State lawmakers and Governor Bullock have ended a stalemate over nominees for Montana's next Commissioner of Political Practices. The handshake agreement was reached outside the public hearing process.
Republican Senate President Scott Sales and Democrat Steve Bullock met in the governor's office a little before noon on Wednesday and reached an agreement on a list of nominees to replace Jonathan Motl as Commissioner of Political Practices.
This after previous meetings of the COPP nominating committee were canceled or ended with members unable to agree on more than one name to submit to the governor. That committee consists of the minority and majority leaders in the House and Senate
State law requires the nominating committee submit at least two names. The governor then chooses one, and the remaining candidate must be confirmed by the Senate.
Senator Sales would not say who was on the list of names he and the governor came up with, but said it came from names already considered by the nominating committee.
He also said Governor Bullock asked him to support legislation being pushed by the executive branch regarding infrastructure and the state’s budget.
"There was an ask for cooperation and an acceptance that there would be."
Sales says he also spoke to the governor about the governor’s nine cabinet positions awaiting confirmation in the Senate.
"I did make a commitment to the governor that I would help him get his nominees through the process," says Sales.
A spokesperson for the governor's office did not confirm that Governor Bullock and President Sales spoke about anything beyond selecting nominees for the Commissioner of Political Practices.
Senate President Sales says no official deals were made:
"Lets just be honest, not every meeting between two individuals can be a public meeting. I don't speak for the entire Senate, that's a body of 50. I don't think think there is anything inappropriate meeting with the governor one-on-one, on any issue, a particular piece of legislation or a concept, or anything. Actually, I think it’s healthy."
Sales says there are negations on almost every decision that goes on inside the capitol, no matter how big or small. He says that’s just how it works.
The nominating committee for Montana’s Commissioner of Political Practices will meet again on Friday.
