HELENA — Across the political spectrum, elected officials in Montana said the killing of one state lawmaker and attack on another in Minnesota were horrifying and raised concerns about the political climate nationwide.
On social media, Montana House Republicans released a statement from House Speaker Rep. Brandon Ler, R-Savage, who called the attacks “heinous and heartbreaking.”
“This senseless murder of public servants – people who dedicated their lives to serving their constituents and strengthening our communities – is unacceptable,” said Ler. “Political violence has no place in America. We must unite in our condemnation of such cowardly and calculated attacks and recommit ourselves to a democracy grounded in peaceful discourse, mutual respect and safety for those who serve in public office.”
Sen. Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, and Rep. Katie Sullivan, D-Missoula, the Senate and House minority leaders, also released a statement.
“Attacks like these are evidence of how the increasingly violent rhetoric that has come to dominate politics in this country inevitably spills over to damage our democratic system and endanger the lives of public servants,” they said. “When everyday citizens in Montana and across the country volunteer to undertake the civic duty of serving as elected officials, this choice often comes with real sacrifices. It is entirely unacceptable that any legislator should have to sacrifice their lives simply for standing up and volunteering to serve as representatives of their communities.”
Gov. Greg Gianforte also responded in a statement to MTN.
“The growing rise of political violence across the nation, including the recent targeted murder and attacks in Minnesota, is un-American,” he said. “We will not tolerate any threat, act of intimidation, or violence aimed at public officials in Montana.”
In the past two years, there have been two cases where Montana officials received suspicious mailings. In June 2023, multiple state lawmakers got letters containing white powder, though the powder was not found to be harmful. In September 2024, a suspicious package addressed to the Montana Secretary of State’s Office was intercepted before it reached them. Both of those incidents appeared to be part of larger, multi-state patterns.
The FBI investigated both cases. A spokesperson for the agency told MTN Monday there hasn’t been any update on those mailings.
MTN asked if the incidents in Minnesota affected how the FBI looks at issues of elected official safety.
“The FBI is vigilant in our efforts to detect and assess possible threats, if they arise,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We maintain that posture after incidents just as we do throughout the year. We partner with local and state law enforcement to be ready to appropriately address the full spectrum of threats.”
