Normally I wouldn't comment on this story about how a state board ordered John Sinrud to quit practicing architecture until he obtains an architecture's license - it's how he puts food on his plate, and has nothing to do with his legislative work - if it weren't for this quote:
"It was nothing but political, absolutely and completely political," Sinrud said Monday. "It's a political hit because I caused the governor some problems."
As chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Sinrud has disagreed with Schweitzer often.
Sinrud said he and his family have been living on savings since mid-October because he can't work, "but something's going to have to fall in the next two months."
"It could force me out of Montana and the Legislature, and that's exactly what the governor wants," Sinrud said.
Sinrud denies he does architecture; instead he does "development."
The governor virulently denies the charge. "It would be delusional," Schweitzer said. "I didn't even know what he did for a living." (Shades of Scott Sales threatening to take down the legislative special session because he thought the Good Guv had scheduled it to interfere with a conference of state legislative leaders?)
I don't pretend to know the subtle differences between "development" and architecture, but there were loads of "projects" on Sinrud's website (now down) showing buildings his company designed. Sinrud also has a history of misrepresenting his credentials: for at least five years on his work website (also down) Sinrud claimed he had been elected in 2000 to his legislative seat, when in fact he had been appointed in 2002.
In short there's more "evidence" that Sinrud practiced architecture than there is that the Good Guv is filling some sort of vendetta against the House Appropriations Committee Chair.
Still, I hope John untangles his legal woes, or gets an architect's license, or finds a way out of the mess he's found his way into. It's decidedly unfun to have your livelihood threatened. |
