Montanans don’t need permission to speak

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, it’s worth remembering what this country actually is: Of the people, by the people, for the people. Not of, by or for Rep. Llew Jones, or the small group of legislators that answer directly to him. 

That principle includes something fundamental: the right of citizens to speak, organize and petition their government without fear. That’s not optional. That’s the foundation. And it’s exactly what some Montana legislators are now trying to redefine. 

In a recent column, Jones claims to “ardently defend free speech” — but then argues that some types of speech are illegitimate, calling them “faceless smears” and “paid-for sabotage.” 

More than that, he makes something else clear: He believes there needs to be “accountability” for the people speaking. “Accountability.” For citizens. 

That’s not a defense of free speech. That’s an attempt to control it. Because once you say speech is only acceptable if the speaker is identified, exposed, approved — and held “accountable” by those in power — you’ve already changed the rules. You’ve turned a constitutional right into something conditional. 

Jones asks: “Who is really speaking?” 

Here’s the answer: Montanans are. 

The farmer in Baker watching property taxes creep higher every year. The logger in Libby seeing his industry squeezed while politicians protected the system that failed him. The teacher in Dillon trying to make ends meet while costs keep rising. The small business owner in Kalispell trying to stay afloat. 

And there are thousands of Montanans across this state who give their time, their talent, and yes, sometimes their own money to stand with their fellow citizens and hold their government accountable. That is their right. No politician gets to question that right. 

Let’s be clear: It is not the job of government to hold citizens accountable for their speech. 

That’s not transparency. That’s intimidation.  Transparency is for government. Privacy is for citizens. 

But some legislators have that exactly backward. This isn’t new. 

In 2015, after supporting President Obama’s Medicaid expansion against the will of many of his constituents, Jones pushed the DISCLOSE Act — not to strengthen debate, but to expose and deter the people criticizing him. 

Now he’s back again calling to “tighten loopholes.” Not because of principle. Because he’s being held accountable, again.

And Montanans should understand why. 

Because people are paying attention to votes like HB 231, a bill sold as “property tax relief” that in reality protects local government spending, shifts the tax burden and gives political cover to a system that keeps growing. Homeowners, farmers, ranchers and small businesses don’t get real relief. They get a reshuffling of who pays now versus later, while the government keeps expanding. 

That’s not reform. That’s the kind of left-wing policy Montanans have rejected for years. 

These legislators also claim anonymous speech is illegitimate. History says otherwise. 

The Federalist Papers — which helped secure the Constitution — were written under pseudonyms. Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin both challenged authority anonymously. Anonymous speech didn’t undermine America. It helped secure our liberty. Because the Founders understood something simple: If people fear retaliation, they will stop speaking. 

And Montanans should recognize the pattern. You don’t strip away rights all at once. You do it gradually — under the guise of “transparency” and “accountability.” 

You don’t ban the right outright. You regulate it. You track it. You make people think twice before using it. That’s how rights erode. 

And once again, some Montana lawmakers, led by Llew Jones, find themselves aligned with the same playbook pushed by politicians Montanans have repeatedly rejected — figures like Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.  More government. More control. More oversight of speech. 

And a handful of legislators in Helena are all too willing to carry that water. Montanans don’t need Llew Jones’ or his subordinates’ permission to speak. They don’t need to justify their participation. Montanans don’t answer to legislators — they answer to us. That’s what this country was built on. That’s what our veterans fought and died for. 

And 250 years in, it’s not something lawmakers in Helena get to take away. 

Jesse Ramos is state director for Americans for Prosperity–Montana.