Parker announces candidacy for State Attorney General, meets with BTBC
By John McGill
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 12:23 PM MST
"I met with members of the tribal council and expressed confidence to them that as the next attorney general I will be supporting and enhancing relations between the Blackfeet community and the State of Montana," said Montana House Minority Leader John Parker Tuesday, Jan. 22. Parker had arrived in Browning, along with Montana Rep. Shannon Augare, to announce his candidacy for Montana Attorney General and to visit a variety of county and tribal officials and programs.
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| House Minority Leader John Parker came to Browning Tuesday, Jan. 22, along with Montana Rep. Shannon Augare and his aide, Julia Mehr Brown, to announce his candidacy for Montana Attorney General and meet with the BTBC, Browning Schools and the Glacier County Commissioners, among other people. Augare also took the occasion to announce his candidacy for reelection to Montana House District 16. Photo by John McGill
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Besides the BTBC, Parker visited the student council at Browning High School, the Glacier County Commissioners and the county attorney and sheriff. "I plan to return next January if I'm elected, to meet with the tribal council in an official capacity. Jurisdictional issues are complex with the tribe, federal and state overlap. Now there are good relations between the tribe and the Montana Highway Patrol, so as chief law enforcement officer, I would make sure that continues."
At Browning High School, Parker said, "As the House Democratic Leader, I know that investment in leaders pays for generations, so I'm here to learn what they're doing in the school and the community."
As for the commissioners of Glacier County, "I worked as a deputy county attorney in Cascade County, so I understand the issues, so I let the Glacier County Commissioners know that I bring local governmental understanding to this race." Among those endorsing his candidacy, Parker lists Montana Rep. Shannon Augare, who accompanied him on his visit.
"In addition to his being a great leader for the House, he's shown the utmost respect to the opposition party," Augare said of his endorsement. "When Native Americans come to the capital, John always makes space in his office available to them while they wait, and I took notice of that and I knew then that he was a kind and generous man. Because of John, I'm the top Democrat on the Law and Justice Interim Committee." Augare explained, he was recruited as vice chair by Parker, when the latter was head of the committee.
"He empowered me to be a good leader so Indians have a stronger voice in government, especially in the legislative branch, and I can understand and clarify issues important to the Native American community in that committee."
In closing, Augare said, "John is the only candidate to come to Browning and meet with the tribal council and county commissioners and the students to have a well rounded understanding of the issues of our and rural communities across the state, so he has my full support."
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