-officials-in-kansas-receive-cryptic-letters-containing-white-powder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> containing white powder as of last week. These were reportedly sent exclusively to Republicans.
Kansas State Rep. Stephen Owens believes the letters could be a response to one of the nine vetoes the legislature has overridden this year — including one that bans transgender-identifying athletes from competing on sports teams opposite their biological sex. Republicans control both the House and the Senate in the state, but Democrat Laura Kelly has been governor since 2019.
Owens <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/19/us/kansas-white-powder-letters/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN that the sender was “very deliberate” in trying to get the officials to open the letters, as the one he received had the return address of a church located in his district. 
The letter Owens received begins by saying “Salutations[.] [T]o honor your recent accomplishments I send to you a gift from the exclusive astruc baruch collection[.] [I]t’s important not to choke on your ambition,” according to a photo of the letter Owens shared with the outlet. It was signed, “your secret despirer.”
Late last week, offices at the Tennessee capitol were shut down after several “suspicious” packages were delivered. These letters were similar to those sent to Kansas legislators and were signed &#8220;your secret despirer,&#8221; The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-tennessee-republicans-receive-suspicious-packages-radical-trans-activism-suspected" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
“The letters contained obvious threats made by a liberal activist specifically targeting Republicans,&#8221; Tennessee House Republicans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-tennessee-republicans-receive-suspicious-packages-radical-trans-activism-suspected" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said,</a> confirming all employees and members were safe. 
After the Tennessee letters were reported, the FBI <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4066163-montana-republicans-join-list-of-state-lawmakers-recently-receiving-mail-with-white-powder/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Hill it was probing “a series of suspicious letters sent to a number of public officials.”

Montana State Capitol

Montana Becomes Third State Reporting Suspicious Letters Received By GOP Officials

Republicans

Several train cars crashed into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana</a> river after a railway bridge collapsed, causing at least some potentially hazardous material to spill into the river. 
A bridge over the Yellowstone River collapsed under the weight of an overnight freight train, causing several train cars to fall into the river, prompting an investigation. A reporter for the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/bridge-yellowstone-river-collapses-sending-freight-train-waters-100356663#:~:text=Interest%20Successfully%20Added-,A%20bridge%20over%20Yellowstone%20River%20collapses%2C%20sending%20a,train%20into%20the%20waters%20below&amp;text=COLUMBUS%2C%20Mont.,plunge%20into%20the%20water%20below." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press saw</a> an unknown yellow liquid pouring out of one of the cars and into the river.  
&#8220;We are committed to addressing any potential impacts to the area as a result of this incident and working to understand the reasons behind the accident,” said Montana Rail Link spokesman Andy Garland.
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🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: A large emergency response is underway after a freight train collapsed into the Yellowstone River in Montana
“Hazardous materials” are feared to be spilling into the river, and officials are are warning residents to begin limiting water usage IMMEDIATELY <a href="https://t.co/bIbB3PDeEk">pic.twitter.com/bIbB3PDeEk</a>
&mdash; Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1672664450908975106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The incident occurred over 100 miles northeast of Yellowstone National Park, and 40 miles west of Billings, Montana, near the small rural town of Columbus. There were no incidents from the derailment. 
“I am tracking the train derailment over the Yellowstone River in Stillwater County. My office has been in touch with local, state, and federal officials,” Montana Congressman Matt Rosendale <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRosendale/status/1672628537038127104">said</a>. “At this time, there is no immediate threat, but please try to keep away from the areas around the Yellowstone River Rail Bridge.”
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To protect nearby farms from hazardous runoff, an irrigation trench was shut off and closed down. 
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks closed down portions of multiple rivers, warning people of “potential contaminants.” 
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Update to previous posts: 10:45 a.m. &#8211; The Stillwater River is closed from White Bird Fishing Access Site to the confluence with the Yellowstone River. 
From Twin Bridges Road to Buffalo Mirage FAS, the public should avoid the water due to potential contaminants. <a href="https://t.co/b0gYDJbx9f">pic.twitter.com/b0gYDJbx9f</a>
&mdash; Montana FWP (@MontanaFWP) <a href="https://twitter.com/MontanaFWP/status/1672649539226853376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Department posted an update on Facebook, telling residents to stay away from the scene to avoid congestion. 
“A total of 8 rail cars are involved and in a great stroke of luck, none contained oil. The cars contained asphalt and a second substance that officials are working to confirm,” the sheriff’s office <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YellowstoneCountySheriffsOffice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Facebook. “Both of the substances are described as ‘slow moving’ and have not gone much past the initial scene, said Columbus Fire Chief Rich Cowger and County DES Chief David Stamey.”
The railway crash in Montana follows <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/j-d-vances-railway-reform-bill-picks-up-steam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a very high-profile crash</a> in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year that triggered a chemical spill that contaminated the area around the small town on February 3. The accident drew national attention as residents reported symptoms of nausea and dizziness and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cincinnati-and-northern-kentucky-shut-down-water-intakes-after-train-derailment">regional water supplies</a> across several neighboring states showed signs of contamination.
In response, freshman Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) helped draft <a href="https://www.brown.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/railway_safety_act_of_2023_text.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Railway Safety Act of 2023</a> to increase safety requirements for trains carrying hazardous cargo and increase fines for safety violations.

