Rehberg’s lawsuit against firefighters wasn’t his first
Congressman’s inability to work with neighbors results in litigation
National newspaper highlights Rehberg’s lawsuit hypocrisy
BILLINGS, Mont.—As Montana farmer Jon Tester brings Montanans together to find compromise and common-sense solutions, lobbyist-turned-Congressman Dennis Rehberg turns to lawsuits.
The news organization Politico reports that Rehberg is one of the few U.S. Senate candidates who supports weakening the right to pursue legal recourse despite “abusing the courts for [his] own personal gain.”
In 2010, Reghberg sued residents of the City of Billings and their firefighters for “monetary damages” following a 2008 wildfire that burned an undeveloped part of the Congressman’s property. Firefighters prevented the wildfire from hurting any people or homes.
But that wasn’t the first hurtful lawsuit involving Rehberg. He was also sued twice as a result of his inability to work with people and reach a compromise:
- After Rehberg turned his former ranch into a high-end real estate development, his business partner, Tom Llewellyn, sued the Congressman for breach of contract. “During my 36 years in business in Billings, I’ve never sued anybody. Ever,” Llewellyn said.
- Rehberg imposed new subdivision regulations in 2005 that gave him “absolute control” over the homes. Three of the subdivision’s residents engaged in their first-ever lawsuit, alleging that Rehberg’s regulations went “far beyond the permissible limits provided by the law.”
“Dennis Rehberg has never been able to work with his neighbors to find solutions,” said Montanans for Tester spokeswoman Alexandra Fetissoff. “Congressman Rehberg’s me-first approach to problem-solving hurts Montana, and it certainly doesn’t belong in the U.S. Senate.”
Months after suing the City of Billings Fire Department, Rehberg threatened to sue Montana TV stations that ran a TV commercial criticizing Rehberg’s fire lawsuit, his alcohol-involved boat crash on Flathead Lake, and his fall off of a horse in Kazakhstan.
A full factsheet of Rehberg’s lawsuits is online HERE.
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