Extreme Right-Wing Ideas Find Another Outlet
The Constitution Party of Montana is the new name on Montana's political scene. It qualified in mid-March for the ballot and is fielding 11 candidates in the upcoming elections for the state legislature. Although the state party may be new, it is connected to a national group with well-established ties to the extreme right wing. The Constitution Party of Montana appears to be following the national group's lead.
Formerly known as the American Heritage Party of Montana, the Constitution Party of Montana is chaired by Michael Heit and is based in Elmo. Brochures portray the party as the voice of true conservatives. It advocates building a strong national defense and stopping government's "unconstitutional spending." However, upon examining its literature and website, more radical ideas are found.
Connections to Anti-Government Ideology and Groups
Michael Heit was asked about John Trochmann, founder of the Militia of Montana (MOM). Heit said Trochmann "is a man dedicated to his beliefs and task at hand" and "for this I have great respect." Heit goes on to say Trochmann isn't a member of the party, but implies it wouldn't be a cause for concern if he was.
As late as February 2000, its website was part of a web ring called "Real American Patriot/Militia Ring." The ring contained militia groups from around the country. Its website contains a link to Bo Gritz's Center for Action. Gritz frequently speaks at Preparedness Expos, along with people like Trochmann. Through the Center for Action, Gritz provides paramilitary-training classes.
The party wants to stop issuing social security numbers to people under 18. Emancipation from social security numbers is a theme in freemen ideology. Freemen believe that severing all contracts with the government, beginning with social security numbers, makes them "sovereign citizens" that can live outside the government's authority. Both the party and freemen also want to abolish the income tax and the Federal Reserve.
The connections are not surprising since Constitution Party's rhetoric is similar to that of militias. Its website contains the rationale used by groups like MOM to legitimize "unorganized militias." Both claim that, when the Constitution speaks of a well-regulated militia, it does not mean the National Guard. Instead, they theorize the framers of the Constitution envisioned ordinary citizens forming paramilitary groups to protect America from external and internal enemies. Both the militia and the Constitution Party fear the United Nations and advocate withdrawing from the UN and restoring national sovereignty.
The National Constitution Party
Since its beginning in 1992, the national Constitution Party has had ties to the far right. Based in Virginia, the Constitution Party used to be known as the U.S. Taxpayers Party (USTP). The name may have changed, but the party has always revolved around one man, Howard Phillips.
Phillips has been the perennial presidential candidate for the party. He's running for a third time in 2000. Phillips currently chairs the Conservative Caucus, an advocacy group, and is president of Policy Analysis Inc., a right-wing think tank. Until recently, Joseph Sobran was the vice president on the ticket. Sobran is a right-wing columnist who is featured in the anti-Semitic tabloid The Spotlight. He has written about how states have the option to secede from the Union and has been a political ally of Pat Buchanan. Sobran resigned in early April, and the Constitution Party is searching for another vice-presidential candidate.
The Constitution Party's connections to extremists originated while the party was still known as the USTP. Larry Pratt, director of Gun Owners of America, spoke at a 1995 conference. Pratt would later make headlines in 1996 when he was forced to leave Pat Buchanan's presidential campaign because of his ties to militia and white supremacist groups.
Another speaker at the conference was Matthew Trewhella. Trewhella is a notorious anti-choice activist and was a Wisconsin delegate to the 1995 conference. During his speech, Trewhella said, "This Christmas I want you to do the most loving thing and I want you to buy each of your children an SKS rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition." Trewhella has advocated forming church-based militias, because he thinks they are constitutional. He also signed a declaration saying that murdering abortion providers is "justifiable homicide."
Heit has lofty goals for the party. He has said "Our plan is simple, to get all 11 of our Legislative candidates elected to office." He has also written that the party wants to get enough votes for Howard Phillips so it can keep its access to the ballot for the next four years. The developing Constitution Party should generate political interest in Montana. It may provide a home for more right-wing Republican legislators, allowing Montanans to see where these legislators get their ideas and what their vision holds for Montana and the United States.