MONTANA: FAILURE TO DISCLOSE PRIVATE INTEREST on SB 250
In a stunning turn of events, Montana’s version of Kayden‘s Law (SB250) was hijacked in the final hours of being passed into law. Montana domestic violence advocates have worked tirelessly for over a year to protect children in their state from the notorious “alienation industry.” Many believe that Family Bridges reunification camp has been welcomed into the state by way of the Gallatin County Standing Master Magdalena “Mitzi” Bowen, whose relationship with the Family Bridges program has been called into question at recent Senate hearings.
Immediately prior to one of the final readings and votes on SB 250 “Adopt the Safety of the Child First Act,” advocates were notified by the bill’s sponsor that Representative Jane Gillette from Gallatin County, Montana had been feeding “poison pills” to her fellow representatives. A subsequent investigation led to a concerning discovery: Rep. Gillette’s husband, Chris Gillette, has served as counsel on cases involving Family Bridges reunification camp. Publicly sourced intelligence and court documents show this to be a conflict of interest for Rep. Gillette. Not only has her husband represented clients who used claims of “alienation” to counter abuse findings, or allegations, he has also posed as an “expert witness,” testifying to the “success of Family Bridges.”
Cross claims of “alienation” to deflect from allegations or findings of abuse is a common legal strategy that has been researched by Professor Joan Meier of the National Family Violence Law Center at the George Washington University (Child Custody Outcomes in Cases Involving Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations). Further solidifying the findings of Meier’s study, are the survivors who are aging out of the system and speaking about the atrocities they’ve endured at reunification camps like Family Bridges.
Given that Representative Jane Gillette’s husband is a family law attorney who has utilized the Family Bridges program for his clients and, who has offered expert testimony about the success of the program, there appears to be a glaring conflict of interest. It is important that we take a stand against our elected officials who are acting unethically, and prioritizing personal financial gain over the safety of children. As we have said multiple times, the only people opposing legislation that would protect children are those who are financially incentivized to keep things status quo.
I have spoken to family court reform advocates and proponents of SB250 and was informed that every conceivable course of action has been taken to expose Representative Gillette’s financial conflict of interest, refusal to disclose this conflict prior to voting, refusal to abstain from voting, and her financial motivated decision to poison previously supportive representatives against SB 250.
We implore Montana’s legislative leadership to take swift disciplinary action against Representative Jane Gillette and offer an exception to House Rules by allowing a motion for reconsideration on this critical Child Safe Law. In doing so, Montana would be joining Colorado as a state that prioritizes child safety. Like Montana, the Colorado family court system also faced scrutiny as a result of an investigation by ProPublica. As media interest on the family court system piques, and the improved legislation is upon us, now is the time for states across the country to ensure they are standing on the right side of history.
An letter submitted by family court reform advocate and Montana resident, Elizabeth Peterson:
From: Elizabeth Peterson
Date: April 27, 2023 at 7:27:24 AM MDT
To: Jane.Gillette@legmt.gov
Cc: cppcompliance@mt.gov, Matt.Regier@legmt.gov, Sue.Vinton@legmt.gov, Rhonda.Knudsen@legmt.govSubject: NOTICE OF FAILURE TO DISCLOSE PRIVATE INTEREST on SB 250
Rep Gillette,
In your statements to the House Floor April 24,2023 regarding SB250, you failed to disclose your husband’s private and financial relationship with the Family Bridges program and parental alienation industry. This by definition is a direct violation of Mont. Constitution Article XIII Sec 4 Code of Ethic and defined as Official misconduct 45-7-401.
Bozeman family law attorney, Christopher J. Gillette is on record in multiple cases promoting Family Bridges reunification camps and has on public record provided “expert” witness testimony on behalf of the “success” of the Family Bridges Program and his “success “ utilizing the Parental Alienation legal tactic to conceal his client’s abuse. (see public document excerpts below). Montana Supreme Court documents on additional cases are also available.
As such, you had an obligation pursuant to Montana Code Annotated and Legislative Code of ethics to disclose to the body your family’s financial vested interest in striking down SB250.
An immediate public disclosure to the House, apology and recusal from vote on SB250 is necessary to rectify your misconduct and avoid further censure.
Thank you
Elizabeth Peterson
Montana State Representative
National Safe Parents Organization
Here is a letter written to Representatives by Montana resident, Amanda Fowler, in support of SB 250:
April 25, 2023
RE: SB250
Dear Representative _________,
I am asking for you to reconsider and vote YES in favor of SB250.
It has been brought to my attention that Jane Gillette continues to minimize the brave parents who've testified in support of SB250. Since presenting SB250, Jane Gillette has continued to make false and misleading statements, specifically that children are not being removed from their parents in Gallatin County Family Court based on claims of parental alienation and ordered into reunification camps such as those marketed by the Family Bridges Program. I offer you the following information for your consideration.
Jane Gillette is the wife of Bozeman attorney Chris Gillette. A known advocate and supporter of the highly controversial program called Family Bridges. Family Bridges has made national news for using shady tactics such as misleading family court judges as to the legitimacy of parental alienation syndrome (PAS). Family Bridges charges amounts ranging from $30,000.00 to $70,000 for their services. Services paid for by the abusive parent for the claims of PAS to be made in family courts in Montana and nationwide. A false diagnosis that then justifies the immediate and sometimes violent removal of children from their otherwise happy and healthy homes, awards sole custody to the abusive parent and removes all parental rights from the parent who sought protection from the police and court. It is a very dark and dangerous business that must be exposed and stopped. Jane Gillette’s statements that these actions are not taking place in Gallatin County Family Court are false.
