BILLINGS — On Wednesday, the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council called for Montana U.S. Senate Republican candidate Tim Sheehy to apologize for racially insensitive comments he made last year during multiple fundraising events.
Sheehy is seeking to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in a race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate, but Sheehy has remained silent after recordings surfaced a week ago of him disparaging the Crow and other Native American Tribes.
“My message to Tim Sheehy is to apologize. Is to say I’m sorry. For once, let your pride aside and sit there and say I’m sorry for the remarks that I made. I’m sorry for what I said,” Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Chairman Bryce Kirk said on Thursday. "That’s not who we are. You know, we promote love, unity, respect. Indians, we’re not drunks. We’re people of resilience. We’re strong, we’re educated, we’re loyal. We’re a lot more things than what he said.”
In the audio clips, taken in 2023 at different fundraising events, Sheehy can be heard saying, "I'm pretty involved down there, rode through their Crow Rez, their annual Crow Fair parade this year. I rope and brand with them every year down there, so it's a great way to bond with all the Indians being out there while they're drunk at 8 a.m., and you're roping together. Every heel shot you miss, you get a Coors Light can upside your head."
Just days later, Sheehy was heard again at another event, accusing tribal members of throwing beer cans at him during the annual Crow Fair Parade.
"Six weeks after I launched the first thing I did was I strapped a Sheehy sign to a horse and rode through the Crow Rez parade and if you want to know a tough crowd, go to the Crow Rez. They let you know whether they like you or not, there's Coors Light cans flying by your head," Sheehy said.
These comments from Sheehy were heard, and felt, throughout the 12 tribes in Montana.
“We’re not his punchline. We’re not. By no means, we’re not his punchline whatsoever,” Kirk said. “All options are on the table because he defamed a whole people.”
Native American activist Tom Rodgers, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation, said the word defamatory should not be taken lightly if Sheehy doesn't publicly apologize.
“We chose that word defamatory on purpose. He has made reckless words in a public arena with probably actual malice. I don’t think he went to law school, but I know he knows people who went to law school," Rodgers said. "So, I would draw his attention to that and if need be, even if we were not successful in such a lawsuit it would be a teachable moment for Mr. Sheehy and the citizens of Montana.”
Rodgers recalled the moment he first heard the recordings of Sheehy, where laughter can be heard after Sheehy makes the insensitive remarks.
"As I heard that echo of laughter in that room, it was juxtaposed in my mind with the cries of mothers running with their children to the Marias River to escape death," Rodgers said. "So, it was horror and sadness. Sadness not only to the Blackfeet nation but sadness to the people in the room, that, have we learned nothing? So, it was sadness for humanity and sadness for my people.”
MTN News reached out to Sheehy's campaign for comment Wednesday but did not get a response. Sheehy has not commented on the remarks anywhere since they were released, even avoiding an MTN reporter during a campaign event in Billings last Wednesday after the story became public.
“No more hate or hateful words. This is about love and unity,” Rodgers said.
Kirk said that no matter what happens, the tribes will stand strong.
“If we’re going to get political for a second, we know who fights for Indian country. We do. We know who does and that’s where we lie,” Kirk said, referring to Sen. Tester.
