19 November 2019 — 1415 mst

When did Zac Perry resign as
state representative for House District 3?

According to information posted today on the Montana Legislature’s website, he resigned on 5 November 2019.

According to Perry, who announced his resignation in a 27 August post on Facebook, his resignation was “…effective September 1, 2019.”

If his resignation was effective on 1 September, he could not have resigned on 5 November. “Effective on 1 September” does not mean “Effective on the date that a new representative for House District 3 is sworn in.” His replacement, Debo Powers, was sworn-in on 5 November.

Something is missing here. Did legislative services put up the wrong date? And if so, why? Did Perry’s letter of resignation include a clause that negated effective on 1 September? That’s possible, I suppose, but knowing Perry I believe he would have said so in his post announcing his resignation.

Powers’ page on the legislature’s legislative roster page was posted today, two weeks after she was sworn-in. The master roster page notes she replaced Perry. Her individual page does not. That two-week delay is unforgivable. It denied important information to citizens, and kept Powers hidden from her constituents. Was her page slow-walked on orders from the speaker of the house, or was it slow-walked by feckless legislative staff?