Montana Republican lawmakers are prioritizing bills to regulate the judiciary amid ongoing tension between the branches of government. On day two of the legislative session, the president of the State Bar of Montana was called before a legislative committee.
Republican lawmakers demanded an apology from the bar for comments made by an attorney who spoke at a legal training put on by the organization last spring.The lawyer denounced a recent state Supreme Court ruling and called some Republican-backed legislation “pieces of garbage” that should be struck down.
Toni Tease, the president of the State Bar, said with a potential disciplinary investigation pending, she couldn’t comment on the remarks.
She also said speakers at legal trainings don’t always reflect the opinion of the State Bar and the bar only comments publicly on legislative action when necessary.
“We will speak out on legislative matters when they relate to the regulation of the legal profession or improving the quality of legal services delivered to the citizens of our state.”
An Republican-backed bill expected this session would make bar membership voluntary for Montana attorneys.
Democrats on the legislative committee denounced the hearing, saying attorneys have a right to free speech and that the Republicans’ request was inappropriate.
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