Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen to RCMP: No spying at Montana gun shows

In a conversation on Monday's Montana Talks statewide radio show, AG Knudsen revealed alarming new details about plans by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to conduct surveillance at upcoming gun shows in Bozeman and Kalispell. Knudsen called the attempt “inappropriate” and vowed to shut it down.

This isn’t the first time Canadian authorities have stirred controversy in Montana. Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter previously intervened when Canadian law enforcement, alongside U.S. ATF agents, attempted to spy on a gun show in Great Falls without notifying local authorities. Sheriff Slaughter ordered them to leave, citing the risk of a dangerous "blue-on-blue" friendly fire incident.

Knudsen made it clear he won't tolerate a repeat of those actions.

"My hair is absolutely on fire," he explained. “This week, we had the RCMP reach out to the Montana Department of Justice...because they want to do the same thing. They want to come to the Bozeman Gun Show and the Kalispell Gun Show and conduct surveillance. I absolutely hit the roof.”

Knudsen stated that his office and local law enforcement are united in opposing the operation. “I’ve already talked to Sheriff Springer in Bozeman and Sheriff Heino in Flathead County—we’re all on the same sheet of music here. This is inappropriate, probably illegal, and if we need to, we’ll sue the federal government over this one too.”

The Attorney General also expressed concerns about federal cooperation with the Trudeau Liberals saying, "Unfortunately, I think Joe Biden is going to play ball with him. I think he’s going to try to let him do it."

Knudsen assured Montanans that his office is “on their toes” to prevent any unauthorized foreign surveillance in the state, adding that Montana doesn’t need “China-style surveillance” in its backyard. For more on this story, visit the full Montana Talks article here.

Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.