Juneau misrepresents truth in her advertising

Every election cycle, I’m reminded of the sad reality that politics are often void of truth. Just look at our own congressional race. Montanans have been barraged by a series of false attacks coming from Denise Juneau. It’s frustrating to see the truth become an afterthought.

I’ve known Congressman Ryan Zinke for years. He is an honorable man, who speaks his mind and serves his constituents without prejudice or fear. I’ve come to appreciate his no-nonsense approach, because I know that whether we agree or not, when dealing with Ryan, it’s about the facts, the truth and nothing less.

The same cannot be said for his opponent. I was disappointed in seeing Juneau’s most recent television ads attacking our congressman. The accusations that she rattles off misrepresent the truth about Ryan Zinke. The idea that he would vote to raise taxes on families, oppose Paycheck Fairness, or cut education is nothing short of absurd. We must demand better from our candidates, bending the truth is why the public has so little faith in our politicians.

As a state senator, I’ve had to learn legalese and political process, and to distinguish fact from fiction. Denise claims that Ryan voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act. Her attack ad actually refers to a procedural vote that has nothing do with income equality. In fact, Paycheck Fairness has never been voted on this Congress. Either Denise cannot understand the process or she is willingly and knowingly bending the truth. Neither is good.

She also states that Ryan voted to increase taxes on families. Also not true. In reality, Ryan was the only member of the Montana delegation to vote in favor of the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Both of these tax credits help working families keep more of their own hard-earned money.

Lastly, she says that Ryan voted against education, citing the House budget. If you read the bill, there was no cut to education, it simply froze growth. Only in politics would someone equate a spending freeze with a cut. Not to mention, Ryan voted against the final budget because of an amendment that could have led to the sale or transfer of public land, which he does not support. Something also misrepresented in her ads as well as in the debates.

Unfortunately for Montanans, Juneau has chosen to dismiss honest debate for the sake of political gain. Whether or not you agree with Ryan’s positions, our state has the fundamental right to hear the truth. This sort of misrepresentation is a disservice to voters and it is what people hate most about politics. If we are ever going to get back to a place where we can trust our government, it starts with demanding the truth. I encourage every Montanan to decipher between fact and fiction, and when someone like Denise Juneau puts political ambition ahead of honesty, hold them accountable. Be informed, be vigilant and let the truth guide your decisions in this and every election.

——

Ed Buttrey is a Republican state senator from Great Falls.