Issue 2

Montana’s Road to Ruin Starts Here

Why the Nikolakakos Duo Must Be Booted Before They Bankrupt Our Freedom

By Sally Tucker

Read the complete article: Montana Road to Ruin Starts Here

Montana families are being sold out by the very people who swore to protect them. George and Melissa Nikolakakos — the husband-and-wife tag team from Great Falls —aren’t conservatives or even moderate Republicans. They are a disastrous, failing grade duo whose voting records have done more to grow government, deepen federal dependency, and betray conservative values than most Democrats could dream of. Their combined legacy is bigger budgets, weaker gun rights, eroded parental protections, and Montana’s sovereignty handed to Washington on a silver platter.

Read the complete article: Montana Road to Ruin Starts Here

MONTANA’S DATA CENTER BOOM

Promise or Peril for Power, Water, and Communities?

By Renee Pirtz

Read the complete article: Montana Data Center Boom

As artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and global tech demand surge, Montana has unexpectedly become a hotspot for hyperscale data centers. Vast open land, naturally cool nights, and access to long-haul fiber optics have drawn major developers scouting the Mountain West. But with proposals accelerating—NorthWestern Energy in talks with at least 11 entities, including signed letters of intent or agreements with companies like Quantica Infrastructure (planning up to 1,000 MW south of Broadview), Sabey Data Centers (250 MW west of Butte), and Atlas Power Group (150 MW expansion in Butte)—Montanans are asking hard questions: Who really benefits, and at what cost to our grid, water, and way of life?

One of the most consequential proposals now driving public concern is the massive 5,000‑acre data center planned south of Broadview in Yellowstone County, led by Quantica Infrastructure through its Big Sky Digital Infrastructure platform.

According to reporting from the Billings Gazette, NorthWestern Energy has issued a non‑binding letter of intent to supply up to 1,000 MW of electricity to the project— an extraordinary amount equal to roughly two-thirds of the power NorthWestern currently owns.

Read the complete article: Montana Data Center Boom

Vote Randy Pinocci in Senate District 12

Letter to the Editor

I was a State Lobbyist for the National Rifle Association (NRA) for 34 years before leaving in 2020. During most of that time, the State of Montana was part of my assigned region. I got to know Randy Pinocci very well during my past career as a gun rights advocate in Montana.

He was (and is to this day) a staunch pro-gun rights activist! Randy is an NRA Benefactor Life Member and previously worked side-by side with Charlton Heston to set up a Second Amendment Committee within the Montana State Republican Party. He has, for decades, been active with the Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA), one of the most successful state pro-gun rights organizations in the country; and is currently Vice President of the MSSA. Randy also stepped up and ran for the State Legislature in 2014, earning an A+ rating and endorsement from the NRA.

He won that race and, during the 2015 legislative session in Helena, maintained a perfect 100% voting record on legislative issues of concern to law-abiding gun owners. After his time in the Legislature, Randy ran for and won a seat on the Montana Public Service Commission, a position he currently holds. It has come to my attention that Randy is now running for the open seat in Senate District 12. I would urge ALL voters who are concerned about the Right to Keep and Bear Arms to vote for Randy Pinocci in the upcoming Primary election on June 2!

Brian Judy
Former NRA Montana State Director

Letter to the Editor

Recent events within the Cascade County Republican Central Committee (CCRCC) have raised serious concerns about the leadership practices guiding our organization. Cancelling the monthly Central Committee meeting for November, the Executive Board called an Executive Board meeting in its place on November 12, 2025. In a vote taken by the Executive Board members, the Executive Board attempted to cancel 50% of the regular monthly Central Committee meetings for 2026 and replace them with Executive Board meetings. This, of course, raised great concern by every elected committeeman and woman who value transparency and grassroots participation. CCRCC Chairman Eric Hinebauch defended this action vigorously in emails to the Central Committee members, insisting this approach was justified. Yet, on November 29, 2025, the state GOP ruled that such actions are not permitted under either county or state bylaws, responding to a grievance filed by a handful of Central Committee members.

When leadership decisions require direct intervention from the state party to realign us with our own rules, it signals a serious problem – one that cannot be dismissed as a simple misunderstanding. This discrepancy raises legitimate questions about the Chairs and Executive Boards understanding of the responsibilities and limits of the roles. Bylaws are not optional. They exist to prevent exactly this kind of overreach, to ensure that no individual, regardless of position, can limit the involvement of the broader, elected membership. When those rules are bypassed, even temporarily, the trust that holds an organization together begins to erode.

Our party is at its best when leadership empowers members, not sidelines them. We should expect – and demand – a Chair and Executive Board who knows and understands the bylaws thoroughly, respects them consistently, and works collaboratively rather than independently. Anything less undermines the credibility and effectiveness of our Republican Central Committee.

Central Committee members remained steadfast to organize the December 10 Central Committee meeting in spite of the Boards’ resistance. We are grateful to have had the state GOP expeditiously provide the Record of Decision timely and effectively. Item #3 under “Findings” reads, “The County Executive Committee is subservient to the County Central Committee. It must operate within CCRCC Bylaws and Robert’s Rules of Order.”

As Republicans, we pride ourselves on accountability and adherence to the rule of law. Let’s use this incident to motivate us to build a stronger, more transparent and more participatory Central Committee where members have assurance that their rights and roles are being respected. Our local Republicans deserve leadership that not only respects the bylaws but also empowers members and protects the integrity of the process.

