Conrad Burns

Conrad Ray Burns (January 25, 1935 – April 28, 2016) served three terms in the United States Senate from Montana. He was only the second Republican to represent Montana in the Senate since the 1913 passage of the Seventeenth Amendment. Despite promises to serve only two terms, he was the longest-serving Republican senator in Montana history.

Conrad Burns

Sourced

• In 1994, Burns told the editorial board of the Bozeman Chronicle that when asked by a constituent, "How can you live back there in Washington, DC with all those niggers?" he replied, "[It's] a hell of a challenge." When he was asked about the use of the racial slur, he said: "I don't know. I never gave it much thought."

• On February 17, 1999, while at a meeting of the Montana Implement Dealers Association in Billings, Montana, Burns referred to Arabs as "ragheads".
  • Burns later apologized.

• In 2000, he offended a Billings woman when he pointed to her nose ring and asked her what tribe she was from.

• Burns stated that "We've got to remember that the people who first hit us in 9/11 entered this country through Canada."
  • December 21, 2005 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38816-2005Apr8.html
    • This claim, which is false and is directly contradicted by the findings of the 9/11 Commission, drew criticism from those questioning Burns' grasp of domestic security. Canadian ambassador Frank McKenna demanded an apology from Burns.

About

• The Helena Independent Record, noted that "The senator has drawn attention previously for his choice of words."
  • Feb 28, 2006 http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/02/28/montana_top/000burns.txt
• Burns is "an accident that happens again and again and again."
  • Bob Herbert http://www.citizensforethics.org/press/pressclip.php?view=1932