On the recordJune 4, 2015
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Chuck Johnson, a man who kept me and countless other public servants in Montana honest and accountable as the capitol bureau chief and longtime political reporter. Chuck's 43-year journalism career began in 1977. In the decades since, Chuck has been the primary educator of government, politics, and ethics for generations of Montanans. I had the pleasure of getting to know Chuck as a State senator and had the distinct pleasure of traveling with him across Montana. He is a straight shooter and a true professional. In the era of online and 24-hour news outlets that push agendas and competition for cliques, Chuck's modus operandi was to tell the truth, tell the facts, and let the people of Montana decide. I urge future journalists to study his work and learn what they can from this true Montana professional. I wish Chuck fair winds and following seas in his retirement. Bravo Zulu. ____________________
