Our political opponents attempted a publicity stunt yesterday that backfired in the most spectacular fashion. It is not often a group calls a secret press conference and promptly self-destructs at the microphone – but that is exactly what happened yesterday at Jake’s Steaks in Billings.
Patients for Reform, Not Repeal put out a radio ad that indicated Senator Essmann recognized the failure of his own law and thought it needed to be changed. (I have not actually heard the ad because it got limited air time, but that is my understanding.) Essmann did not appreciate the message and first tried to get the ad pulled. When that didn’t work, he wrote a letter the the editor of the Billings Gazette to qualify his statement, available here.
Shortly after the letter ran in the Gazette, he along with Safe Communities Safe Kids put out a press release and held a press conference in Billings to announce they were making complaints. They apparently hoped to hold it as a somewhat private event, and were surprised to see several advocates in attendance including both the MTCIA and Patents for Reform. Essmann said he was going to file a complaint against the MTCIA for misrepresenting him in the ad, and Safe Communities announced they would file a complaint against Attorney General Steve Bullock for allowing confusing language to appear on the ballot.
Elizabeth, our area coordinator in Billings and a board member on the MTCIA was there to set the record straight for reporters. She pointed out that the ad had nothing to do with the MTCIA and he needed to be more careful with his allegations. He went on to (in his usual fashion) to blame the “industry” for everything that has ever gone wrong with the medical marijuana program in the state, and claimed that SB423 allowed for regulation. Again, Elizabeth corrected him and explained that SB423 does not really address regulation in the slightest. His response was that it allowed local communities to regulate, and was told that no, it does not. The only mention of “regulation” is that communities can simply ban storefronts, which is not regulation. There is no regulatory agency or anything else of substance. Bob Bringham from Patients for Reform then told the press and Senator Essman that he was responsible for the ad and its contents, and he would be happy to talk with the press, which he later did.
Cherrie Brady took the microphone and explained that IR-124 is confusing and tried to blame Steve Bullock, claiming she intended to file a complaint. Jim Molloy, an attorney and a member of Steve Bullock’s campaign team launched an amazing cross examination of Cherrie, noting that she had every opportunity to weigh in on the language and simply didn’t do so. When she tried to shift the blame for their failure to do anything about the language, Molloy pointed out that all these individuals were working together and we won’t be so easily fooled. He called this a political stunt designed to win votes for Rick Hill and that the system should not be abused by those who know better. (And for the record, there was no attempt by anybody to make the ballot language confusing. Bob Bringham suggested that maybe SCSK’s constituents had their own issues if they couldn’t understand it.)
Not surprisingly, this story was picked up by the press in Billings, as Jeff Essmann had invited them to. Several news stories ran on this disaster of a press conference on both television and in print. Kudos to Patients for Reform for initiating such a simple and effective ad.
Since the MTCIA was incorrectly labeled the bad guy (as always) and Essmann was so far off the mark in his allegations and his arguments, I couldn’t resist sending him a thank you note and a wonderful set of flowers for a job well done at his press conference. My card read: “Dear Senator Essmann – Thank you for taking the stage with Cherrie Brady at your press conference on Wednesday. We appreciate everything you are doing. XXOO ~MTCIA”
The flowers arrived at his Billings office today.
Here are some links to the various news stories that discussed the press conference:
http://www.ktvq.com/news/medical-marijuana-heats-up-before-election/#!prettyPhoto/0/
http://www.kulr8.com/news/local/Medical-Marijuana-Ballot-Disagreement-174677431.html
It was quite the sight to see Mr. Essmann walk out of his own press conference.
Love it!! Great job to all involved! I bet it was great!
Somehow Jeff Essmann still thinks the voters are stupid.
They didn’t know what they were voting for in 2004.
Now he says, … “he agreed with the ballot language when it was presented to him and thought it made sense. However, now Essmann said he realizes voters don’t have his level of understanding … and might get confused.
If you can read, and think, … it’s not so confusing.
Mr. Essmann just thinks that he knows better than the rest of us, what’s best for us.
Please vote against IR-124, and support the will of the Montana voters.
