Jore needs to answer counterclaim

Editor,

I've long admired Rick Jore's commitment to family and community and his willingness to speak his mind. I feel sorry for the pain and hardship being experienced by the Jore family. However, it seems that important issues are being ignored as the Jore family seeks to garner sympathy for their financial predicament.

I suspect the real source of injustice stems from dealings with lawyers. I've seen nothing reported in the press to support the notion that any injustice was perpetrated by Windham, Big Spring, Judge Kim Christopher, or the Montana Supreme Court. It's not that unusual for the Supreme Court to overturn a District Court decision. That's part of their job under our constitutional rule of law (any Constitutionalist Party member should know that). In awarding legal fees to the winning party, the courts were properly applying the laws as written by our legislature.

Was an injustice committed against Jore by ordering him to pay attorney fees? Possibly so. But the true extent of injustice cannot be known until Jore answers questions about his relationship with his attorney, Duncan Scott.

Given the public display of scorn directed at Windham over this dispute, Jore has an ethical obligation to directly respond to Windham's counterclaims. Jore had an opportunity to explain these facts at his District Court hearing on Monday. But if Windham's claims are not directly considered, then Jore has no entitlement to this community's sympathy or financial relief.

According to press reports, Duncan Scott insisted on a winner-takes-all approach to legal fees. Was Jore consulted in his lawyer's decision regarding fees?

If so, then Jore must accept responsibility for payment. If not, then perhaps Duncan Scott failed to protect his client's interests.

Our community will never know until Jore lays his cards on the table and responds to Representative Windham's claims.

David Daniels

Ronan