Received this e-mail today from Governor Steve Bullock’s (D. MT) re-election campaign:
Like many Montanans, I grew up fishing and hiking on our public lands. Protecting public access is an issue that is deeply important to me. I’ve always viewed access to public lands and streams as one of the great equalizers, and it goes right to the core of who we are as Montanans.
But for years, Montanans have been locked in battles against wealthy out-of-state landowners, buying up land and blocking access to the places we’ve enjoyed with our families for generations.
Now we learn that in 2009, my multi-millionaire opponent Greg Gianforte sued the people of Montana to terminate an easement on his land allowing public access to the East Gallatin River, claiming that the public could access the river in other ways. This is a thumb in the eye for all Montanans who value their right to access the land we all own.
Please join me and add your name to tell Mr. Gianforte that access to public lands is our constitutional right and it's not for sale.
Montana has some of the best stream access laws in the country. One of the first cases I ever argued in Montana Federal District Court was against an out-of-state group trying to dismantle our constitutional right to stream access. As a young lawyer in the Attorney General’s office, I drafted the AG opinion guaranteeing stream access from bridge crossings. As Attorney General, I worked with the legislature to seal that right into law, and stood up to landowners placing locked gates on public roads. Because our rivers belong to all of us.
This is not a new fight for me. But it's one worth continuing to protect our way of life.
I hope you'll stand with me and add your name today.
Thanks,
Steve
Click here to add your name.