They do they best work in the dark of night. . .

All Montanans need to know just how much the recent GOP-controlled Legislature screwed around with our laws.

One example of their "in the dark of night" dealings has been reported in the Helena Independent Record Feb. 4, 2022 publication under the headline "Judge strikes part of SB 319."

"Senate Bill 319, sponsored by Republican Sen. Greg Hertz, initially dealt with campaign finance laws, joint fund-raising committees and reporting rules. In a conference committee, however, lawmakers tacked on two other measures: one required a judge to recuse themselves if they received at least of half of the maximum individual contribution from a lawyer or party during the previous six years.

The other new amendment banned voter registration, signature collection, voter turnout and other activities by political groups in certain areas of university campuses.

The additions were made during a "free conference committee" one day before the Legislature adjourned. Those committees, by law, are confined to discuss amendments to the bill on which the two chambers can't agree. Public testimony is not allowed during these hearings. Judge Menahan on Thursday, ruled two of the amendments committee took up in that conference hearing did not fall under the original purpose of the bill."

This lawsuit is one of more than 20 challenging bills passed by the 2021 Legislature, a session in which Republican lawmakers had large majorities in both the House and Senate. Democrats and opponents claimed at the time that the laws were unconstitutional and had warned they would take them to courts to strike them down.

We will undoubtedly have to live with most of the State GOP's scurrilous activities for some time. As Rylee Sommers-Flanagan, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs said in an emailed statement, "The Legislature failed to abide by the Montana Constitution's few simple rules on lawmaking."

We must make sure this political party never holds such control over our state legislature again.  They have shown that - similar to their national cohorts -  they have little-to-no regard for our constitution!