Steve Bullock (Montana politician)
| Steve Bullock | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 24th Governor of Montana | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2013 |
|
| Lieutenant | John Walsh |
| Preceded by | Brian Schweitzer |
| 23rd Attorney General of Montana | |
| In office January 5, 2009 – January 7, 2013 |
|
| Governor | Brian Schweitzer |
| Preceded by | Mike McGrath |
| Succeeded by | Tim Fox |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 11, 1966 Missoula, Montana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Lisa Bullock |
| Residence | Governor's Residence |
| Alma mater | Claremont McKenna College Columbia University |
Steve Bullock (born April 11, 1966) is the 24th Governor of Montana, in office since January 2013. An attorney by profession, and a Democrat, Bullock previously served as the 23rd Attorney General of Montana from 2009 to 2013.
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Early life, education, and law career[edit]
Bullock was born in Missoula, Montana and raised in Helena, the state capital, where he graduated from Helena High School in 1984.[1] He received his undergraduate degree from Claremont McKenna College and his law degree with honors from Columbia Law School in New York.[2]
Bullock served as chief legal counsel to Montana Secretary of State Mike Cooney. He went on to work for four years with the Montana Department of Justice under Attorney General Joe Mazurek, first as executive assistant attorney general, and later as acting chief deputy (1997–2001).[3] During this time, he also served as legislative director, coordinating the Attorney General's legislative efforts. As an Assistant Attorney General, Bullock wrote the landmark opinion that guaranteed public access to streams and rivers.
He was unsuccessful in his first race for Montana Attorney General, losing in the 2000 Democratic primary to Mike McGrath, who went on to be elected Attorney General that year and currently serves as Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court.[4] From 2001 to 2004, Bullock practiced law with the Washington, D.C. firm of Steptoe & Johnson. While there, he also served as an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School. Bullock returned to Montana in 2004, working in private practice in Helena where he represented individuals, consumer organizations, labor unions, peace officers, associations of political subdivisions, and small and large businesses.[5] He ran successfully for Attorney General in 2008.[6]
Attorney General[edit]
Bullock was the Democratic nominee for Attorney General in 2008, defeating two other candidates in the primary election in June. Bullock then went on to win the contested general election race with 52.64% of the vote against Republican Tim Fox. Bullock received 245,669 votes, more than either presidential candidate.[7] As Attorney General, Bullock was the state's chief lawyer and law enforcement officer. He led the Montana Department of Justice, which encompasses the Forensic Science Laboratory, the Montana Highway Patrol, the Motor Vehicle Division, Gambling Control, Legal Services and the Division of Criminal Investigation.[citation needed]
During his tenure as Attorney General, Bullock’s office increased the number of police officers on the street and prosecutors in the courtroom, investigating, arresting and convicting child sex predators. Bullock also pushed for tougher drunken driving laws and a crackdown on prescription drug abuse.[8] He introduced the 24/7 Sobriety Program for repeat DUI offenders statewide.[9] This program requires repeat drunk drivers to take breath tests twice a day. The program is aimed at keeping highways and communities free of drunk drivers, and keeping non-violent offenders out of jail and off the public rolls. The program has had success in dropping DUI offenses.[10]
The Attorney General’s office also pursued the railroad industry for monopolistic business practices,[11][12] and led the way in stopping an anti-competitive merger between two the largest meat packers in the country.[13] Bullock focused on the misclassification of employees as independent contractors and allowing FedEx to avoid paying millions in state taxes and fees. Bullock's efforts resulted in changes by FedEx to comply with federal and state laws.[14]
Bullock attracted national attention by challenging the Citizens United decision through his defense of Montana’s 100-year old ban on corporate campaign expenditures.[15] After winning in the Montana Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the State of Montana in a narrow 5-4 decision.[16][17]
Bullock, who authored the state’s opinion guaranteeing access to rivers, streams, and public lands, worked with the legislature and Governor Brian Schweitzer to codify the access opinion into law.[18]
Governor of Montana[edit]
Elections[edit]
Bullock announced on September 7, 2011 that he would be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Montana in 2012.[19] In the Democratic primary, Bullock faced off against Helena resident Heather Margolis. Bullock won with 87% of the vote.[20]
He and his running mate, General John Walsh, proposed a jobs plan that focuses on small and medium sized Montana businesses as the engines of job creation. Bullock and Gen. Walsh call for:[21]
- Streamlining the regulatory permitting process and establishing a new permit tracking system,
- Ensuring that government services meet the demands of job creators,
- Supporting rapid growth in eastern Montana by making sure communities receive funds before or in preparation for natural resource development rather than afterwards,
- Promoting the hiring of Montanans first for jobs inside the state paid for by taxpayers’ money,
- Expanding in-state business activity to create a business climate that spurs faster expansion and greater business-to-business activity among Montana companies,
- Further reforming Montana’s workers’ compensation system to reduce the number of workers who are injured or killed on the job, getting injured workers back to work as soon as possible and controlling medical costs.
