Aspirant to AG's job had urged action on D.C. ban headed to Supreme Court
By JENNIFER McKEE, Gazette State Bureau. More..>>

Thursday, October 18, 2007: Tim Fox Press Release: Republican AG Candidate Fox Backs Local Control of Public Land Management. More..>>

Republican AG Candidate Fox Backs Local Control of Public Land Management

(Helena, MT) Republican Attorney General candidate Tim Fox of Helena announced today at a press conference on the State Capitol steps that he opposes proposed Federal legislation sponsored by East Coast Congressional politicians and environmental extremists seeking to lock-up and designate an additional 7 million acres of public land in Montana as wilderness. The bill, called the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act, will receive its first hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives today, October 18th.

Backed by representatives of the Montana outdoor recreation groups Citizens for Balanced Use and Families for Outdoor Recreation, Fox also stated his opposition to current Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath's decision to file court papers supporting President Bill Clinton's roadless area rules in Federal litigation pending in Wyoming and California. Fox said, "I believe that Montanans deserve an Attorney General who will stand up for their right to help decide how their public lands are managed, not for the positions of extreme East Coast environmentalists and Washington D.C. politicians. As Montana's next Attorney General, I pledge to do all I can to reverse the Clinton Roadless rule and its devastating impacts to Montana's economy, recreation, and ability to keep forests healthy. In addition, if litigation is still pending in which Attorney General McGrath has filed? Friend of the Court? briefs supporting the Clinton Roadless Rule, I will withdraw those court appearances if I am elected Attorney General."

Fox challenged all candidates for Montana Attorney General to publicly state their positions on whether they would intend to stand with Montanans, or with East Coast politicians and radical environmentalists, on the issue of who will have a say in the management of public lands in Montana. In addition, Fox urged Montanans to visit Congressman Denny Rehberg's web site at www.house.gov/rehberg/ to sign an on-line petition opposing the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act and its top-down approach in managing Montana's public lands.