The game warden in Helena, Mont., received a phone call one morning in March 2021 with a request that he knew might not end well for him.

His boss and friend at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department asked him to record officially the killing of a wolf, a fairly routine request save for one detail.

The hunter was the state’s governor, Greg Gianforte.

“I said I wanted no part of it,” the warden, Justin Hawkaluk, recalled with a barely audible chuckle.

Mr. Hawkaluk now says his sense of dread was warranted.

By the time the wolf affair was settled, his superiors had pressured him to lie about the governor’s role, and his boss would be forced out of the department, he told The New York Times in his first interview about the episode.
He, too, would leave a job he said he loved

#BodySlamGuy
#Gianforte #Montana
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/02/us/politics/montana-wolf-killed.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Gianforte signs 5 anti-abortion bills, plans to sign more

Gov. Greg #BodySlamGuy Gianforte signed into law five bills aimed at restricting abortion access in #Montana on Wednesday, triggering a legal request from #Planned #Parenthood of Montana later in the day to block one of the bills.

The bills include Senate Bill 154, which attempts to override the Montana Supreme Court’s longstanding #recognition of abortion rights in the state. Known as the “#Armstrong #decision,” it holds that the state Constitution’s #right to #privacy protects access to #abortions in Montana up to the point of #viability.
https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/gianforte-signs-5-anti-abortion-bills-plans-to-sign-more/article_096e565e-e9fa-11ed-910e-3f8528abae22.html

Montana governor lobbied by non-binary son to reject anti-trans bills

The son of the Republican #governor of #Montana, Greg #BodySlamGuy Gianforte, met their father in his office to lobby him to reject several bills that would harm transgender people in the state, the Montana Free Press reported.

David Gianforte told the paper they identify as non-binary and use he/they pronouns – the first time they disclosed their gender identity publicly. They told the outlet they felt an obligation to use their relationship with their father to stand up for LGBTQ+ people in the state.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/27/montana-governor-greg-gianforte-anti-trans-bills?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Montana House speaker silences trans lawmaker for 2nd day

A transgender Montana lawmaker was #silenced for a second day Friday as her Republican colleagues *refused to let her speak on the chamber’s floor* until she #apologizes for saying lawmakers would have “blood on their hands" if they passed a law to #ban #gender-#affirming medical #care for transgender youth.

The standoff is expected to continue next week, with neither side ready to back down.

The bill at the heart of the issue is in the hands of Republican Gov. Greg #BodySlamGuy Gianforte, who has indicated he will sign it.

https://news.yahoo.com/transgender-lawmaker-silenced-montana-house-225544896.html