- Requiring major firms that are awarded state contracts to subcontract a substantial percentage of their work to in-state businesses.
Bullock proposed a $400 property tax rebate for homeowners in Montana to spur job creation and refund a portion of the state’s $400 million budget surplus.[22]
General John Walsh, Bullock’s running mate, is the former Adjutant General of the Montana National Guard.[23] Bullock won the election, held on November 6, 2012, defeating Republican ex-US Representative Rick Hill.[24]
First term[edit]
Governor Bullock and his Lieutenant Governor, John Walsh, were sworn in on January 7, 2013.[25]
References[edit]
- ^ "Attorney General Steve Bullock". Montana Department of Justice.
- ^ "Attorney General Steve Bullock profile". Montana Department of Justice.
- ^ "Attorney General Steve Bullock". Montana Department of Justice.
- ^ "2000 Statewide General Canvass". Montana Secretary of State.
- ^ "Attorney General Steve Bullock". Montana Department of Justice.
- ^ "2008 Statewide General Canvass". Montana Secretary of State.
- ^ "2008 Statewide General Canvass". Montana Secretary of State.
- ^ "Prescription Drug Abuse: What We’re Doing". Montana Department of Justice.
- ^ "MT Senate Committee passes 24/7 Sobriety Program.". KPAX.
- ^ "Daily Testing keeps most DUI suspects sober.". The Billings Gazette.
- ^ "Montana AG sues Burlington Northern to cover some rail costs". Missoulian.
- ^ "Bullock: State must protect agricultural producers". Missoulian.
- ^ "Montana leads 16-state effort to save small farms and ranches". Missoulian.
- ^ "FedEx settles with Montana over classification of delivery drivers". The Missoulian.
- ^ "Montana—Big Sky, Clean Politics". LA Times.
- ^ "Clean and Fair Elections". Montana Department of Justice.
- ^ "Court Declines to Revisit its Citizens United Decision". New York Times.
- ^ "Bridge Access Bill Now Law". Public Land and Water Access Association, Inc.
- ^ "Bullock announces Democratic run for governor via internet, Billings event". Missoulian.
- ^ "Bullock, Hill win governor primaries". Billings Gazette.
- ^ "A Jobs Plan for Montana: Part 1: Creating Opportunities for Small Business". stevebullock.com.
- ^ "Bullock Proposes $400 tax rebates for Montana homeowners". The Missoulian.
- ^ "Democrat Bullock taps former Montana adjutant general for lieutenant governor". The Missoulian.
- ^ Networks Declare Bullock Winner in Tight Race for Governor, The Billings Gazette by Charles S. Johnson, Gazette State Bureau. November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
- ^ Newly-elected Governor Bullock and Lieutenant Governor John Walsh sworn into office
External links[edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Steve Bullock (Montana politician) |
- Steve Bullock for Governor official campaign site
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (state office) at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
- Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mike McGrath |
Attorney General of Montana 2009–2013 |
Succeeded by Tim Fox |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Brian Schweitzer |
Democratic nominee for Governor of Montana 2012 |
Most recent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Brian Schweitzer |
Governor of Montana 2013–present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Joe Biden as Vice President |
Order of Precedence of the United States Within Montana |
Succeeded by Mayor of city in which event is held |
| Succeeded by Otherwise John Boehner as Speaker of the House of Representatives |
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| Preceded by Dennis Daugaard as Governor of South Dakota |
Order of Precedence of the United States Outside Montana |
Succeeded by Jay Inslee as Governor of Washington |
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