Montana Gov. Lampoons Koch Group Over ‘Millions Of Montanans’ Goof

Gov. Steve Bullock responds to a question, Feb. 26, 2013, in Helena, Mont. Bullock spoke in a wide-ranging interview on how he has adapted to his new role in his first two months in office. (AP Photo/Matt Volz)
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Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) bashed the Koch brothers-funded conservative outside group Americans for Prosperity for botching the total population of Montana in a response to Montana Democrats advancing legislation that would expand Medicaid in the state.

The botched statement, by Montana Americans for Prosperity state director Zach Lahn said “the voices of millions of Montanans” didn’t want to expand Medicaid through Obamacare. It came after the Montana House of Representatives passed a Medicaid expansion bill.

Montana’s population does not extend into the millions.

“Montana’s population passed one million people for the first time ever in 2012. So imagine my surprise when the latest billionaire-funded attack accused me of opposing the “voices of millions of Montanans,” Bullock (pictured) wrote in a fundraising email on Monday. “Let me tell you what’s most startling about this — Not knowing how many “millions” of people live in Montana won’t stop the Koch brothers and Americans for Prosperity from spending millions of dollars to buy our elections.”

Shortly after the gaffe was made public, the hashtag #millionsofmontanans began trending on Twitter, with other prominent Montana Democrats, like Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) jumping in on the fun.

Lahn released a statement admitting he made a mistake on the size of Montana’s population.

“Two mistakes were made yesterday. One was in our press release, the other was on the house floor with the passage of Medicaid expansion,” Lahn wrote in an email to The Great Falls Tribune. “The latter mistake will have a devastating impact on state budget and the lives of Montanans who have made it known that they reject Obamacare.”

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