HELENA — State Senator Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, is dropping out of the race for Montana’s eastern U.S. House seat. He said his decision was based on health concerns – but Democratic Party leaders pointed to what they called “allegations of serious sexual abuse.”
VIDEO:
Lance FourStar, who had been managing Windy Boy’s congressional campaign, told MTN Thursday afternoon that Windy Boy would be fully suspending his campaign and had stopped accepting donations. It is too late to remove his name from the ballot, since ballots have already been printed.
FourStar shared a video of Windy Boy addressing the Crow Tribe Legislative Branch on Thursday morning. In it, Windy Boy cited “declining health” and grief over the loss of family members.
“All the pressures of travel, all the pressures of everything else has really taken its toll on me,” Windy Boy said in the video.
However, the Montana Democratic Party released a statement from chair Shannon O’Brien Thursday morning, in which she said she was “deeply troubled” to learn about accusations against Windy Boy.
“Montana Democrats have made it a point to stand with and fight for survivors – today is no different,” O’Brien said. “We also call on Jonathan Windy Boy to resign his position in the Montana State Senate. I want it to be clear to all Montanans: Democrat or not, Windy Boy should be investigated and held accountable, as should anyone else with allegations of this nature. We encourage Montanans to stand with survivors and vote for a different candidate in the June 2 primary.”
Sen. Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, the Democratic leader in the Montana Senate, said in a statement to MTN that he had also spoken with Windy Boy and asked him to resign.
“The allegations against Sen. Windy Boy are deeply disturbing,” he said. “The right thing for the state and for Sen. Windy Boy's constituents is for him to resign his seat in the Montana State Senate.”
Windy Boy, 67, has been in the Legislature since 2003. He also works as the tribal historic preservation officer for the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation. He was the third Democratic candidate to announce he was running against Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Downing in Montana’s eastern congressional district.
The other two Democratic candidates for the eastern district seat are Sam Lux, a farrier from Great Falls, and Brian Miller, an attorney from Helena.
(FEBRUARY 25, 2019) State Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, has been identified as the legislator who was the subject of a harassment complaint last year – a complaint that legislative leaders said played a role in establishing a new anti-harassment policy this year for the Legislature.
The Associated Press reported last Friday that Windy Boy is the lawmaker referred to in a March 2018 investigative report on the complaint, which was filed by a female legislator in early 2018.
The report, publicly released for the first time last week and obtained Monday by MTN News, is heavily redacted, but includes details on text messages sent by the legislator in late 2017.
The investigator, Great Falls attorney Jean Faure, called the texted comments “inappropriate” and said legislative leaders should take action.
“At a very minimum, a written directive/warning and mandated training would be appropriate,” she wrote in the report, which was submitted to legislative leadership last year.
According to the report, the lawmaker who was the subject of the complaint texted the female legislator that “you are gorgeous as always” and that “you’re always a wonderful sight for my sore eyes.”
Legislative leadership at the time requested the investigation, after receiving the complaint in early 2018.
Former House Speaker Austin Knudsen, R-Culbertson, told The Associated Press that leadership from both parties discussed how Windy Boy should be disciplined, and that they considered removing him from the chairmanship of the State-Tribal Relations Committee.
Windy Boy decided last year to resign the chairmanship last spring, citing “work-related commitments.”
Windy Boy declined to comment Monday to MTN News.
The current House Democratic Leadership said in a statement that they are “shocked and disappointed to learn that a member of our caucus, an elected official in a position of power, harassed another individual.”
“This behavior is completely unacceptable,” they continued. “While we continue to gather the details about the report, we are committed to respecting the privacy of the individual who brought this complaint.”
Legislative leaders agreed to a new anti-harassment policy two weeks ago that allows confidential reporting and investigation of harassment claims against legislators and or staff, and penalties for violators.
Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas, R-Stevensville, revealed earlier this month that the complaint filed last year convinced lawmakers that they needed a specific anti-harassment policy.
The version of Faure’s March 2018 report released to MTN News is heavily redacted, at the request of those involved, who asserted their privacy rights. It does not name the complainant or legislator who sent the texts.
House Speaker Greg Hertz, R-Polson, also told MTN News Monday he wasn’t involved in the incident, since he was not speaker at the time – and that no further action is planned.
