The Montana state capitol pictured after a late-night Senate vote on Jan. 9, 2025. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan)
A legislator from the Bitterroot Valley resigned from the Montana Legislature on Monday, citing corruption in a Capitol “run by lobbyists.”
Rep. Rob Marshall, R-Hamilton, posted on social media Monday morning that he intended to resign his position at noon, and confirmed to media he’d submitted his resignation letter to the Speaker of the House. The three-term legislator blamed corruption among elected officials in the Capitol and the Department of Justice, who are “bought and paid for” by lobbyists, specifically those in the tobacco industry.
“This is a resignation because I don’t want to swim in the swamp anymore,” Marshall told reporters. “Why would I want to stay? I’m not a corrupt person. Why do I want to stay around a bunch of corrupt people?”
Marshall, who did not make specific allegations or provide evidence, said the main impetus for his decision was a piece of legislation aimed at regulating nicotine vapor products. Marshall owns two vape shops in the state — one in the Bitterroot and one in Belgrade.
House Bill 525, carried by Rep. Amy Regier, R-Kalispell, creates a registry for vapor products containing nicotine, allowing only the sale of products that are registered with the Attorney General and have obtained marketing authorization from the FDA.
The bill is purported to help regulate the industry, prevent products from reaching underaged children, and push out disposable products and Chinese-manufactured products. But Marshall said that the Big Tobacco companies are pushing the legislation, because those companies have a head start with the FDA.
“The only authorized products that are on the market right now through the FDA are Big Tobacco products — Reynolds, British American Tobacco, Altria, you know, Juul,” Marshall told reporters. “This bill, basically what it is, is a monopoly bill.”
Similar bills have been passed or proposed in all but a handful of states and Marshall said the same industry people wrote them all.
The House Taxation Committee amended HB 525 to subject nicotine vapes to the same tax as other nicotine products — 50% on wholesale costs — which Marshall said was a “shot in the face.”
“I take it personally, very personally,” Marshall said. “It came out of (committee), 21-zip with a Republican majority… and you call yourselves conservative Republicans?”
Marshall has used his position in the Legislature to push bills related to the tobacco and vaping laws — in the 2025 session, 6 of his 17 requested bills dealt with those topics.
During previous sessions, Marshall said there was a greater appetite among legislators and the GOP leadership to work together and hear each other out on the merits of various pieces of legislation, but that this year there is “more wheeling and dealing” going on in Helena.
“The Attorney General’s bought and paid for, leadership’s been bought and paid for … You know, they’re all in it. They’re all involved in it, along with the lobbyists,” Marshall said. “The lobbyists run this capitol. Don’t ever think that the people have a say up here, because you don’t.”
Marshall recently sued large tobacco companies alleging they were violating a decades-long settlement with the state by lobbying against legislation he was carrying, and that Attorney General Austin Knudsen was not doing his job because of his relationship with “Big Tobacco.” The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge last week.
Asked if his resignation left his constituents hanging, without a voice on dozens of bills the House is voting on each day, Marshall responded “You could say that, yeah.”
Per state law, if a vacancy for the Legislature occurs, the county central committee from that political party forwards three candidate recommendations to the county commissions for selection. Since the legislature is in session, the nomination and selection process must occur within 10 total days.
Republican leaders in Ravalli County decried Marshall’s decision on Monday.
Ravalli County Republican Central Committee chairman Ron Stoltz told the Daily Montanan that Marshall had texted him about the resignation, but did not talk to him at length about his decision.
“I think it was a very poor decision at the moment,” Stoltz said. “You were elected for a position, and to quit in the middle isn’t right.”
Ravalli County Commission Chairperson Dan Huls said he was aware of Marshall’s resignation but had not received official word as of midday Monday.
Huls said once the commission receives official notification about the resignation, commissioners will consult with the county attorney about whether the rules for appointing a replacement are different during a legislative session, and if so, how.
He said he is concerned to have an entire district left unrepresented with half of the legislative session yet to go, and he anticipates moving as expeditiously as possible to fill the gap.
“I’m disappointed that Mr. Marshall chose to resign mid-session and not ride it out,” Huls said. “I wish that hadn’t occurred.”
House Republican leaders released a statement thanking Marshall for his service.
“Since his election, Representative Marshall has been a strong advocate for his constituents, and we appreciate his contribution to the Legislature,” the statement said. “As we move forward, Montana House Republicans will continue serving the people of Montana and delivering on the commitments we’ve made to our constituents.”
Marshall said he will be happy to no longer be working with such “obviously” corrupt government officials.
“The people need to understand that if you want your voice heard up here, you get rid of all these lobbyists. Get rid of them all because it’s the absolute worst thing that could happen to a citizen government,” Marshall said. “So I’m going to go back to being a citizen.”
The Secretary of State’s office on Monday afternoon confirmed it had received Marshall’s resignation.