Mike Dennison
KTVH
Helena, MT, United States
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Past articles by Mike:
A dozen lawsuits challenging GOP laws in Montana still alive
Ten months after the 2021 Montana Legislature ended, a dozen lawsuits are still alive, challenging parts of 16 different laws passed by the session’s GOP majority – on subjects ranging from abortion to voting to energy policy. → Read More
State submits its PSC district map – but says it shouldn’t be adopted
Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen submitted the state’s proposed new Public Service Commission electoral districts this week, in response to a lawsuit claiming the current districts are unconstitutional – but said it shouldn’t be adopted. → Read More
State promises ‘transparent’ process for dispensing broadband funds
As the state determines who and where will benefit from $500 million-plus of investment to expand high-speed Internet in Montana, a handful of people will be making the decisions – and they’ll be doing it very soon. → Read More
Will Montana bridge ‘digital divide’ with millions in federal dollars for Internet?
This month, Montana began the process for awarding $266 million in federal funds to install high-speed Internet access into the state’s rural and suburban unserved areas – but will this huge investment, and more, build a system that can stand the test of time? → Read More
Special session off the table, as GOP lawmakers can’t reach agreement
A special session of the Montana Legislature in the coming weeks appears off the table, after Republican lawmakers pushing for the event said Friday they can’t forge an agreement on redrawing Montana’s Public Service Commission electoral districts for 2022. → Read More
Interior IG report says Zinke ‘misused’ position in Whitefish development
Former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke “misused his federal position” and violated ethical obligations when he involved himself and Interior staff with a Whitefish land development while he was Interior secretary, an Interior Department inspector general report said Wednesday. → Read More
Pastor facing libel suit files for bankruptcy, blocking the lawsuit
A conservative pastor from Sidney who’s being sued for libel has filed for bankruptcy, stalling the libel lawsuit by a transgender activist accusing him of lying about her and threatening her and her lawyers. → Read More
GOP lawmakers push for special session on PSC districts, elections
A group of Republican lawmakers is pushing for a special legislative session as soon as Feb. 28, to redraw Montana’s Public Service Commission districts for the 2022 election and create a special committee to investigate election processes in Montana. → Read More
Racicot condemns RNC censure of Cheney, Kinzinger
Former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot – and former chair of the Republican National Committee – is condemning the current RNC for its recent move to censure Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, in connection with the House inquiry into the January 2021 Capitol riot. → Read More
Democrat Tranel files to run in Congressional District 1
Monica Tranel, a Missoula attorney, paid her filing fee Monday to become second Democrat officially in the 2022 race for Montana’s new, open western congressional district – and said she’s the only Democrat who can win it. → Read More
New 2022 voting maps proposed for Montana’s PSC districts
Those suing to redraw Montana’s Public Service Commission districts for the 2022 election submitted three proposed new district maps to a federal court this week – each of which makes changes to all five PSC district boundaries. → Read More
MT Supreme Court allows GOP exclusion of media from legislative meeting
Excluding reporters from a meeting of Republican committee members discussing bills – prior to a full committee vote -- does not violate constitutional open-meeting guarantees, the Montana Supreme Court has ruled, because the meeting was less than a committee quorum. → Read More
MT SupCo administrator: U.S. Supreme Court should deny Knudsen’s appeal in judiciary dispute
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s request to have the U.S. Supreme Court intervene in a legislative dispute with the Montana Supreme Court should be denied, because no federal issues are involved, the state court’s administrator argued Wednesday. → Read More
Lake County hands Montana $4M-a-year bill – for law enforcement
Western Montana’s Lake County is the only Indian reservation county in the state where local law enforcement handles felony cases against Native Americans – and says it’s costing the county about $4 million a year. → Read More
Democratic state senator joins eastern Montana congressional race
Democratic state Sen. Mark Sweeney lives in Philipsburg in southwestern Montana – but, on Tuesday, announced that he’s running to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale in Montana’s new eastern district. → Read More
Lawsuit to halt property-tax measure should be dismissed, sponsor argues
A legal attempt to delay signature-gathering for a proposed 2022 constitutional initiative to limit residential property taxes in Montana is based on “unserious arguments” made by “unserious people” and should be dismissed, a supporter of the initiative said in court late last week. → Read More
State accepting apps to use $266M for expanding high-speed Internet
Montana is now accepting applications for projects to expand high-speed Internet services into underserved areas, using $266 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Monday. → Read More
Judge strikes down law restricting political activity on Montana college campuses
A state judge Thursday struck down portions of a Republican-passed law that restricted voter-registration drives and other political activity on portions of Montana state college campuses. → Read More
Kalispell woman makes son’s death key element of her campaign
Western district Republican congressional candidate Mary Todd’s reason for running is not what you hear from the usual candidate: That she has experience dealing with governments, both domestic and international, when investigating the murder of her son 10 years ago. → Read More
Corrections Dept relents on initial $5K grant to exonerated man
The state Corrections Department has changed course and paid an exonerated Montana man his $5,000 “transition assistance grant,” as he attempts to become the first person to gain state compensation for a wrongful conviction, under a new law. → Read More