[ad_1]
“‘The most vicious political backstabber to come down the pike!'” this reporter said to Rep. Ron Marlenee, R.-Mont., during an interview in his Capitol Hill office in the fall of 1984. “Did you actually say that about [Montana’s Democratic Gov.] Ted Schwinden?”
The question, to say the least, startled Marlenee. As staffer Kurt Christensen stifled a laugh, the congressman spit his chewing tobacco in a paper cup and sipped some coffee (from my cup and not his.)
After being pilloried by the press back home for his fiery statement at the state Republican convention, the last thing Marlenee wanted was to discuss his controversial words with a Washington, D.C., reporter.
After a few minutes, however, he leaned back in his chair, put his cowboy boots on the desk, smiled, and said: “Sure, I did. And I was absolutely right.”
That’s how I remembered Ron Marlenee, the longest serving Republican U.S. Representative (1976-92) in Montana history, upon learning of his death April 26 at age 84. Always plainspoken and never taking himself too seriously, Marlenee lived up to the reminiscence of his onetime press secretary Dan DuBray: “He made himself available, for good or ill. You couldn’t predict what he would say and, as his press secretary, putting him out there could be a high-wire act.”
Marlenee could have co-starred in a Western film with John Wayne. The lifelong rancher loved fishing, hunting, and camping. But he also felt his fellow outdoorsmen, as well as farmers and ranchers, were getting a bad deal from the rising environmentalist movement. Marlenee was a key player in thwarting the return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park and opposed both the Clean Air and Clean Water acts.
It was no surprise, then, that Environmental Protection soon placed the Montanan on their “Dirty Dozen” List of Members of Congress with the worst environmental records.
Born and raised on a farm in Scobey, Montana, the young Marlenee bounced from Montana State University (Bozeman) to the University of Montana (Missoula) without graduating. He finally found his calling by completing studies at the Reisch School of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa.
Along with managing his family’s ranch, Marlenee became a popular fixture throughout Eastern Montana with his machine gun-style of taking bids and declaring sales at livestock auctions. He also became active in Republican politics and was a member of the Daniels County GOP Committee.
When Democratic Rep. John Melcher announced for the U.S. Senate in 1976, Marlenee — little-known and a first-time office-seeker — declared for his open House seat. He won a crowded Republican field and then blitzed the largely rural district in his pick-up truck.
“One of Us For Congress” was Marlenee’s slogan. It underscored the contrast between the auctioneer-rancher Republican and Democratic State Sen. Thomas Towe, litigator and onetime student at L’Institut d’Etude Politique, France. Marlenee won with 55% of the vote.
As a member of the House Agriculture and Interior Committees, Marlenee was what he called “a multiple use guy” — an advocate of multiple use of public lands for oil and gas drilling, logging hard-rock mining and other uses in balance with hunting, fishing and wildlife habitat.
What one saw in the Montanan was what one got. He once crashed a pro-gun control press conference, grabbed an automatic Uzi on display, and fired it. He characterized pro-wolf, vegetarian conservationists as “fern feelers and prairie fairies.”
Through his friendship with fellow Westerner Ronald Reagan and his successor George H.W. Bush, Marlenee helped secure appointments for key allies from Montana.
At Marlenee’s suggestion, Reagan appointed Charles Lovell to the U.S. District Court (where he would rule in numerous cases dealing with Yellowstone National Park.). Cy Jamison, who worked for Marlenee on the Interior Committee, went on to become Bush’s director of the Bureau of Land Management.
The U.S. Census in 1991 forced Montana’s two U.S. House districts into one at-large seat, Marlenee was forced into a battle royal with the western district’s Democratic Rep. Pat Williams.
“It was a clash of the titans in terms of ideology,” Will Brooke, Marlenee’s 1992 campaign manager, told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. “People from all over the country were watching the race because they saw it as a bellwether. … It was quite a fun and exciting experience.”
In the environmentalists’ opinion, Williams was by no means perfect. But his record was four times as “green” as Marlenee’s, so they supported him vigorously. Moreover, because both congressmen had identical scores with the National Rifle Association, the NRA remained neutral in their contest — a blow to Marlenee, who had always counted on vigorous backing from fellow gun owners.
Williams won in a photo finish with 50.5% of the vote.
Marlenee would spend several years as chief lobbyist for the hunting group Safari Club International. In retirement in Bozeman, he built a replica of Sherwood Forest for his nine grandchildren and even stocked it with fake insects.
To the end, Ron Marlenee remained a Montana original.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. Read John Gizzi’s Reports — More Here.
© 2020 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
[ad_2]
Source link
888110 5311Thank you pertaining to giving this outstanding content on your web-site. I discovered it on google. I may check back again in case you publish extra aricles. 419526
598495 420496I believe other site owners should take this web site as an model, quite clean and great user pleasant pattern . 886015
219400 555295Top rated lad speeches and toasts, as nicely toasts. could extremely nicely be supplied taken into consideration making at the party consequently required to be a bit more cheeky, humorous with instructive on top of this. best man speeches funny 932523
317733 488511This internet page is known as a stroll-by for all the data you wished about this and didnt know who to ask. Glimpse proper here, and you will positively discover it. 776801
187455 291306What a lovely blog. I will surely be back. Please keep writing! 515093
443217 734167Wohh just what I was searching for, appreciate it for putting up. 190108
102084 918138You produced some decent points there. I looked on the net to the concern and identified most people go together with together with your internet web site. 874926
306518 146526Flexibility means your space ought to get incremented with the improve in number of weblog users. 899010
841673 997125The good intreguing articles keep me coming back here time and time once more. thank you so significantly. 605878
609182 956937 You ought to take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this internet site! 227211
988643 395283Some genuinely good and utilitarian information on this internet site , likewise I feel the layout has wonderful attributes. 637781
519408 3021This style is steller! You most certainly know how to maintain a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (effectively, almostHaHa!) Great job. I really loved what you had to say, and much more than that, how you presented it. Too cool! 460075
880219 861315I do not have a bank account how can I place the order? 657326
590566 470842Safest the world toasts are created to captivate and also faithfulness to your wedding couple. Beginner sound system watching high decibel locations would be wise to always remember some sort of vital secret developed by presentation, which is your auto. best man speeches funny 272155
28563 174219really great publish, i in fact adore this internet site, carry on it 761415
209252 20750wohh precisely what I was seeking for, thankyou for putting up. 873678
302810 150771I like what you guys are up too. Such smart function and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I?ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I feel it will improve the value of my internet web site 440081
432534 707815Get started with wales ahead almost every planking. Ones wales truly are a compilation of huge planks 1 certain depth advisors surely will be the identical to the entire hull planking nonetheless with even larger density to successfully thrust outward beyond the planking. planking 19260