Access Restrictions

I've heard rumors for quite a while now that to approach the Governor of our fair state, Brian Schweitzer, it is necessary to go through his brother. I never heard the name of this brother but I have heard that it is necessary to be very careful what you say because if he takes exception to anything you say the chances of seeing, speaking or even looking at the fair Governor will be zero to none. I have taken these rumor's under advisement since I had no way of knowing any more than the rumors I heard, until now.<br />n<br />n<a href="http://www.missoulanews.com/News/News.asp?no=6045" >The Walter Ego</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>Nobody knows what the governor’s brother does, but everyone in Helena knows if they want something done, they’ve got to go through Walter Schweitzer.<br />n<br />nMention the name “Walter” in Helena’s political circles and there’s no question who you’re talking about. Walter Schweitzer, the imposing, bearded, overbearing younger brother of <a href="http://governor.mt.gov/governor/govbio.asp">Gov. Brian Schweitzer</a>, is simultaneously Helena’s 800-pound gorilla and state government’s elephant in the room. His regular presence at the state capitol is an open secret that politicians whisper about at cocktail parties, and goes largely ignored by the state press. That’s partly because nobody, including high-ranking Democratic legislative leaders, seems to know much about him, other than the fact that he’s got the run of the governor’s office.<br />n<br />nWhat politicians, industry executives and special interest groups do know is that if you want to get to the governor, you’ve got to go through Walter first. </blockquote><br />n<br />nIt's amazing. Normally rumors are not quite substantiated this way but this one sure is. I'm just surprised that that it is being reported on. John Adams will probable now have a very hard time reporting on Montana Politics now because Walter will blacklist him with the Governor.<br />n<br />nHow does a man like Walter who is neither elected or appointed to any position wield such power? Is it right for such a person to wield such power?<br />n<br />n<blockquote>The majority of the approximately 30 sources contacted by the paper would talk about Walter only on the condition of anonymity. Nearly everyone interviewed is a state employee, elected official or registered lobbyist, and nearly all of them said they feared for their careers—or at the very least their ability to do their job—if they said anything about Walter on the record. A lobbyist without access to the administration is useless to industry clients, and legislators need the governor’s support if they hope to pass any of their bills.<br />n<br />nWhen called by this reporter, one source contacted an attorney before declining to speak to me. Another asked me to destroy a facsimile cover letter bearing his name and phone number for fear that someone in the administration might find out he communicated with me. When I contacted one source and told him the subject of my story, he said he’d have to get back to me. When he did, he told me he had talked to friends in Helena who believed I was working for Walter, and that I was “trying to ferret out Walter’s enemies.”<br />n<br />nDue to such reticence—along with the fact that Walter rebuffed repeated and persistent requests for an interview, citing his need to get back home to Geyser to complete ranch work before winter—details about Walter Schweitzer remain, in large part, a mystery.<br />n<br />nThe main question asked by the people I talked to is this: Given that he seems to spend most of his time at the capitol, and given that he isn’t employed by the state, how does Walter make his living in Helena? </blockquote><br />n<br />nState employees and legislatures for the state are <strong>afraid</strong> to speak about Walter and his role since it would compromise them. Is such fear as this by elected representatives normal or right? No.<br />n<br />nSome people have brought up that this might be nepotism. A careful reading of Montana law indicates to me that it is not since there apparently is no state money changing hands for Walter's services. Since nobody knows how Walter makes a living in the Capitol it would be interesting to know where his money is coming from to know whether any nepotism laws are being broken but unless Walter starts revealing the information, we will never know.<br />n<br />nAccountability and access. Montana has a tradition, enforced by law, of public access to our Government and accountability for it's actions at all levels. Walter, working in the shadows, betrays this tradition in Montana and the Governor needs to realize this. Either Walter needs to be moved into the spotlight and made accountable for his actions or he needs to go home and let the Governor lead the state as he is supposed to. The voters of Montana elected the Schweitzer and Bohlinger team to lead our fair state, not the Walter and Brian Schweitzer team. Hopefully our Governor will act quickly on this issue and resolve it.<br />n<br />nOne last note. I wonder if this story will give the Lee newspaper chain, the dominate newspaper in the state, the balls to pursue this story on their own and give these problems an airing to a bigger section of Montana citizens? I doubt it but I will hope. Until then the 800 pound Gorilla named Walter will still use his presence to manipulate the citizens and politicians of our fair state.<br />n<br />n<strong>This town was built on nepotism. Damon Wayans</strong>