Rae Grulkowski
Stockett, MT

Lies, Betrayal and Hidden Agenda-DeRoche’s Underhanded Schemes Harm Voters

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Lynn DeRoche is a candidate for Cascade County Clerk and Recorder who has a proven track record on which to base her future performance. And fortunately, we have the benefit of a person who has investigated the performance of Lynn DeRoche. I introduce to you Steven T. Potts, attorney for the plaintiffs against Fort Shaw Irrigation District (FSID), the Cascade County Clerk and Recorder’s office, and the Cascade County Commissioners.

Attorney Potts began a court brief in Cause N. ADV-23-255 in the Eighth District Court in Cascade County in this way: “As former President Donald J. Trump recently said, “In some ways we’re a third-world country…[W]e’re a third-world country at our election.” See The Independent, “Trump Claims US Elections Are ‘Third World’ Despite Sweeping Super Tuesday Primaries,” 3/6/2024.

The 2023 Fort Shaw Irrigation District (FSID) election conducted by Cascade County,including an election office administrator who did not know what she was doing and undermined by undependable and malevolent people, serves as a prime example. Together, they manipulated information about voting processes, deterred voters from casting ballots, and allowed others to cast ballots based on phony designation of agents.”

Read the complete article: Lies, Betrayal and Hidden Agenda-DeRoches Underhanded Schemes Harm Voters

VOTER GUIDE

The Liberty Bell Editorial Board’s Rationale for Endorsements June 2, 2026 Cascade County Primary Election

Read the complete article: Liberty Bell Voter Guide

After weeks of reviewing candidate filings, voting histories, public records, campaign platforms, and direct interviews, the Editorial Board of The Liberty Bell has made its endorsements for the June 2, 2026 primary. Our guiding principles remain unchanged: we support candidates who have proven records of defending liberty, limited government, fiscal responsibility, Second Amendment rights, and Montana values — and who possess the personal integrity to serve without ethical cloud.

Although the majority of our endorsed candidates this cycle are Republicans, The Liberty Bell evaluates every candidate — Republican, Democrat, Independent, or from any other party — and selects only those who best align with the convictions of the Editorial Board. We choose the best person for each office regardless of party label.

Read the complete article: Liberty Bell Voter Guide

Commissioners Shield Sheriff Slaughter’s Office by Stalling Cascade Policing Mediation Until After Primary

By Staff Writer

Read the article: Commissioners Shield Sheriff Slaughters Office by Stalling Cascade Policing Mediation Until After Primary

The Town of Cascade’s effort to resolve a deepening law enforcement crisis has hit a political wall after Cascade County Commissioners abruptly postponed a critical mediation session regarding the Sheriff’s Office contract. Originally scheduled for April 1, 2026, the meeting was intended to address a dispute that has left the town’s budget and local safety in a state of uncertainty. By pushing the negotiations into the summer months, officials have effectively shielded Sheriff Jesse Slaughter’s office from public scrutiny and potential embarrassment during the heat of his primary campaign.

The conflict began in April 2025, when the town received a proposed contract from the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office demanding a 29% increase in the cost of law enforcement services. Compounding the fiscal strain, the Sheriff’s proposal included a clause explicitly stating that deputies would no longer enforce local town ordinances. This move would leave Cascade residents paying significantly more for a reduced level of service, stripped of enforcement for local rules regarding traffic, noise, animal control, and parking.

Following a series of failed negotiations and a public Town Hall in May 2025, local leaders sought relief through the legal system. The Town of Cascade officially invoked House Bill 333, a 2025 law specifically designed to create a formal mediation process when municipalities and county law enforcement cannot reach an agreement. The law mandates that both sides negotiate in good faith to protect both the public budget and the integrity of local law enforcement.

However, the good-faith requirement of the law appears to have been sidelined by the Cascade County Commissioners. By delaying the April 1 session, the commission has ensured that the uncomfortable details of the Sheriff’s 29% hike and the refusal to enforce town ordinances will remain behind closed doors until well after the primary election is decided. This delay mirrors the classic “good old boy club” tactics long associated with institutional shielding in Montana politics, prioritizing political survival over the immediate needs of Cascade’s taxpayers.

“The town has made it clear it wants a contract that protects both the budget and the ability to enforce its own rules.”

Until the mediation is rescheduled for the summer, the residents of Cascade are left without a firm contract or a clear answer on who will handle local code violations. While both sides are legally required to eventually negotiate, the postponement ensures that Sheriff Slaughter avoids a public accounting of his leadership and the CCSO’s measurable institutional failures until the ballot boxes are closed. For now, the Town of Cascade remains in a holding pattern, waiting for a seat at the table that was promised by law but delayed by politics.

Read the complete article: Commissioners Shield Sheriff SlaughterΓÇÖs Office by Stalling Cascade Policing Mediation Until After Primary

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

There will be a mediation conference between the Town of Cascade and the Cascade County Commissioners on behalf of the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office’s proposed contract.

In April 2025, the Town of Cascade received a proposed contract with the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office. The Town of Cascade held a Town Hall meeting on May 23, 2025, to understand what our community wants and needs are for law enforcement in the upcoming year. On June 23, 2025, the town met with the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office to discuss the proposed contract. An agreement could not be reached.

The proposed contract requests a 29% cost increase and no enforcement of local ordinances.

The proposed contract has not been agreed upon; therefore, the Town of Cascade requested that the issue go to mediation under House Bill 333.

This non-quorum public meeting will be held on April 1, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. It will be held at Wedsworth Hall, 13 Front St. in Cascade.

The public is encouraged to attend and observe the meditation