Op-Ed: Gianforte Built a Prison Crisis One Parole Denial at a Time

Montana’s prison population is exploding. In 2000, we had about 2,550 inmates in Montana.

Today? Roughly 5,000.

Congratulations Montana. We doubled prison.

Why? You will hear the usual hits.

Immigrants.

Mexican drug cartels

Montana’s growing population.

Republicans who voted with democrats in the Legislature.

But the biggest reason? Governor Greg Gianforte.

No, he wasn’t getting tough on crime. Easier than that. Slicker too.

He just changed the Parole Board. That’s all it took to create a silent earthquake.

Montana law provides that the Governor appoints the members of the Board of Pardons and...