Profile: Mark French

Mark French

Montana Area 4 assistant

Location: Paradise, Montana

 

Mark French is a Tea Party activist who repeatedly, and unsuccessfully, has run for elected office in Montana. In 2010, French ran as a “Constitution Republican” in the GOP primary for the U.S House against incumbent Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R-MT).[1] French said the Tea Party movement, along with his study of the Bible and the U.S. Constitution, inspired him to launch his campaign.[2]

French stated his candidacy was about protecting freedom and that “by definition freedom comes from bloodshed.”[3] French also espoused his support for sheriff supremacy during his campaign.[4] Pioneered by the Posse Comitatus, sheriff supremacy holds that the sheriff is the highest legitimate law officer in the land, and citizens aren’t subject to state or federal authorities. French has also said that militia groups are “necessary for the security of a free state.”[5] Militia advocate Richard Mack endorsed French’s candidacy, comparing him to the signers of the Declaration of Independence and saying French would give his life for this country.[6]

During his U.S. House campaign, French criticized the Federal Reserve System and banking. He bashed Congress for delegating power to the Federal Reserve, comparing it to trusting a drunk babysitter with a child.[7] “Our monetary system is totally out of control,” he said. “Congress needs to take its authority back.”[8]

In 2010, French attended meetings and events sponsored by Celebrating Conservatism, a group in the Bitterroot Valley that combined the Tea Party and hardcore militia movements.[9] At one Celebrating Conservatism meeting, he expressed support for disgraced Alabama Judge Roy Moore’s Christian nationalist efforts to keep a Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama Supreme Court building.[10] He also attended Celebrating Conservatism’s “Liberty Convention” in 2010.[11]

In 2011, French ran unsuccessfully to become chair of the Montana Republican Party. His Tea Party activism was frequently referenced, and he stated that Republicans should “align ourselves with the principles of the God of the Bible.”[12] He said the GOP needed to recruit more “constitutional leaders” to be successful.[13] He would go on to run and lose campaigns for a position as Justice of the Peace in Sanders County (2014) and a Republican primary to serve in the Montana House (2020).

 

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NOTES

 

[1] Murray, John Q. “Mark French challenges Rehberg as ‘Constitutional Republican.'” Clark Fork Chronicle. March 28, 2010.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Sakariassen, Alex. “Primary Prayers.” Missoula Independent. May 27, 2010.

[4] French, Mark. “Mark French statement for GOP chair.” Clark Fork Chronicle. June 16, 2011.

[5] Facebook, Mark French, June 19, 2020.

[6] French, Mark. “Mark French racks up more endorsements.” Clark Fork Chronicle. May 17, 2010.

[7] Murray, John Q. “Mark French challenges Rehberg as ‘Constitutional Republican.'” Clark Fork Chronicle. March 28, 2010.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Montana Human Rights Network News. “Celebrating Conservatism by Promoting Extremism.” Network News. December 2009. https://www.mhrn.org/publications/humanrightsnetworknews/1209.pdf.

[10] Neiwert, David. “The Tea Party’s Armed Extremists.” Type Investigations. November 22, 2010. https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2010/11/22/tea-partys-armed-extremists/.

[11] Sakariassen, Alex. “Primary Prayers.” Missoula Independent. May 27, 2010.

[12] French, Mark. “Mark French statement for GOP chair.” Clark Fork Chronicle. June 16, 2011.

[13] Ibid.