The Yellowstone River near Gardiner

Trains With Potentially Hazardous Material Crash Into Montana River

Disasters

Train

Yellowstone

Republicans in Montana have taken a strong stand against drag queens reading books to children, banning the practice at libraries and schools.
Republican governor Greg Gianforte signed Montana HB 359 on Monday; over half of the state legislature cosponsored the bill, which bars minors from attending sexually oriented shows.
“A school or library that receives any form of funding from the state may not allow a sexually oriented performance or drag story hour &#8230; on its premises during regular operating hours or at any school-sanctioned extracurricular activity,” the bill <a href="https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2023/billhtml/HB0359.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">states</a>, adding that a minor who attended such a performance “may bring an action against a person who knowingly promotes, conducts, or participates as a performer in the performance. The minor&#8217;s parent or legal guardian may bring an action in the name of the minor for an action commenced under this section.”
“In my humble opinion, there&#8217;s no such thing as a ‘family-friendly’ drag show,” the bill&#8217;s sponsor, Republican Rep. Braxton Mitchell, <a href="https://montanafreepress.org/2023/02/23/montana-republicans-advance-drag-ban-for-public-spaces-near-minors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in April, adding that he sponsored the bill “because drag shows in recent years have been specifically aimed at children.” He also stated that drag queens reading to children were part of a “sick agenda” and drag shows were “damaging to a child’s psychology and general welfare.”
In signing the bill, Gianforte commented that he believed it was “wildly inappropriate for little kids, especially preschoolers and kids in elementary school, to be exposed to sexualized content.”
The bill passed the Republican-controlled House in a 66-33 vote in February. Democrat Minority Leader Kim Abbott <a href="https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/drag-ban-bill-for-public-places-schools-and-libraries-moves-through-legislature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a>, “I’m going to object today every time we’re equating a drag performance to sexualizing children. And I just want the body to know that we can do it all day long.”
Democrats attempted to amend the bill and replace references to “drag” with “adult-oriented performance.”  Mitchell said the Democrats’ amendment “completely derails the intent of the legislation” while pushing for the motion to be defeated, which it was in a 58-42 vote.
Drag queens reading at libraries has been pushed for years; as far back as 2016 San Francisco-based <a href="http://www.radarproductions.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RADAR Productions</a> and New York-based <a href="http://www.feministpress.org/drag-queen-story-hour/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Feminist Press</a> teamed up to bring “Drag Queen Story Hour” to life.
 “DQSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity in childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models,” explained the campaign&#8217;s YouTube promotional video. “In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, and where dress-up is real.”

