Helena (AP) Some government, police and court officials across Montana have engaged in criminal conspiracies that involve fraud, bribery, drug dealing - even murder, A Senate committee was told Wednesday.
That was the testimony of some who appeared in favor of a bill by Sen. Casey Emerson, R-Bozeman, to create a state inspector general who would investigate wrongful acts by judges, prosecutors and other government officials.
Under Emmerson's Senate Bill, the inspector general would be under the supervision of a three member committee: two House members and one Senator; and there would be a mechanism to begin impeachment proceedings when official wrongdoing is found.
The inspector general could investigate wrongdoing by members of the public, Emerson said, and any evidence turned up would be presented to a grand jury.
There hasn't been an impeachment in Montana since 1927, Emerson told the Senate Judiciary committee, adding, "The fact that we haven't had an impeachment in all this time should tell you something."
Several witnesses provided lengthy testimony in favor of the bill, relating what they believe were instances of conspiracy, fraud, bribery of judges and murders that were staged to look like traffic accidents.
"I have instances all over the state of Montana to show that those atrocities are going on statewide" said Walter Hammermeister, a former Pondera County Sheriff.
Another witness was Jeanie Wolfe, of Sidney, the mother of one of two Montana men found dead in a burned-out car just inside the North Dakota border.
The families believe the men were killed — possibly in a conspiracy involving law officers — but Mrs. Wolfe said authorities won't follow up on their suspicions, even though an insurance investigator and one for Chrysler corp. found evidence to support the suspicion that the men were murdered and the fire was deliberately set.
Testifying against the bill were Assistant attorney General John F. Conner, Jr. and Russell Hill of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association.
Connor said his office has prosecuted numerous public officials for wrongdoing, but can't always come up with enough evidence to bring them to court.
"The law that I work with is not corrupt," Connor told the legislative panel.
Connor predicted that if Emerson's bill were enacted, human nature being what it is, people would end up filing complaints against the inspector general, claiming that he or she was not vigorously pursuing wrongdoers.
Hill said he understands people's frustrations because big corporations and the powerful are able to use the law and and the system to their own advantage, while the ordinary person often has no recourse.
"There is a conspiracy out there, but it is a conspiracy of complexity," Hill said."If you're rich enough to be able to pay a lobbyist or lawyers by the hour, you can come in and work the heck out of the system. If you're an ordinary person, you can't navigate it."
Many of Emerson's former students have come forward to accuse him of physically assaulting them and other children when he was a teacher at Bozeman Junior High in the 1960's.
Emerson told the committee that the accusations are motivated by fear of his attorney general bill.
"This is a threat to them and they're going to try to get rid of me," Emerson said.
The Senate panel took the bill under consideration and Chairman Bruce Crippen, R-billings, said members will act on it at a later date.