Fed up with Brian Schweitzer’s refusal to run for the U.S. Senate, disgusted by the dithering and dawdling of other Democrats thought worthy of the nomination, and worried that the only declared Democratic candidate is Dirk Adams, a man with a colorful banking history, a group of Democrats led by retired attorney Paul Van Tricht has formed a Draft Baucus committee to persuade the 71-year-old senator to seek one last term.
The committee’s organizational committee meets in Billings on Thursday, 3 October, at 1900 in the second floor study room of the public library in Billings, at 510 North 28th Street.
Said Van Tricht:
Montana Democrats have stood by Max through hell and high water. Max owes us this last race! … We don’t take no for an answer. [Draft Baucus press release and contact info.]
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Out of state Progressive groups have been very critical of Max for many years. Since Max announced his retirement, they have had 6 months to come up with a candidate. The only candidate to come forward is Dirk Adams, a failed sub prime mortgage banker. The four banks Adams ran were closed because of his mismanagement in 2012 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation at a cost of $38 million. Hundreds of employees lost their jobs and depositors lost over $800,000. Adams is proud of his career and ideas which helped start the great recession of 2008.
I share Van Tricht’s concerns that Adams’ banking background is subprime and raises serious questions concerning his willingness to shrink big banks until they’re small enough to fail.
This will be interesting, especially if John Walsh announces for the Senate before Thursday. In fact, if Walsh is going to run, perhaps the formation of the Draft Baucus committee will bust him out of the blocks and get him moving. We’ll see.
We’ll also see whether Baucus will say no, and say it loudly and convincingly enough that the Draft Baucus committee folds its tent.
And, we’ll see if the committee’s formation is seen as a lack of confidence in Walsh, et al (if any et al exist).
Should Baucus change his mind and run for another term — I don’t think he will — I’ll vote for him. Better Baucus in the Senate, his ties to the health care cartel notwithstanding, than any Republican.