Kalispell, MT – A new website launched today exposes Sam Forstag’s long and lucrative career as a radical left-wing lobbyist from Portland. Phony Forstag and his cringe consultants have built his campaign around the facade of being a “working class” smokejumper and union leader. However, a review of public records, many deleted social media posts, and his own work history reveals a very different story.
Forstag has spent almost a decade as a registered lobbyist, raking in over a quarter million dollars for himself and his firm by representing far left-wing organizations, assembling paid protests against law enforcement, protesting deportations of criminal illegal aliens, and advocating for radical policies that would increase costs for Montanans.
“Sam Forstag plays a firefighter on Instagram, but in reality he’s a run of the mill champagne socialist. Montana’s own mini Mamdani,” said Heather Swift, spokesman for the Aaron Flint campaign. “Public records and his own history tells a very different truth than the fake image he’s trying to create through the media. He’s a phony, he’s a bought and paid for lobbyist, and Montanans will send him back to Portland on Election Day.”
Follow the Money
Forstag first started lobbying in 2016 when he pressed the legislature to raise taxes. He then spent years as the in-house lobbyist for the ACLU of Montana before becoming a partner at the Central House Strategies lobbying firm. His clients included the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, the City of Missoula, the woke Montana Library Association, and other left-wing organizations.
Public lobbying records show his clients paid more than $249,000 for his lobbying work, which does not include his salaried positions with ACLU and the federal employees union. In one shocking instance, Forstag raked in at least $184,000 for his lobbying firm in a single reporting period. That is more than four times Montana’s per capita income of $41,711.
“Sam Forstag’s problem isn’t that he just moved here from Portland, his problem is that he’s bringing his crazy Portland policies with him,” said Swift. “He is endorsed by AOC and Bernie Sanders because they know if elected he would fall in line and vote for everything from defunding ICE to eliminating private health insurance and raising taxes. We know he will vote that way because he’s already told us in his legislative record.”
Woke Agenda
Forstag’s lobbying record was down right fringe on social issues. On behalf of the ACLU, he opposed legislation protecting girls’ sports and restricting gender-transition procedures for minors. He later lobbied against a bill that would ban drag shows from targeting children at schools and libraries.
Anti-Law Enforcement / Pro-Illegal Immigration
At the height of Biden’s border crisis, when cartels were openly targeting Bozeman and Browning with fentanyl and violence, Forstag lobbied to make Montana a sanctuary state. Forstag opposed legislation banning sanctuary-city policies and requiring local law enforcement to honor federal ICE detainers for individuals already in custody.
He also targeted the safety and security of our law enforcement lobbying against harsher penalties for cop killers and other criminals who assault local law enforcement.
He also lobbied against stronger penalties for fifth and subsequent DUI convictions and enhanced penalties for drug dealers when the drugs they distribute cause a death. Forstag’s idea of Montana? Open drug markets, just like Portland.
Higher Taxes for You
And while Forstag was raking in the lobbying cash, he was fighting for Montanans to pay higher taxes. While lobbying for the City of Missoula, Sam Forstag fought against legislation to provide property-tax relief and give voters more control over local levies. Forstag argued the government should be able to keep levies and taxes after they expire – and that voters shouldn’t have a say.
He also opposed limits on local property-tax increases and an opposed constitutional amendment to limit increases in property values and taxes.
Now, during his campaign, Forstag says he would have voted for the largest tax increase in American history. He says he would have voted against no tax on tips and overtime, making the Child Tax Credit permanent and expanded tax relief for Montana seniors in their Social Security.