Sen Jon Tester’s (D-MT) donors have demanded investigations into the business of his Republican opponent, Tim Sheehy.
Sheehy, who is running to oust Tester this November, is a former Navy SEAL who founded the Montana-based areal firefighting company Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings. His experience as a businessman and a veteran has been a center point of his campaign. Recent polling has shown Sheehy taking a strong lead over Tester.
Now, Marc Cohodes, a prominent Wall Street investor and infamous “short seller,” is leading a letter with some Montana businessman, many of them Democrat donors, calling for investigations into how Bridger used $160 million worth of bonds.
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck has sounded the alarm over these calls for investigations against Sheehy’s company:
Gallatin County and Bridger have touted the bonds as helping the company expand its Belgrade headquarters and operations base with more firefighting airplanes and hangars.
Cohodes and the Democrat cosigners also requested that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) investigate if the company claiming it was “socially and economically disadvantaged” by the SBA.
“As Gallatin taxpayers and longtime residents of Bozeman and the surrounding communities, we have a vested interest in the operations of Bridger. The company is largely in business with government entities, operating in reliance on funds provided by hardworking taxpayers like ourselves,” those who signed onto the letter wrote.
Sam Davis, Bridger’s interim CEO, said in a statement that the county bonds helped the company grow:
The support we have received from Gallatin County over the years has been tremendous. Through this collaboration, we have been able to employ nearly two-hundred employees directly, contract with multiple local businesses as we expand and operate our business, and provide a strong customer base to local hotels, restaurants and transportation providers. Further, and perhaps most significantly, as a result of Gallatin County’s support we have been able to pursue our mission of saving lives and property affected by wildfire, including fighting greater than 160 wildfires within the state of Montana since the bond was launched.
Gallatin County and Sheehy have rebuked the claims against those who have made these claims against Bridger.
Gallatin County said in its statement:
The Gallatin County Commission has received a number of these types of concerns and politically-motivated inquiries over the past year. We believe these concerns stem from a misunderstanding of conduit private activity bonds, which are a common tool of capitalization in the national bond market. To clarify, Gallatin County has no liability exposure related to Bridger Aerospace’s business operations.
“The authors of this letter have all made public statements and/or campaign donations supporting Jon Tester. It is clear Tester’s supporters wrote this letter with one goal: to hurt Tim’s campaign, tear down a Montana company, and help Jon Tester,” a Sheehy spokesperson said in a statement, pointing out that many of the cosigners of the letter back Democrats and Tester.
“Bridger Aerospace is a good company that protects public lands by fighting wildfires, and it is our hope that the authors of this letter cease their efforts to destroy a Montana business, put Montanans out of a job, and wipe out their retirement savings,” he added.
“Marc Cohodes is a low-life short seller who makes his money betting against American businesses. He is attacking Bridger Aerospace because he thinks he can hurt Tim’s campaign and make a buck in the process,” the Sheehy spokesperson continued.
Cohodes said in a statement with Montana local media that his attacks against Bridger are neither financial nor political.
Many of the signers of the letter against Sheehy’s company have donated to Tester or Democrat causes.
Deidre Quinn, one of the signers of the letter, is a longtime Tester supporter.
“I think he does a great job for our states,” Quinn said, citing his support for abortion and farmers.
Billy McWilliams, who owns the Erotique adult boutique in Bozeman, has regularly donated to the Montana Democrat Party, Montanans for Tester, and other Democrat causes.
Swep Davis Jr. has donated to Montanans for Tester and the Montana Democratic Party.
Lucian Hand, president of Altos Photonics, has also donated to the Montana Democratic Party and Montanans for Tester.RELATED: GOP Senate Candidate Tim Sheehy on How to Beat Jon Tester in Montana
M. Perdie, J. Knudsen / Breitbart NewsSean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
