RED LODGE, Mont. (AP) — Amid heavy criticism six days after leaving the country without telling his constituents, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office confirmed Friday he had gone to Italy with his wife but was briefed regularly about intense flooding that devastated a large swath of Yellowstone National Park and nearby communities.
The flooding that swept away roads, bridges and homes and shut down Yellowstone, one of America’s most beloved natural attractions and vital piece of the economy for many nearby towns, began Monday. But it wasn’t until the next day that the Republican governor’s absence was noted, when reporters questioned why a disaster declaration had been signed by the lieutenant governor.
Gianforte’s critics quickly seized on the moment and started the social media hashtag #WhereIsGreg.
