(27 Apr 2023)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Helena, Montana – 27 April 2023
1. Various of Rep. Zooey Zephyr walking into Montana State Capitol
2. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“They might try to set me up in here, they might try to set me up out there. I asked to be out there if possible. So I’m gonna go sit out there and just wait until…”
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Zooey Zephyr, Montana House representative:
“My hope was to sit here and work in the common space.”
House Speaker Matt Regier: “This is a public space.”
Zephyr: “Can I not work in the public space?”
Regier: “No. We already talked to minority leader. Said it was okay in the office.”
Zephyr: “Okay, I would like to just clarify because my understanding is I’m allowed here. (Speaker walks way) I will speak to the minority leader. Again, the ruling is where I’m not allowed to be is out there. The public space, I’m in a public space and I just want to clarify…”
Sergeant at Arms Brad Murfitt: “For safety I need you to help me…”
Zephyr: “Can you elaborate what you mean by safety?”
Murfitt: “I’m concerned with everybody’s safety. This is a busy area and it gets occupied by a lot of folks. Can you back away for me please?”
4. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“I’m gonna clarify with Minority Leader Abbott where I’m allowed to be. I’d like to be here. I’d like to be in one of those side rooms there, but I’d just like clarification.”
5. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“I would like someone to come help clarify where I can be.”
6. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“Can I get some leadership here? Yes. Okay thank you, bye.”
7. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“I understand that it’s making it hard but this is where I’m allowed to be. And right now there’s nothing going on, and I’m not going to sequester myself from public eye.”
8. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“If you want to move the couch, you can move the couch.”
Brad Murfitt, Sergeant at Arms: “You’re just making my job so hard.”
Zephyr: “I’m trying to do my job as well.”
Murfitt: “You can do your job from inside there.”
Zephyr: “I want to be as close to the people’s house where I was elected to be.”
9. Medium of Murfitt speaking with security person
10. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“I want to sit here and do my work”
Rep. Jill Cohenour: “He cannot say that.”
Zephyr: “They said you’re not allowed here. Speaker Regier came out, he said you can’t be here, this is for the public.”
++PARTIALLY COVERED++
11. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, (D) Montana:
“I said I want to be as close as I can to the people’s house. I was barred from there, but if I’m not barred from here, I want to be here, because I want to be as close as I can be.”
12. Medium of officials guarding doorway to House
13. Zephyr listening to House session from her computer in the hallway
14. Detail of Zephyr
15. Detail of Zephyr looking at papers
16. Medium of Zephyr typing on computer
17. Detail of computer
18. Medium of CSPAN of session playing on TV at café near Zephyr
STORYLINE:
Montana's Zooey Zephyr spent her first day in legislative exile Thursday relegated to a bench in a noisy hallway across from a snack bar outside the state House chambers where she is no longer allowed.
Zephyr, a transgender lawmaker from Missoula, defiantly stayed put even after Republicans said she couldn’t be there and a House security officer threatened to move the bench, where she had set up her laptop to vote remotely.
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