Montana State Executive - Attorney General
State Government: Executive Offices | Attorney General / Department of Justice
Recent News About Montana State Executive - Attorney General
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Lake County man sentenced for Boulder 2700 Fire arson
A Lake County man has been sentenced to 60 years in Montana State Prison, with 30 years suspended, and ordered to pay over $1.2 million in restitution for two counts of arson. These charges include the Boulder 2700 fire that resulted in significant destruction and forced evacuations in Lake County during the summer of 2021, according to an announcement by Attorney General Austin Knudsen.
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Attorney General Knudsen Leads Coalition Opposing WHO's Expansion of Authority
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen led a coalition of 21 other state attorneys general in sending a letter to President Biden opposing World Health Organization (WHO) agreements that could give the organization unprecedented powers over the United States. In the letter, Knudsen expressed concerns that the proposed agreements could threaten national sovereignty and citizens' freedoms. The attorneys general highlighted that such agreements would shift public health decision-making power from elected representatives to the WHO's Director-General, potentially leading to...
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Attorney General Knudsen Issues Statement on Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day
Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued a statement in observance of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, emphasizing the importance of addressing the crises affecting Montana's tribal communities. Knudsen stated, “As a former prosecutor in Roosevelt County and now as attorney general, I have seen firsthand the impact the missing Indigenous persons and human trafficking crises are having on Montana’s tribal communities. At the Department of Justice, we remain committed to reducing the number of missing and murdered Indigenous persons in the state and I’m...
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Attorney General Knudsen Leads Lawsuit Against Biden’s Rule on Private Gun Sales
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has taken a stand against the Biden administration's rule on private gun sales, leading a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit. The lawsuit challenges the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule that threatens to criminalize law-abiding citizens for selling firearms without obtaining a federal license.Attorney General Knudsen expressed his concerns, stating, “This is another attempt by the Biden administration to criminalize law-abiding Montanans for exercising their right to keep and bear...
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Attorney General’s office secures guilty verdict in Three Forks homicide case
HELENA – A Three Forks man, Zachary Eugene Norman, has been found guilty of deliberate homicide in a case that shocked the community. The verdict was delivered by a judge in Gallatin County District Court, as announced by Attorney General Austin Knudsen.Norman, 26, was convicted of the murder of Chase Eastbrook in January of 2022. The judge found Norman guilty on one count of deliberate homicide with a weapons enhancement. Despite this conviction, Norman was found not guilty on another deliberate homicide charge related to the death of Chase's brother, Brendan Eastbrook,...
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Attorney General Knudsen Leads Coalition Against Biden Administration’s Attack on Women’s Rights
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, alongside a coalition of attorneys general, has taken a stand against the Biden administration's recent actions, filing a lawsuit to challenge the unlawful Title IX rule that threatens women's rights and safety.In response to the Biden administration's expansion of Title IX to include "gender identity," Attorney General Knudsen expressed his concerns, stating, "For 50 years Title IX has protected girls and women’s rights, but President Biden has abandoned those protections to appease the woke left." He further criticized...
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Attorney General Knudsen Welcomes Congressional Approval of National TikTok Ban
Apr 24 2024HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen expressed his satisfaction following Congressional approval of a bill that would result in the ban of TikTok in the United States unless Chinese-owned ByteDance divests its stake in the platform. Knudsen remarked, “I’m glad to see that Congress finally acted and followed Montana’s lead to ban TikTok. The dangerous application is a spy tool for the Chinese Communist Party that poses a serious threat to our national security and puts the privacy of Americans at risk. I hope President Biden keeps his...
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Attorney General Knudsen and Others Sue Biden Administration Over Energy Policy
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with three other state attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration's energy rule, which is deemed overreaching and detrimental to Montana's economy. The lawsuit, the 43rd filed by Attorney General Knudsen against the Biden administration, challenges a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule that mandates a preference for mineral interests using flaring over venting to dispose of waste.According to Attorney General Knudsen, the rule will make oil and gas development more expensive and reduce production...
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Attorney General Knudsen issues statement on guilty verdict in trial of man who injured MHP trooper
HELENA – In response to the guilty verdict in the trial of Jason Allen Miller, who ran over Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson in February 2023, Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued a statement reiterating the state's stance on violence against law enforcement officers. Knudsen stated, “We will not tolerate violence against law enforcement officers in Montana. Justice has been served, and the perpetrator will be held to account for his heinous actions last year.”Trooper Johnson, an officer with the Highway Patrol for eight years, was injured in the line of...
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Attorney General Knudsen and state partners continue fight to end human trafficking
Apr 18 2024BOZEMAN – Attorney General Austin Knudsen, accompanied by over 100 participants including law enforcement officials, criminal prosecutors, advocacy groups, public health officials, and private industry leaders, convened in Bozeman today to address the ongoing battle against human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Montana. The gathering marked the fourth anti-human trafficking symposium hosted by Attorney General Knudsen, focusing on key strategies to combat the issue."Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and I remain committed...
