Supermajority Calls On Windy Boy To Resign

A supermajority of Montana state senators — spanning both political parties — have called on Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, a Democrat from Box Elder, to resign from his position following recent sexual abuse allegations that surfaced this spring.

In a letter sent to Windy Boy on Wednesday, 40 lawmakers called the recent allegations, which include instances stretching back two decades, “serious,” and combined with publicized harassment allegations against him from another legislator several years ago “establish a pattern of behavior that we believe is disqualifying for anyone holding public office.”

“Choosing to resign is an opportunity to uphold the high standard that the public expects of its lawmakers and to show your dedication to the dignity of the Montana Senate,” the letter states. “We also believe it would be the best decision for you personally, as this issue is not going to go away and will undoubtedly continue to escalate the longer you choose to remain in office.”

Windy Boy is one of the longest-serving legislators in Montana, having first joined the state House in 2003, and earlier this year announced he was running for the state’s eastern congressional district.

But in April, the state Democratic Party announced he was dropping out of the race, and that it had learned of credible sexual abuse allegations against Windy Boy that included sending explicit photos and messages to underage girls two decades ago.

Windy Boy publicly said he was suspending his campaign due to health reasons, but in early May restarted his campaign and said he was being “politically prosecuted” by Democratic leadership.

When the allegations first came out, Senate minority leader Pat Flowers, D-Bozeman, and Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, called on Windy Boy to resign.

Windy Boy has not responded to emails or phone calls seeking comments about the allegations or the calls to resign.

The letter from lawmakers stated that the members of the Senate Ethics Committee — two Republicans and two Democrats — were recused from signing to “preserve the integrity and due process of any potential Senate Ethics Committee proceedings during the interim.”

Also excluded was Sen. Jason Ellsworth, who was largely removed from his role last session following an ethical investigation and is currently suspended from office by court order.

Four lawmakers — three Republicans and Democrat Andrea Olsen — did not sign on.

In the supermajority’s letter, lawmakers write that Windy Boy has a right to due process and the presumption of innocence, but “choosing to resign is an opportunity to uphold the high standard that the public expects of its lawmakers and to show your dedication to the dignity of the Montana Senate.”

“We do not request this of you lightly; the gravity of these allegations and the duty we have to protect the integrity of our institution and the people it serves leaves us no choice,” the letter states.

Lawmakers previously convened a meeting of the Committee on Committee, which oversees committee assignments, and removed Windy Boy from his interim positions.

Between legislative sessions, a lawmaker can be removed from office through a voter-initiated recall election, but cannot be removed by the Legislature, according to legislative staff. During the 2027 session, lawmakers can vote to punish or remove a sitting legislator.