Jon Tester for U.S. Senate

Here in Montana, honesty matters. It’s my firm belief that if you can’t keep your word to the people, you can’t keep your office.

That’s why I called for Conrad Burns to resign from the U.S. Senate today.

From the beginning, his dealings with Jack Abramoff haven’t passed the smell test. It smells like a barnyard that needs a clean up.

I think it’s time to clean up Washington, D.C., and we should start with Conrad Burns.

Everything we know about Conrad Burns’ dealings with Jack Abramoff fly in the face of his public statements on the matter. As I travel the state talking about my vision for Montana and America Republicans and Democrats alike think Conrad just isn’t telling the truth.

And today’s news was the last straw.

As you probably already know, Abramoff is quoted in the April issue of Vanity Fair, saying,

“Every appropriation we wanted [from Burns’s committee] we got. Our staffs were as close as they could be. They practically used Signatures as their cafeteria. I mean, it’s a little difficult for him to run from that record.”

The trouble is, Montanans can’t run from Conrad’s record either. The worst thing about Conrad Burns’ behavior is that while Jack Abramoff got everything he wanted, average Montanans had to do without what we need: affordable health care, a sensible plan for energy independence, and a government in Washington we can trust.

That’s why I’m running for the United States Senate, and that’s why I think it’s time that Conrad Burns faces the music and steps down from his office.

If you think it’s time to break up Washington’s game of pay-to-play politics, sign up for free email updates from the campaign. Our efforts are fueled by ideas and the contributions of regular people like you. If you’re able, visit our ActBlue page today and make a contribution to the campaign.

Thank you for all that you do,

Jon Tester

[Jon sent the following email to members of the campaign earlier this morning.]

Over the last five years, radical activists have been waging a stealth campaign targeting reproductive freedom???and the choice they are targeting is whether Americans should be able to plan their families.

We??re not talking about access to abortion. We??re talking about access to contraception.

Contraception shouldn??t be a controversial issue. It prevents unintended pregnancies and prevents abortions.

Indeed, it??s the very medical breakthrough that has made widespread responsible family planning possible.

It wasn??t until the mid-1960s that women had legal access to contraception. Now women and families need to have access to contraception in health coverage.

Yet today there is a quiet war being waged regarding access to contraception. And here in Montana, most insurance plans don??t cover birth control, even when they cover Viagra.

I don??t think that??s right.

I have requested a legal opinion from the Attorney General of Montana to clarify whether insurance companies that provide prescription drug coverage must also, by law, cover contraception.

I think we have a good case and that we??ll prevail on this issue. The law is on our side. That??s good.

This is an issue of fairness and basic health for Montanans. It also gets to the heart of Montana values ??? freedom, choice, and responsibility. This is about making sure women and families have access to health coverage and Montanans can make their own decisions.

That means that soon, in Montana, women and families will have the insurance coverage they need and deserve.

That??s the sort of thing we should all be able to agree on.

Sincerely,

Jon Tester

PS Help us bring Montana values to Washington by forwarding this email to your friends and family, and asking them to join the campaign at http://www.testerforsenate.com/join/. Or make a financial contribution at: http://www.testerforsenate.com/contribute/.

You might have seen it last week, a little article in the National Journal, Washington, D.C.??s, most insider publication, that said that any candidate seen with Big Sandy??s Jeff Ament and Pearl Jam was a surefire loser in Montana.

Quite frankly, I was a little ticked off. But I didn??t give it much thought because taking advice on winning elections from Washington, D.C., can be a bit like taking a business ethics class from Jack Abramoff, the Washington lobbyist tied to Conrad Burns and under indictment for wire fraud and conspiracy.

But then one of my primary opponents, John Morrison, decided that he needed to distribute this article across the state of Montana.

Let me tell you this: I don??t like Washington insiders telling me I can??t be seen with my old friends from Big Sandy. Montanans stick together, and don??t forget friends just because some D.C. insider thinks that friends are disposable. That??s not the Montana way.

I grew up with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam. Jeff is a Big Sandy boy like me. His father was Mayor, and gave me my first flattop haircut. I taught Jeff??s sisters and brother music in school. And Jeff and I used to play pickup basketball games together.

Jeff has been fortunate to make a good living doing what he loves ??? playing music. Year after year he gives back to the people and youth of Montana, the state he still calls home today.

I??m running for the U.S. Senate because I think Conrad Burns has lost touch with this state. I sure won??t forget my Montana values and roots ??? and family and friends.

That??s a promise. This Montana farmer knows what matters. I??m running to represent Montanans — all Montanans. And, yes, even my friend from Big Sandy, Jeff Ament, can count on me too.

[Jon Tester sent the following email to members of the campaign today. To sign up to receive updates from the campaign, click here.]

Your response ??? and the result of your efforts ??? is amazing.

At the end of June, Montanans for Tester had raised just over $55,000 and had just a few hundred known supporters around the state.

The pundits wondered if we could win this race.

You??ve shown them the answer is YES ??? and in just three short months you have built a statewide campaign strong enough to win the Democratic primary in June and defeat Conrad Burns next November.

We??re still tallying the final numbers of our fundraising efforts. If you made a financial contribution this quarter, I want to thank you???we know we??ve exceeded our internal goals thanks to your incredible efforts.

But all of you have played a critical role in getting us to where we are???and I am deeply grateful for every person??s efforts. Whether by joining this email list??? recruiting your friends??? going to the Pearl Jam show in Missoula??? or volunteering your time or giving your hard-earned money, you have been the heart and soul and reason for our campaign??s success so far. None of this would be possible without you.

We??ll be reporting the final fundraising numbers to the FEC in a few weeks???but I didn??t want to wait to express my deepest appreciation for everything everyone has done. We??ve gotten to this incredible place because of your efforts, and next November we??ll send Montana values to Washington, D.C. the same way???by working together.

Thank you for everything you do,

Jon Tester

From here, it looks like a long, winding road from Big Sandy to Washington, D.C. We??ve got quite a ways to go, but there are many unique places and remarkable people to see along the way. I??ve already started traveling across Montana, from the mountains to the plains, to talk with everyday folks from all walks of life about our shared values and vision for Montana and America.

You probably won??t be too surprised about something I??ve been hearing:

It turns out that I??m not the only person in this state who thinks things could be going better for us in our nation??s capital.

The fact of the matter is that politicians in Washington, D.C., aren??t focusing on the right issues. Some of them want to privatize Social Security while most Americans face skyrocketing health insurance premiums. But when they finally do try to tackle an important issue, like rising gas prices, they do it by giving a break to some of America??s wealthiest corporations at taxpayer expense. Our representatives should focus on issues that matter ??? like affordable health care for families, jobs, education and our economic and retirement security.

I??m running for U.S. Senate because I think before our government signs off on a bankruptcy bill that gives creditors the green light to go after working families, the government should fix its own financial house of cards. I think its about time to remind people in Washington, D.C., about what people out here in the rest of the country are worried about. These kitchen-table issues matter. And Conrad Burns and the current administration aren??t getting the job done for Montana families.

For the past seven years, I??ve served in the Montana Legislature in both the minority and as the President of the Senate. We??ve accomplished a lot since winning back the Senate in 2004, from strengthening Montana??s privacy laws to increasing funding for education, making health care more affordable and accessible and producing some serious plans for rural economic development.

I??ll bring my experience as a citizen legislator and the beliefs we share as Montanans to the U.S. Senate. My first duty will be to represent the people I meet each and every day on the road to Washington.

It??s going to be a long ??? and fun - trip. Thanks for joining me along the way.