Kudos to the MT GOP for sticking to their rules and not allowing Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger, an elected Democrat, to vote in their Caucus on Feb. 5.  Bohlinger's latest stunt is just another example of politics at its worst from the Schweitzer campaign.  The Caucus hasn't been any secret - Bohlinger's known about it for months and the MT GOP has widely publicized that there were hundreds of vacant precinct positions to be filled.  Bohlinger had every opportunity to qualify for one of these positions - is it any coincidence that he waited until after the Jan. 26 deadline to raise his little stink about not being allowed to participate?

As the MT GOP pointed out, to allow Bohlinger a vote would have broken several party rules - including the rule that requires Caucus voters to vote in the county in which they are registered (Bohlinger is registered in Yellowstone County but made it clear he intended to vote in Helena) plus that nagging little rule that says only Republican elected officials are eligible (Bohlinger was elected in 2004 as the Democrat Lt. Gov.).  Bohlinger's contention that he still considers himself to be a Republican is moot - Supreme Court Justice Jim Rice ran as a Republican in 2004 (and probably would still say he's a Republican) but since he's a non-partisan elected official, he is not eligible for the Caucus.

The Feb. 5 Caucus is a historic event for our state, and we can't help but imagine the Democrats are a little bit jealous over the grassroots surge that the GOP has seen in recent months, having swelled the ranks of precinct captains by a reported 750.  That's should give the GOP a marked advantage in the upcoming election.  It's pretty transparent that Bohlinger's latest stunt was calculated solely to deflate all the positives that the GOP has experienced with the Caucus. 

Jon, that's not how Republicans behave - just more proof of your deepening Democrat credentials.

MTinsight has learned that the last GOP convention John Bohlinger attended was in 1997.  Bohlinger switched parties in 2004, and has since attended Democratic state conventions, but this year is the first that he's shown any "interest" in convening with the GOP.  This proof just confirms what we already know, the whole issue was a shamless publicity stunt gauged to embarass the GOP.

Why does this mainstream media allow the Democrats to get away with these stunts?  Bohlinger has done absoluntely nothing to bring a Republican perspective to the Schweitzer administration - he's gone willingly along with every single action they've taken.  When was the last time you can recall Bohlinger speaking out against any liberal policy initiated by his boss.  He's failed to act as a liason between the GOP and Democrats - in the former camp he's viewed as a traitor, by the latter his only value is as one of Schweitzer's political novelties, kind of a bow-tied version of Jag.  Yet another chink in the bipartisan facade erected by Schweitzer.

Democratic Lt. Governor John Bohlinger was "puzzled" and "hurt" to discover that he wouldn't be welcome at this year's MT Republican Party convention (Lee News story).  Bohlinger insisted that he still considered himself a Republican and as proof offered that he'd "spoken at Republican Pachyderm clubs in several cities and met with some Republican lawmakers during the legislative sessions."  Talk about your GOP credentials. 

Bohlinger also insisted that his attendence at the GOP convention was an important step towards maintaining the bipartisan tenor of the Schweitzer administration.  That last point is the most important to the story, and the one that GOP exec Chris Wilcox failed to respond.  The Schweitzer administration has been anything but bipartisan.  Schweitzer and Bohlinger have practiced the most vindictive, petty brand of politics ever seen in this state. 

Sorry Johnny, but we're not buying your ploy - you renounced the GOP four years ago and you've been complacently silent in the face of the numerous bad policies supported by your boss.  If you really want to be a Republican, then start acting like one.  Chuck Johnson should have recognized this story for what it was - a canned attempt to generate a negative story on the eve of the GOP convention.