If it had not been for Your board member Elizabeth Pincolini, Supporter Kathleen Shannon, founder, and several others in the croud to call him on the carpet his press conference would have gone of without a hitch and the stories would be very different then they are today. Maybe you should be sending them flowers and thanks rather than playing childish petty political stunts?? We appreciate everything you are doing. XXOO MTCIA FOUNDER
I do think we should remain a Professional organization and be mindful of the saying “the toes we step on today maybe attached to the ass we are kissing tomorrow” Jeff Essman is a returning Senator and most likely will be in a top position again. Just saying
I love you guys! Sending a card and flowers… I wish I was a fly on the wall of his office to see the response. Thank you all for the updates via Facebook. I keep people here in my neck of the woods as up to date as your posts are on our battle to educate the ignorant on the truth of this extremely important battle.
Great job, everyone! There was a lot of strategy that went into this on both sides of the issue (whether the MTCIA’s “founder” admits that or not)and for once, the truth prevailed. The result of this press conference is political capital for us and to waste it would be a travesty. I applaud everyone!
Altho I’m very pleased that their plan backfired and the flowers were an interesting touch, I must agree with Nathan. I do not think this election will be the end of the battle, no matter which side prevails. We must focus on the future and not allow our actions of today to work against us tomorrow. That being said, THANK YOU to everyone who stepped up to the plate…GOOD JOB!
Coooool!
Chris,
Great, great and did i mention great! To watch cherie brady squirm made me feel a comfort i never new possible….I have slept better since. Also, i want to express my FULL support of the flower cost. Chris, we r all lucky to have you as our president. My self and family can not thankyou enough. Also, to whoever doesnt like the flower idea, just remember how loving and kind, fair and “professional” essman has always been to us, c’mon !?!?! Thanks to billings peeps!!!! I wish that jackass would show himself in livingston ….
Essman and Brady sittin in a tree….j/k
I wonder how it feels to be hated by everyone? Essman and Brady have to feel some sort of pressure by everyone even if its not talked about. Having to always look over your shoulder, wondering what bad things everyone is saying about ya, friends being nice to your face yet laughing at you behind your back, having to always worry about the safety of you and your family. Personally, i wouldnt want that kind of shameful life.
She (Brady) needs to realize she is fighting the wrong battle, perhaps concentrating on regulation of dispensaries instead of getting rid of dispensaries would be wiser. Her main objective is to keep marijuana out of the hands of children which is VERY honorable and i applaud her for that, but did she go to school herself? Because if she did she would realize kids can get whatever they want whenever they want, and i mean whatever/whenever. We all know that because we all saw it in school ourselves. The “gateway drug” is usually coffee, cigarettes, wine, hard alcohol, and even sex. Once teens are comfortable with those they branch off into marijuana because their friends have tried it, and in order to get marijuana they have to go to a drugdealer who ALSO has some crack, cocaine, pain pills, ecstasy, meth, etc……dispensaries dont sell that stuff……..
SOLUTION:
Lets take back control of the black market!!! Its much easier to control marijuana production and distribution if it is taxed and regulated with strict rules much like alcohol and tobacco (except alcohol and tobacco are killers, marijuana is not) and our state could sure use the tax revenue … Take marijuana out of the black market and it becomes harder for teens to get it and easier for police to catch illegal growers/sellers….the price of marijuana will go down and the cartel will no longer have interest….plus many more reasons.
The bottom line is simple…people who want to smoke or consume marijuana in any form are going to do so no matter if you like it or not and since so many americans, who actually are becoming the majority, want to have safe access to marijuana, lets tax it with strict regulation. People are going to prison for following state marijuana laws and having to serve more time in prison than serial rapists and murderers! What is wrong with our society? WOW! WE have to pay $25,000+ a year per inmate to keep these harmless individuals locked up instead of getting valuable tax revenue from their hard work, dedication and service to their fellow americans, to their state, and to their country.
Please vote AGAINST Senate Bill 423….lets prove we knew what we voted for back in 2004.
I think Jeff Essman shouldn’t be in office for what he did to the people vote. He should of made it go on a ballot instead of going behind people backs and to the Supreme Court
Thank you so much Chris, Jim, Erin, Nicole, Elizabeth, Pat and everyone else at MTCIA for all of your hard work. You are helping people all over the state.