East Coast Developer Matt Rosendale Tries to Rewrite History; Invents a New Record on Public Lands

Rosendale Tries to Cover Up His Anti Public Lands Record in New Ad

Billings—Today, wealthy East Coast developer Matt Rosendale attempted to rewrite his record of voting against protecting and expanding public lands access, pushing to make it easier to let federal lands be sold off for development, and prioritizing the interests of wealthy landowners like himself.

Rosendale’s new television ad claiming that he has protected public lands may be his most brazen attempt to mislead Montanans yet.

The last time he ran for federal office, transferring federal public lands was one of Rosendale’s key priorities. Just a few short years ago, he proudly campaigned on the fact that he was long “on the record as an advocate for the transfer of federal public lands.” In the state legislature, Rosendale consistently supported measures that could make this campaign promise a reality.

Rosendale’s disingenuous claims that he has changed his tune are easily discredited by his own votes on the Land Board. Rosendale has obstructed and undermined popular easements that would protect and expand public access for Montanans across the state.

Rosendale was the deciding vote to “torpedo” the Keogh Ranch Conservation Easement, which would have protected about 8,000 acres of public hunting land from encroaching residential subdivision. Recently, Rosendale was the deciding vote to obstruct and indefinitely delay the Horse Creek Easement, which will ensure permanent public hunting access to 20,000 acres of land in Eastern Montana.

This is far from the first time Matt Rosendale has lied about a significant part of his record. In campaign stump speeches, political ads, and his online biographies and press releases, Rosendale claimed to be a Montana rancher—until public records revealed that he’s never owned any cattle and he leases out his ranch property to someone else.

After Rosendale was exposed for lying about his rancher credentials, he was caught quietly scrubbing any mentions of being a rancher from his press releases and online presence. But that hasn’t stopped Rosendale from thinking he can continue to mislead Montanans and get away with it. Today’s television ad is just the latest proof that Rosendale is willing to lie about anything to get elected.

“Matt Rosendale has never fought for anyone other than himself, and now he’s trying to rewrite that self-interested record,” said Montanans for Tester spokesperson Luke Jackson. “Rosendale has spent his career fighting to make it easier to take public lands out of public hands and put them into the hands of wealthy developers like himself. Montana remains the Last Best Place in spite of Matt Rosendale’s shameful record—not because of it.”

For more information on Matt Rosendale’s advertisement, click HERE.

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