Tag Archives: Republican platform

BILLINGS — Rep. Tom Richmond encountered considerable criticism from his audience when he gave his perspective regarding the successes and failures of the 2015 state legislative session, before the Billings Pachyderm Club in Billings on June 11. One woman became quite emotional and started crying about his support of Medicaid expansion.

Also calling Richmond to task for some of his positions was Barry Usher, who was a contender to fill the House seat to which Richmond was appointed following the resignation of Jonathan McNiven. Usher said that Richmond was appointed based upon his answers regarding his positions on several issues. Usher claimed that Richmond’s voting record was not in keeping with those answers.

About expanding the state’s Medicaid program to reach an additional 70,000 recipients, Richmond said, “I was in a box on this. I pledged not to advance Obamacare,” but this bill helped people who could not afford insurance, and it still required that they pay a premium. The legislation created the HELP program, which, he said, “isn’t read more