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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Lawmakers To Begin Interviews For New Commissioner Of Political Practices

The sign outside the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Office.
Steve Jess
/
Montana Public Radio
The sign outside the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Office.

State legislative leaders are no longer taking applications for the job of Montana's top political cop. They've now started the process of selecting the next commissioner of political practices.

In a meeting this morning, four Montana House and Senate leaders discussed  how to move forward in replacing current Political Practices Commissioner Jonathan Motl, whose term ended in January.

House Speaker Austin Knudsen and Senate President Scott Sales, who are Republicans, and House Minority Leader Jenny Eck and Senate Minority Leader Jon Sesso, who are Democrats, rejected two applicants for the job immediately based on their qualifications.

Sesso recommend in-person interviews with the remaining 8 applicants:

"We really don't know these people, we haven't had the opportunity to look them in the eye and ask them about their interest in the position and their job and how they would conduct themselves in the job."

The nomination committee agreed to conduct those interviews on March 8. Once the committee has narrowed the candidates down to finalists, that list will be sent to the governor's office. The governor will select one. The governor's choice must then be confirmed by the state Senate.

As the process of finding a new Commissioner of Political Practices moves forward, a bill in the legislature would dismantle the COPP office, because of Republican concerns that the office has become partisan.

That bill, HB-340, has been approved by the Republican controlled House and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate.

A spokesperson for Governor Steve Bullock said the governor has "deep concerns" about the bill, but did not directly answer a questions about whether or not Bullock would veto the bill if it arrived to his desk.

Corin Cates-Carney manages MTPR’s daily and long-term news projects. After spending more than five years living and reporting across Western and Central Montana, he became news director in early 2020.
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