If you’re tired of campaign ads, you aren’t alone - so are several sheriffs around Montana, and one ad in particular has them upset. It’s a full-page ad from U.S. Senator Jon Tester's campaign that appeared in several print newspapers across the state this week.
The ad boasts that Tester, a Democrat, secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for Sheriff’s Offices to hire officers and purchase equipment.
The ads include a photo of a patrol car specific to each county.
Sheriffs in several counties - including Park, Toole, Stillwater, Sweetgrass, Custer, Broadwater, Dawson, and Jefferson - have issued statements in recent days saying the ad falsely implies that they have endorsed Tester, and that it was published without their consent, using photos obtained without their permission.
Tester’s campaign says the ads are an honest representation of Tester's efforts to secure federal funding.
In response to the Park County Sheriff, Tester’s office says: “Keeping Montanans safe is Senator Jon Tester’s top priority, full stop. Jon knows that our first responders keep Montana’s rural communities safe, which is why he was proud to take feedback and input directly from law enforcement agencies across Montana and secure millions of dollars for local law enforcement in rural counties across the state. From hiring new police officers, to purchasing new equipment like bulletproof vests, to establishing task forces to tackle drug trafficking, Jon has fought to fund the needs of Montana’s first responders. Jon will always work with anyone to ensure Montana law enforcement has the resources they need to keep Montana the Last Best Place.”
According to documents provided by Tester’s office, he has helped secure funding for several agencies in the state including:
- nearly $550k in 2023 ($549,976) for Lewis and Clark County Department of Justice to enhance law enforcement and outcomes for individuals with mental illness and substance abuse disorders
- $400k in 2024 for Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes for coordinated Tribal Assistance
- $75k in 2020 for Daniels County to enhance cooperation and coordination among state, local, tribal, territorial and federal law enforcement agencies to jointly enhance security along the U.S. land and water borders
Tester’s office says he has recently secured funding for county law enforcement in the rural counties mentioned in the ads, including through grants, task forces, and PILT.
Tester is facing Republican Tim Sheehy, a Gallatin County businessman, in a tight race that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
Sheehy's campaign provided the following statement to MTN News: " Jon Tester ought to apologize to the outstanding men and women of Montana law enforcement for politicizing the profession and trying to take credit for the work they do to keep our communities safe."
