FACT CHECKING Austin Knudsen’s Debate Debacle

Last weekend, Montana’s Attorney General candidates participated in the first (and potentially only) debate before voting begins in the state. While Raph Graybill demonstrated leadership, Austin Knudsen struggled with the facts.

Here are three times Austin Knudsen didn’t tell it like it is:

ON DEFENDING PROTECTIONS FOR PRE-EXISITING CONDITIONS AND FUNDING FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE

Knudsen: “When I’m traveling the state, people aren’t talking about the Affordable Care Act when I’m talking about the AG’s office. They’re just not.”

FACT: Montanans have cited the importance of access to affordable health care as crucial to their vote for Attorney General. Voters have even taken to the opinion pages to express the importance of health care (check out the letters to the editor here, here & here).

Knudsen claims wanting to join the Republican AG-led lawsuit to repeal the ACA is the main reason he is running for Attorney General. The lawsuit Knudsen supports will take health care away from 112,000 Montanans, end Medicaid Expansion which provides coverage to 90,000 Montanans, eliminate protections for 429,900 Montanans with pre-existing conditions, and reduce crucial funding for rural hospitals.

Read Raph Graybill’s plan to defend access to affordable health care & protections for people with pre-existing conditions here.

ON DENYING ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS

Knudsen: “We have never denied veterans access to that property.”

FACT: Austin Knudsen and his family, the Knudsen Family Limited Partnership, own land near the American Legion Park in Culbertson, and they are currently blocking access to the only road that goes to an American Legion park. He is currently being sued by the American Legion for blocking access to veterans trying to use the park dedicated to their service. In a signed affidavit to the court, Clint Jacobs says “I made my last visit to the park employing the Access Road…I was accosted by Austin Knudsen…” Watch Montana veterans condemn Austin Knudsen for his anti-public lands agenda (here, here & here).

Read Raph Graybill’s plan to protect access to public lands for all Montanans here.

ON LOWERING COSTS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Knudsen: “This is not what Montanans are talking about. I mean, it’s just not.”

FACT: For months, Montanans have cited rising drug prices and holding drug companies accountable as key issues for them in the race for Attorney General. In a letter to the editor, one Montana voter says, “out-of-state corporations rigged the price on 80 different generic drugs that Montanans use every day to live healthy lives.” In a separate letter to the editor, a Montana voter writes that what is “important to [her] is [a] plan to lower prescription drug prices” when it comes to the AG race.

Read Raph Graybill’s plan to hold drug companies accountable and take on rising drug prices here.

Just because Austin Knudsen doesn’t care about these kitchen table issues doesn’t mean they are not important issues for Montanans. Knudsen’s debate debacle shows just how out of touch he is with Montana families.

For more on Raph Graybill’s clear debate win and path to victory in November, check out the blog post here.