Missoula Montana Public Library

Montana Bans Drag Queens Reading To Kids At Libraries, Schools

Drag Queen story hour

Greg Gianforte

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> filed a lawsuit against the state of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana</a> on Monday over a ban on the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a> firm, contending that the new statute violates the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/first-amendment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">First Amendment</a> and the Commerce Clause.
Officials in Montana recently enacted a bill which prohibits app stores from making TikTok available for download in the state, a move which occurs as federal <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/national-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authorities</a> contend that the platform, which is owned by <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chinese</a> technology firm ByteDance, may provide members of the Chinese Communist Party access to user data in the United States.
“The state has enacted these extraordinary and unprecedented measures based on nothing more than unfounded speculation,” said the <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23820566-tiktok-v-montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> from TikTok, which was filed in federal court.
Attorneys for TikTok contended that the prohibition violates the First Amendment since the law entails “shutting down the forum for speech for all speakers on the app and singling these speakers out for disfavored treatment.” They also asserted that the ban breaches the Commerce Clause, which limits the authority of state governments to unduly burden interstate and foreign commerce, and functions as a bill of attainder, an effective declaration of criminal guilt and infliction of punishment by lawmakers prohibited in the Constitution.
“We are challenging Montana’s unconstitutional TikTok ban to protect our business and the hundreds of thousands of TikTok users in Montana,” TikTok said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/TikTokComms/status/1660738781149040640" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “We believe our legal challenge will prevail based on an exceedingly strong set of precedents and facts.”
Montana Republican Governor Greg Gianforte, on the other hand, has said that the law was <a href="https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Governor_Gianforte_Bans_TikTok_in_Montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intended</a> to protect “private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party.” The bill was sponsored by Montana Republican State Sen. Shelley Vance, who <a href="https://www.kbzk.com/news/local-news/supporters-of-tiktok-ban-in-montana-say-threats-outweigh-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remarked</a> that TikTok is a “major threat to our national security.”
Attorneys for TikTok also said that the ban is preempted by federal law since the statute “intrudes upon matters of exclusive federal concern.” Another federal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/social-media-influencers-sue-montana-over-statewide-tiktok-ban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> filed by five social media influencers last week made a similar argument, contending that Montana lacks the authority to enforce laws related to national security.
President Joe Biden and several state officials have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-unanimously-votes-to-ban-tiktok-on-government-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banned</a> TikTok from government devices over data security and surveillance concerns after reports <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tiktoks-parent-company-in-china-planned-to-use-platform-to-track-locations-of-specific-americans-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated</a> that ByteDance staffers in China used the platform to monitor the locations of specific American users. Members of Congress have also floated various bills to ban the platform across the nation.
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Lawmakers at the federal level have additionally drawn <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tiktok-ceo-reveals-the-details-of-platforms-massive-censorship-operation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attention</a> to the censorship practices implemented by TikTok and called for a mandatory divestiture of the platform from ByteDance. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew insisted in his recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tiktok-ceo-swears-company-is-not-an-agent-of-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testimony</a> before the House Energy and Commerce Committee that a forced sale of TikTok to an American company would not resolve national security concerns.
“I am well aware that the fact that ByteDance has Chinese founders has prompted concerns that our platform could be used as or become a tool of China or the Chinese Communist Party,” the executive remarked. “Divestment doesn’t address the fundamental concerns that I have heard, as a change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access. This is not an issue of nationality.”

TIkTok

‘Extraordinary And Unprecedented’: TikTok Sues Montana Over Statewide Ban

TikTok Sues Montana Over Statewide Ban

China

First Amendment

National Security

Social Media

TikTok

Montana GOP Governor Greg Gianforte discussed his decision to sign legislation banning China&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> app, saying that the communist regime uses it to steal the data of American citizens and use it for &#8220;nefarious purposes.&#8221;
&#8220;I would first say the ability of the Chinese communist government to use TikTok to spy on Americans is well documented,&#8221; he told Fox News host John Roberts. &#8220;That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m pleased that we&#8217;ve banned the application here in Montana. I wish the bill actually was broader. I would have liked to have picked up other social media apps that [are] owned by foreign adversaries. But this is a good step in the right direction.&#8221;
Gianforte slammed the leftist American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for claiming that the bill was too broad and that his government could not impose a total ban.
&#8220;Well, they&#8217;re just wrong,&#8221; he responded. &#8220;The Montana Constitution has a very broad protection for individual privacy. And TikTok violates that. And this is why we&#8217;ve banned it here. I mean, spying on Americans, enough is enough. We&#8217;re not going to let foreign adversaries surveil the people of Montana.&#8221;
He said that he welcomes the ACLU&#8217;s attempts to challenge in court because his administration has already considered all the ways that this could play out and believes that they will be victorious.
&#8220;The issue with TikTok and these other applications owned by foreign adversaries is they&#8217;re able to steal data about Americans and ship it back for nefarious purposes,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not what the app does. It&#8217;s where the personal data goes. This is a national security issue. It&#8217;s a violation of the Montana privacy clause in our Constitution. And we&#8217;re pleased that we&#8217;re the first state in the country to outright ban the application.&#8221;
&#8220;Again, I wish it was broader. I wish it picked up, though, the Russian apps and the other Chinese apps,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;We just ran out of time in our legislature to get that done.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Montana Gov Greg Gianforte (R): &quot;I would first say the ability of the Chinese communist government to use Tik Tok to spy on Americans is well documented. That&#39;s why I&#39;m pleased that we&#39;ve banned the application here in Montana. I wish the bill actually was broader. I would have… <a href="https://t.co/kY19qfd6nC">pic.twitter.com/kY19qfd6nC</a>
&mdash; Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1659348059078430720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ceremony In Montana Honors Airmen Who Died In Crash Almost 60 Years Ago

Montana Governor Gianforte On Banning TikTok: They’re ‘Spying On Americans, Enough Is Enough’

Montana Governor Gianforte On Banning TikTok: They're 'Spying On Americans, Enough Is Enough'

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Chinese Communist Party

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