Democrat Raph Graybill, Governor Bullock’s Chief Legal Counsel, announced today in Great Falls his run to be Montana’s next Attorney General in front of a crowd of supporters.

Graybill stated:

“We need an Attorney General who puts Montanans first, who fights for our 21st century rights and freedoms — not the multinational corporations that would just as soon leave us behind. An Attorney General who fights for our right to privacy and individual dignity, who gives meaning to those guarantees — who will never settle for just enough.”

At the rally, Raph Graybill was introduced by and earned the endorsement of Great Falls Mayor Bob Kelly:

“I’m proud to endorse Raph for Attorney General. Raph has fought for communities, like Great Falls, at each step of his career and continues to do so for Montanans every day. I know, as Montana’s lawyer, he’ll hold powerful interests accountable and put Montanans first.”

Mr. Graybill was born in Great Falls, graduated from Great Falls High, and has been Governor Bullock’s Chief Legal since 2017.

He’s been involved in helping craft Bullock’s recent Executive Orders that protected Net Neutrality and our online privacy in Montana when the Trump administration gutted these protections and an Executive Order that required the disclosure of all dark money spending by government contractors.

Graybill is also the lead attorney in Bullock’s lawsuit against the IRS for their decision to no longer require dark money groups to disclose their donors.

Graybill argued and defeated current Republican Attorney General Tim Fox in front of the Montana Supreme Court last year over Governor Bullock’s lawsuit against Tim Fox blocking FWP from granting public access easements that open up more public lands for Montanans to enjoy.

But why is Raph Graybill running for Attorney General?

In interviews with the Great Falls Tribune and MTN News, a single theme stuck out: He wants the Attorney General to get back to defending Montanans and holding the powerful accountable.

Graybill cited off numerous examples of how Montanans are getting screwed by the wealthy donors and powerful corporations, and how “the federal government is empowering the biggest players in every industry allowing them to gain more advantage.”

This includes the healthcare industry and prescription drugs, cell phone and internet bills, as well as big tech companies selling your private data.

“We’re told these are the types of things that we just have to live with in the modern world, we don’t. These are precisely the types of issues that a state attorney general can and should do something about.”

Graybill wants to return the AG’s Office back to the days where it fought for Montanans, not campaign donors.

Graybill also said he would continue Governor Bullock and his work to end dark money in Montana’s elections and to preserve our access to public lands.

“I’ve never been a lobbyist,” Graybill said. “And this is my first run for office. But all I’ve ever done in my legal career is fight for the public and fight for accountability.”

Graybill believes the Attorney General should work for us.

He has a strong base of support in Great Falls and I’m told fundraising has been going well for him in these early days. Representative Kim Dudik of Missoula also announced her run for Attorney General last year. We will see their fundraising numbers at the end of the month when reporting comes in.

If you appreciate an independent voice holding Montana politicians accountable and informing voters, and you can throw a few dollars a month our way, we would certainly appreciate it.