The Crow Tribe says Gov. Steve Bullock, D-Mont., left the tribe out of receiving Coronavirus Relief Funds for political reasons. The Governor's office says this is not true.
Crow Chairman A.J. Not Afraid said a legislative audit shows no CRF went to the Crow, while seven other tribes received money.
"The Crow Tribe was completely excluded from any relief allocation whatsoever, for obvious politically punitive reasons, following the Crow Tribe's endorsement of the re-election of Republican Senator Steve Daines and President Trump and Vice President Pence," Not Afraid stated in a news release.
Bullock is the Democrat U.S. Senate candidate facing the incumbent Daines, R-Mont.
A spokesperson for Bullock responded in an email.
"Despite repeated attempts by the state to encourage the Crow Tribe to apply for grants and offering extension of the public health grant application, the Crow Tribe is the only tribe that submitted NO applications for funding," Governor's Office Communications Director Marissa Perry stated. "All other tribes responded with applications, which were funded."
Perry also said money is set aside for the Crow should it choose to submit its application.
The CARES Act gives Governors the authority to distribute the $150 billion in CRF with federal agencies handling much of the $2 trillion economic relief package.
Montana received $1.25 billion in CRF.
The Department of Commercewebsite shows the Governor's office has distributed $402,608,866, as of Oct. 5.