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Attorney General Knudsen and Coalition Demand Bank of America Rectify Debanking Policies
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with a coalition of 15 attorneys general, has called upon Bank of America to address its debanking practices, citing discriminatory behavior towards conservative and religious individuals.In a unified effort, the attorneys general have sent a letter to Bank of America’s chairman and CEO, requesting the bank to take necessary actions to rectify its debanking policies. They urge the financial institution to provide a detailed report on its account policies and practices, revise its terms of service to ensure no...
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Attorney General’s Office secures guilty plea from Hill County man for incest, sexual abuse of children
HELENA – A Hill County man pleaded guilty Monday in Hill County District Court to one count of incest and one count of sexual abuse of children, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today.William Ramirez, 41, admitted to law enforcement in December 2021 that he was sending sexually explicit messages and photos of himself to a 15-year-old girl who lived out-of-state. During the investigation, officers also discovered that Ramirez was inappropriately touching the girl around 2018 and 2019 before she eventually moved out of Montana. At one time, the girl also found a...
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Attorney General Knudsen Urges Land Board to Address Private Water Rights Issue
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has called upon the Montana Board of Land Commissioners to address the issue of private water rights at their upcoming meeting. Knudsen's request stems from concerns raised by farmers and ranchers regarding the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's (DNRC) decisions affecting private water rights on public land leased from the state.During a recent Land Board meeting, Attorney General Knudsen and other commissioners listened to the grievances of farmers and ranchers impacted by the DNRC's actions....
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Mineral County Man Found Guilty of Incest and Sexual Assault
A Mineral County man, Bradley Thomas Evans, 65, has been found guilty of one count of incest and one count of sexual assault on a minor. The verdict was delivered following a jury trial in Mineral County District Court, as announced by Attorney General Austin Knudsen.According to reports, Evans was convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls between January 2017 and September 2019. The incidents took place at his home in Superior, where Evans inappropriately touched the girls, with one of them being younger than 12 and the other younger than 16.The investigation...
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Attorney General Knudsen and DEA host Montana Family Summit
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division, organized a Family Summit in Billings to address the drug overdose epidemic impacting the state. The summit brought together over a dozen families from various parts of Montana to engage with local, state, and federal officials on combating the drug crisis."I’m thankful to the families who shared their stories today. I will continue to do everything I can as attorney general to combat the drug crisis in Montana for the parents, siblings,...
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Attorney General Knudsen Leads Coalition Against the Biden Administration’s Abandoning of Immigration Rule
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen today led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of states attempting to stop the Biden administration’s collusion with activists. The coalition's amicus brief was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, backing states like Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and West Virginia in their efforts to intervene in a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” rule.Attorney General Knudsen expressed his concerns, stating,...
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Attorney General Knudsen appoints Kurt Sager as new Montana Highway Patrol colonel
Attorney General Austin Knudsen has appointed Kurt Sager as the new colonel and head of the Montana Highway Patrol. Sager, who previously served as lieutenant colonel with 21 years of experience within the agency, has been praised by Knudsen for his leadership qualities. Knudsen expressed confidence in Sager's abilities to tackle the public safety challenges facing Montana and looks forward to collaborating with him to serve and protect the people of the state.In response to his appointment, Colonel Sager expressed gratitude towards Attorney General Knudsen for entrusting...
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Attorney General Knudsen Files Lawsuit Against Biden’s Illegal Student Debt Relief Plan
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with ten other attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness scheme. The lawsuit challenges the Department of Education's interpretation of the Higher Education Act, which would result in the cancellation of over $100 billion in student debt.In the lawsuit, the attorneys general argue that the Department of Education is overstepping its bounds by bypassing Congress and creating rules that would effectively turn loans into grants, impacting state economies and leading to...
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61 New Officers Graduate from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy
HELENA – Sixty-one new officers who will serve in 36 agencies across the state graduated today from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) within the Montana Department of Justice. MLEA provides basic and advanced training for state, county, city, and tribal law enforcement officers throughout the state.Attorney General Austin Knudsen was in attendance to congratulate and address the graduates. "I’m confident that today’s graduates are ready to face the challenges ahead of them as they begin their careers in law enforcement and I’m proud of what they have already...
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Attorney General Knudsen Challenges Biden's Ban on LNG Exports
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with 15 other attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration's ban on new liquified natural gas (LNG) exports. In a statement, the attorneys general highlighted the detrimental impact of the ban, stating, "Not only will the LNG Export Ban cause Plaintiff States direct harm such as loss of jobs and revenue streams tied to LNG, but it will also have detrimental ripple effects on their economies and communities."The ban, implemented in January by President Biden and the Department of Energy, has raised...