Mike Cooney Blasts Greg Gianforte For His Anti-Public Lands Agenda In Front Of A Stream Gianforte Tried to Privatize

Montana Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov Mike Cooney slammed GOP candidate Greg Gianforte for his anti-public lands agenda – in front of a fishing spot on the East Gallatin River, which Gianforte sued Montanans to block access to.

New Jersey millionaire Greg Gianforte has spent his career working to block public access. As Montana’s sole Congressman, Gianforte introduced a pair of bills to strip protections from 700,000 acres of public lands, refused to co-sponsor the Great American Outdoors Act which would fully restore funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and supports the appointment of William Perry Pendley to lead the Bureau of Land Management, who supports “selling off almost all public lands.”

Lt. Gov. Cooney has spent his life fighting to protect Montana’s beautiful lands and outdoor economy. As governor, his “Protect the Last Best Place” plan would solidify protections for existing public lands, increase access to landlocked public lands through easements, strengthen Habitat Montana, the state’s premier access and conservation program, and protect fishing spots from people like Greg Gianforte.

“Greg Gianforte has spent his career fighting against public access,” said DGA National Press Secretary Jerusalem Demsas. ”Gianforte can’t be trusted to protect the Last Best Place while he’s in Congress, we sure can’t trust him in the Governor’s seat.”