On January 3, 2018, Gallatin County Standing Master Magdalena Bowen ordered my daughter be sent to a Family Bridges Reunification Camp Program. An order based on false claims made by Jennifer Bjelland, GAL, that my children suffered from severe PAS. Ms. Bjelland spent less than 90 minutes with my daughters prior to making her outrageous statements of PAS. There was a significant history of documented abuse that Ms. Bjelland dismissed as irrelevant. No expert witnesses testified or submitted written statements in support of Ms. Bjelland's recommendations. Because no one would testify in support of Ms. Bjelland's recommendations, Bozeman attorney Chris Gillette, who had no association with my case whatsoever, was called to testify as an "expert witness" at the last minute on the morning of January 3, 2018. Chris Gillette's only connection with my case was his relationship with Ms. Bjelland and the Family Bridges Program. He was not listed as a witness prior to the hearing and had clear conflicts of interest which should have prompted Standing Master Bowen to deny his testimony. Despite my attorney, William Gilbert of Billings', immediate objection, Standing Master Bowen allowed Chris Gillette's testimony and subsequently based her order on Ms. Bjelland's and Chris Gillette's testimony and subjective recommendations to order my daughter be placed in a Family Bridges Reunification Camp, as is referenced in court documents; CAUSE NO. DR-11-209A.
The terror my 15-year-old daughter experienced is inconceivable. At approximately 7:30pm on January 3, 2018, she was taken by force from the Gallatin County Courthouse by 2 transporters/kidnappers whose services were arranged and paid for months prior to the hearing. My daughter was held against her will in a hotel in Bozeman. The transporters searched her, barricaded the door, and told her if she dared to scream or run for help her mother and sister would be put in jail. My daughter was flown out of the state of Montana the next morning, against her will, and held, against her will in Texas at a Family Bridges Reunification Camp. As her mother, I was denied the right to know where my daughter was and threatened with contempt of court charges if I attempted to try to locate my daughter or communicated with her in any way. It was a heinous crime that was considered legal because it was court ordered. Court ordered by a judge who’d been given false testimony by Jennifer Bjelland, the GAL, claiming PAS, testimony supported by statements made by Chris Gillette, a Bozeman attorney who was allowed to testify as an expert witness for the Family Bridges Program.
A disturbing link has been uncovered among a group of individuals involved in Gallatin County family court proceedings claiming PAS. The following names can be linked across cases referencing PAS and/or Family Bridges: Chris Gillette, Jennifer Bjelland, Kathleen Rock, & Kelly Voyvich. It is suspected that some or all these individuals are/were in a for profit business agreement either directly or indirectly with Randy Rand and Richard Warshak, founders of the Family Bridges Reunification Program or another entity doing business as Family Bridges.
Since January 3, 2018, the cases that have been reported of similar injustices in the family courts of Montana have been ongoing and heartbreaking throughout the State of Montana. Your support to pass SB250 is critical. Please recognize that retaliation against parents who are bringing these injustices in family court to the forefront are real. Every time we speak out to tell our stories and ask for your support, we put ourselves at risk. Without your support for SB250, there will be no laws in place to stop these types of sinister behaviors from continuing and escalating throughout Montana’s family courts. Please vote YES to SB250 so the parents and children who enter family court in the future will not experience the injustices of those who came before them.
Passing SB250 will prevent these gross violations of civil and human rights from continuing and expanding further throughout the State of Montana.
In my opinion, Jane Gillette’s actions to discredit the validity of those who have bravely testified and support SB250 are calculated and self-serving. It stands to reason that it is in the best interest of the Gillette family to stop SB250 from being signed into law. As more and more parents and legislatures have come forward with their support of SB250, one can only assume that the Gillette family would not like their association with Family Bridges, Jennifer Bjelland, Kathleen Rock and Kelly Voyvich to be made known to the public. Representative Gillette’s statements, in my opinion, are a direct attempt to mislead you and the public.
In consideration of the information, I have brought to your attention today, I ask you directly to please vote YES in support of SB250.
In sincere appreciation,
Elizabeth Amanda Martin (Fowler)
CAUSE NO. DR-11-209A: IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF ELIZABETH A. MARTIN, PETITIONER AND DAVID C. FOWLER, RESPOND
Testimony from survivors of family court failures and of reunification camps:
“While this experience has clearly had its negative effects on my childhood and upbringing, I was one of the few that was able to find a silver-lining in all of this mess. The corruption I experienced firsthand after having gone through the family court systems has inspired me to pursue a career in family law, specifically with the hopes of representing children in cases similar to mine. No child should ever experience the abuse, mental torture and pain that I felt as a result of these false ‘reunification programs’ endorsed by the crooked courts, and so I strive to be a voice for all the innocent children that are dragged into their parents’ divorce and even worse, into the family courts all across America. Therefore, I hope my statement now will provide another lens with which everyone can look through to recognize the apparent injustices of the family courts and the change that needs to occur within the judicial system of our nation.” — Ana Ionescu (Feb. 7, 2018)
Additional survivor testimony can be found on www.alienationindustry.com.
