Republicans Kill Indian representation bills in Montana
Friday, February 25, 2005 at 04:35PM In what one lawmaker called examples
of racism and prejudice, the House used party-line votes Friday to kill
a pair of bills that would have reserved a seat on each of two state
boards for an American Indian. Voting as a bloc, all 50 Republicans
opposed both measures, and 49 of 50 Democrats supported the pair. One
of the bills required an American Indian on the state Board of Pardons
and Parole, and the other imposed the same mandate on the Montana Coal
Board. Rep. Veronica Small-Eastman, a Lodge Grass Democrat and sponsor
of the bills, said the votes showed the strength of GOP opposition to
ensuring American Indian representation in government. "They don't want
them," she said. "It's hard to define prejudice. They don't want Native
Americans on any boards." But those objecting to her proposals said an
American Indian on each of the boards is either unjustified or
unnecessary. Rep. Ed Butcher, R-Winifred, argued that American Indian
tribes pay none of the coal severance tax used by the coal board to
award grants to local governments for handling effects of coal
development, so an Americna Indian does not deserve a seat on the
board. In debate on the other measure Thursday, Rep. Dee Brown,
R-Hungry Horse, said the parole board already adequately considers
Indian interests without a mandate for a member of that minority. [more]