This page is meant to explain a very large part of what brings me to run for election to Montana Senate District 45. What I will explain here is the proverbial “elephant in the room”. It is imperative that the truth of this matter be remembered past the generation that actually experienced this debacle, as it will affect us all for many years to come.

In 1997, my opponent, Fred Thomas of Stevensville, carried SB390, legislation which, through the Public Service Commission, brought about the deregulation of the Electric Industry in the State of Montana. This legislation was carried by my opponent at the behest of our former governor Marc Racicot, and among others, Montana Power, and the Enron Corporation. Senate Bill 390 allowed the Montana Power Company to sell off generating facilities that had been paid for by Montana citizens. MPC sold those facilities to Pennsylvania based PP&L, then used the funds to invest in a “Dotcom era” telecommunications company called TouchAmerica. TouchAmerica then buried many miles of cable, essentially burying the money that Montana’s citizens had spent to build the generating facilities that Montana Power then sold off. About five years later, TouchAmerica declared bankruptcy, and the MPC stock that had been worth 65.00+ per share became worthless. I will admit that this is what might be termed a “paraphrased” or highly simplified explanation of events. This was a highly complex issue which has easily earned the term “debacle”, but in the end, my opponent, as the sponsor, must own the issue.

Hundreds, if not thousands of Montana workers lost their jobs, and hundreds, if not thousands of Montanans who had invested in Montana Power Company stock, lost much, if not all of their life savings. It is estimated that Northwest Energy (NWE) customers are paying at least 20% more now for essential items such as Natural Gas and Electricity, some are paying a much higher percentage, and they will likely continue to do so for decades to come. Even if you are a customer of a Co-op, it’s likely that your local school is not, and through their relationship with NWE, you are still paying those higher rates.

In a primary campaign mailing generated by the “American Tradition Partnership”, (an out of state concern whose members and source of funding are very difficult to determine) designed to scuttle the candidacy of his primary opponent, Gary MacClaren, it was stated that my opponent is in 100% support of utility ratepayers. Their mailing stated that “Fred Thomas will work to repeal costly and environment-damaging policies which force every Montanan to purchase electricity from unreliable, experimental taxpayer-subsidized generation sources”.

Given that Montanans paid some of the lowest energy rates in the nation prior to Senate Bill 390 and Energy Deregulation as a whole, It is it is odd that apparent surrogates of my opponent would state that he will be a guardian of the public in this regard, since, in the past, he did so much to bring about the very opposite.

So that I am not seen to be misstating the facts of the issue, a documentary on this subject can be found at the following link:

http://watch.montanapbs.org/video/2243192802/

It would not be an exaggeration to state that Senate Bill 390, as carried by my opponent, has hurt more Montanans than any piece of legislation to come from Helena since the days of the Anaconda Copper Kings.

Whether it stemmed from a lack of judgment, a naiveté to the intentions of those who lobbied him, or, god forbid, his possible complicity in the issue, this man does not deserve another seat at the table.

Our elected representatives have a responsibility to act in the public interest, nothing more, nothing less. Are we willing to take a chance that my opponent was acting as a guardian of the public trust during his many years in state government?

As I stated on the home page of this website, I built a successful freight brokerage business from scratch, and I created a business dedicated to addressing issues of Fraud in the Transportation Industry. I excel in business experience, I excel in finding solutions and making things happen. For me, accountability is not a political catchphrase. Accountability is a philosophy I live by every day. It’s time we start holding our elected officials at all levels to that same standard.

I would urge all residents of Senate District 45 to get educated on how Senate Bill 390 came about, and the players involved. Do your part to see that a circumstance such as this is never allowed to take place again. If you agree with my assessment of the damage caused as a result of my opponent’s time in office, please give me your support on November 6. I promise again that I will always be a guardian of the public trust, and I will work to see that others do the same. When elected, I will respect the opportunity I’ve been given to represent the public. I will serve the public interest, not my own.

Produced and paid for by Dan Metully for Senate District 45 Jami Danczyk Treasurer

PO Box 312, Stevensville, Mt. 59870

You can contact me at 406-273-1698
(Calls from restricted numbers will not be accepted)