PSC moving to hold members accountable

“A political hatchet job” must be one of Brad Molnar’s favorite phrases when he’s run into a brick wall of his own making. Consider this: Gazette archived story in its entirety: “State legislator denies assault” Rep. Brad Molnar, R-Laurel on Monday pleaded not guilty in Justice Court to misdemeanor charges that he assaulted a Laurel man last year. Billings Attorney Jack Sands entered the plea for Molnar, who did not attend the brief courte appearance before Justice of the Peace Pedro Hernandez. Hernandez grating Sands’ request for an early court date scheduled Molnar’s trial for Feb 15. According to an affadavit filed by the Yellowstone County attorney’s office, Molnar assaulted Jeremiah Wood on Jan 21, 1995. Molnar was upset because his daughter had to be taken to the emergency room after she drank excessive amounts of alcohol, the affadavit said, and Molnar believed Wood was responsible for his daughter’s $800 medical bill. After finding Wood at a Laurel home, Molnar asked him to come outside and became very agitated, the affadavit said. When Wood refused to pay the medical bill, Molnar allegedly started a fight and then shoved Wood and kicked him in the groin, knocking him to the ground. After an exchange of blows, Molnar again demanded the $800 and told Wood he would return to administer continued beatings if he didn’t get the money, the affadavit said. Contacted Monday night, Molnar denid the charges and said he acted in self-defense. He also said the charges were, “A POLITICAL HATCHET JOB” aimed at embarrassing him and his family. “I am very upset by it,” he said. “I think this has more to do with me being a legislator than what happened.” He wouldn’t divulge who he believes is trying to smear him, but said he expected he would raise that issue at trial, or earlier. “I have my suspicions,” Molnar said. Molnar also criticized the investigation that led to the charges, saying that no one ever asked him for his version of the altercation. He said Wood instigated the fight, and he denied ever saying he would return to beat Wood again. “We did have a conversation, a very heated one,” he said. “Some things were said, but I never said that.” He also said prosecutors were wrong to include his daughter in the charging documents. He said he did not seek out Wood about his daughter’s medical bill, but he would not elaborate. He called the inclusion of his daughter in the case “a personal attack.” It is common practice of the Yellowstone County attorney’s office for prosecutors to include in a charging affidavit what they believe a motive of a crime to be. Molnar stressed that an affidavit is not necessarily fact, but “an unsubstantiated statement.” Yellowstone County Attorney Dennis Paxinos disputed any contention that his office was out to politically embarrass Molnar. He doubted that the deputy county attorney who filed the charges knew that Molnar was a state representative. “I know of no substance to it from this office anyway,” Paxinos said. Molnar is free without bail, pending trial on the condition that he have no contact with the alleged victim or the prosecution’s witnesses.”