Posted by (+2902) 3 years ago
Below is my letter-to-the-editor published in the Billings Gazette, today, September 17, 2018. I wrote the letter before the final figures were in for Trump's police protection in Billings. On Saturday, the Billings Gazette reported that the total cost for Trump's visit to Billings was $59,000.
"President Trump's Billings Visit Cost Taxpayers $59K in Law Enforcement Overtime" by Mike Ferguson, Billings Gazette, September 14, 2018
https://billingsgazette.c...d9507.html
Here's my letter:
"So, let me get this straight.
Sen. Jon Tester does his job and doesn’t approve of Trump’s nomination of Dr. Ronnie Jackson, as secretary of Veterans Affairs, because Dr. Jackson had no experience as an administrator of a big federal agency, and there were credible allegations of misconduct by Dr. Jackson including: drunkenness on duty, inappropriate practices of prescription medicine and creating a hostile work environment.
After Jackson withdrew his nomination, Trump says: "I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana."
Then Trump and his surrogates (Pence and Trump Jr.) decide to take revenge on Sen. Tester for doing his job by making several trips to Montana campaigning for Sen. Tester’s opponent in the upcoming Montana Senate race.
And, all this Trumptonian revenge against Sen. Tester has been at taxpayer expense. The police protection and increased security has been estimated in Billings at $20,000 last week, $35,000 for Pence’s July visit and $80,000 for Trump’s Great Falls campaign trip in July. And, so far as reported in this newspaper, there has been no reimbursement from the White House for all the expenses incurred by these Montana communities. And, that doesn’t include the jet fuel and staff for Air Force One.
So, who is really paying the “big price” in Montana for Sen. Tester doing his job and protecting veterans from Trump’s incompetent VA secretary nominee? I’m thinking the people in Billings and Great Falls must be thinking this is a pretty expensive way for Trump to get revenge on Sen. Tester — all at their expense."
Mary Catherine Dunphy
Miles City
"President Trump's Billings Visit Cost Taxpayers $59K in Law Enforcement Overtime" by Mike Ferguson, Billings Gazette, September 14, 2018
https://billingsgazette.c...d9507.html
Here's my letter:
"So, let me get this straight.
Sen. Jon Tester does his job and doesn’t approve of Trump’s nomination of Dr. Ronnie Jackson, as secretary of Veterans Affairs, because Dr. Jackson had no experience as an administrator of a big federal agency, and there were credible allegations of misconduct by Dr. Jackson including: drunkenness on duty, inappropriate practices of prescription medicine and creating a hostile work environment.
After Jackson withdrew his nomination, Trump says: "I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana."
Then Trump and his surrogates (Pence and Trump Jr.) decide to take revenge on Sen. Tester for doing his job by making several trips to Montana campaigning for Sen. Tester’s opponent in the upcoming Montana Senate race.
And, all this Trumptonian revenge against Sen. Tester has been at taxpayer expense. The police protection and increased security has been estimated in Billings at $20,000 last week, $35,000 for Pence’s July visit and $80,000 for Trump’s Great Falls campaign trip in July. And, so far as reported in this newspaper, there has been no reimbursement from the White House for all the expenses incurred by these Montana communities. And, that doesn’t include the jet fuel and staff for Air Force One.
So, who is really paying the “big price” in Montana for Sen. Tester doing his job and protecting veterans from Trump’s incompetent VA secretary nominee? I’m thinking the people in Billings and Great Falls must be thinking this is a pretty expensive way for Trump to get revenge on Sen. Tester — all at their expense."
Mary Catherine Dunphy
Miles City