Keith Regier, Derek Skees and Pam Holmquist, upon being seated as Montana elected officials, have all sworn, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the state of Montana, and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity (so help me God).”

But Dr. Ed Berry condemns them for their support of the Montana and U.S. Constitutions!

In Berry’s most recent letter to the editor, he writes: “Holmquist, Regier, and Skees opposed the bipartisan water compact. They did not understand the key question of the compact, which was: ‘Will Montana benefit more with or without the compact?’”

In Berry’s Nov. 29, 2015, letter to the editor responding to me, he stated:

“Had opponents successfully rejected the compact based upon their belief the compact is unconstitutional, then they would have deprived all Montanans of the benefits of the compact without ever knowing if their belief is true. This is unethical.

“Opponents’ proper and ethical action was to first ratify the compact to assure Montanans will receive the compact benefits in case opponents are wrong. Then opponents can try to prove their case in court.”

This reflects two opposing political philosophies: the philosophy of Dr. Ed Berry and his friends who go for the “benefits,” without considering the constitutional consequences, and the philosophy of my friends Keith Regier, Derek Skees and Pam Holmquist, who refuse to break their oaths to support, protect and defend the Constitution.

—Jerry O’Neil, Columbia Falls