I don't feel the punishment matches the misdeed but unlike others here, it's not only wealthy Republicans who skirt the justice system in my universe. Remember that man of the people Ted Kennedy? Drove his car into the ocean with his girlfriend aboard...saved himself...not her...and was never convicted of any felony such as negligent homicide. Let's not talk about B.Clinton nor his midnight pardons for wealthy miscreant contributors. The list can go on. I don't resent people for the wealth they have, only their behavior.

It comes down to this: why were the charges dropped?

If the investigation was faulty, etc., than that is fine. If there is no reason to drop the charges other than the defendant was wealthy and politically connected, then I say this was wrong and the prosecutors should fired or brought up on whatever possible legal charges themselves.

The whole point of our country's Declaration of Independence and Constitution is equality under the law, no matter if you're net worth is in the millions or is a negative number.

Don't response to this comment and say, "That's the way it is." That's the way it shouldn't be! The man didn't have to face the maximum sentence for the charges. I don't care if it wasn't the maximum sentence. The charges should not be dropped unless there was a legitimate legal reason. A plea deal seems to me to be a ridiculous insult to justice!

If you followed the case, you would know that the game wardens were caught tampering with evidence and perhaps lying outright. The judge was very, very upset with the way the evidence was gathered and presented. The game wardens may be in trouble here.

Absolutely not. A monetary punishment must exceed the cost of proper licenses and permits. Based on current non-resident license and tag fees for a limited entry unit this fine is a joke. Cheaper to take your chances getting caught if Montana is just going to slap the wrist of poachers.

looks like anouther OJ case "if the glove doesnt fit you must aquit" lol. seems money and political clout can get you out of anything they would have impounded everything I own

In recent court records, Morse's lawyer has accused state game agents of falsifying records and lying in court to cover it up, the Billings Gazette reports. The lawyer, Jay Lansing of Billings, said the charges against Morse should be dismissed due to government misconduct.

"What separates this case from any other case that defense counsel has been involved in the past 27-plus years are the intentional efforts on the part of law enforcement and the state of Montana to cover up their misconduct -- testifying falsely under oath in open court, falsifying reports, conveniently deleting material entries from reports, and acting together to perpetuate the fraud," Lansing said in a recent court document.

I don't know this guy or what he did or didn't do, but, it is less of a crime than the state of Montana tried to do to a citizen of the United States.

The "other guy" was ostensibly from Green Bay, Wisconsin although he has residences in several states including Illinois.

Wow, the ontario honker has cuckle burrs under his saddle, I didnt think this article was about politics. Being a Rep or Demo aint got nothing to do with this issue. Remember, it was his land! But , they should have got his license for a while.

The rich and connected win again.

Not anytime anyway, just the owner doesn't have to buy the license. Still have to follow seasons and limits. Which it appears this fella did. The other people would have had the book thrown at them, but not the landowner.

Other than searching a computer without a warrant and entering private property in Florida without a warrant and falsifying records, they did nothing wrong. Both sides were very happy with the outcome, because the state was going to eat crow and some game wardens were going down. No thinking person could come to any other conclusion.

The judge actually used the word fraud.

Again, Fred, I ask you where you're getting your information. I googled "fraud judge Morse poaching Montana" and got tons of hits but nothing new about what you claim the judge said. I'd love to post several links but F&S keeps rejecting any url in a post as obscenity. Morse's lawyer claimed fraud but he's not the judge. As far as I can determine the judge has made no comment. If this was a "fraud" the guy wouldn't have plead guilty. The only fraud is that he walks away with his hunting priveledges intact, the only punishment that would have meant anything to him. Fred, you're the one who needs to "read, read, read" and do a little less imaginative reporting. This isn't the National Enquirer.

Dtownley, this has nothing to do with the guy not filling out his tag out on a timely basis. HE HAD NO LICENSE. And he hunted year after year in Montana without one. He shot a bull elk and didn't punch out his tag correctly because HE DIDN'T HAVE ONE.

Fred, you're not quoting the court records, just the lawyer. What did you expect the guy's lawyer to say? If this was all a crooked settup, why did the guy plead out on several charges in two different counties if he wasn't guilty? He hunted several different years without a license and shot an elk without a license (for which he was fined an incredibly paltry $1,000!!! in Billings court). Pleaded guilty to all those charges. And the observation above that his fine was less than what it would have cost for him to get an out-of-state draw elk permit is pretty much bang on. The guy's family members, friends, ranch boss, and daughter ALL pleaded guilty to various similar charges. Sure, it was all just a settup. Pffft! Yeah, right! The guy from Wisconsin who was also recently convicted in Big Horn County court of hunting without a license also for several years lost his hunting priveledges for 35 years! This clown Morse didn't lose his hunting priveledges for even a year. The Green Bay guy, as far as I can tell, was just an ordinary not-so-wealthy or politically connected schmoe who managed to somehow pass himself off as a Montana resident for several years. At least he BOUGHT his licenses, albeit fraudulently! That arrogant Morse and his family, chest deep in cash as they are, felt they didn't have to even do that! And he was right! Disgusting!

He's a big-shot out-of-state Republican living in Montana. What did you expect? Certainly didn't expect that he would lose his hunting priviledges in several states, including Florida, for decades. Not like the other guy from Illinois (who was probably a "liberal"). Reminds me of how Cheney thwarted investigation and prosecution for reckless endangerment when he was drunk and shot his hunting partner. This crap makes me ill. I am not a law-breaker but I swear if I lived anywhere in the vincinity of that douche bag's two so-called ranches, I would certainly turn a blind eye to any vandalism headed his way. I suspect his fencing bill is about to go through the roof. Families like that need to be tarred and feathered and sent out of that state on a rail. Yes, it was his whole family involved. Hopefully they throw the book at the rest of them a bit harder, but I really doubt it.

My brother worked for a couple of years on one of these big shot out-of-state "ranching" operations near Phillipsburg. The locals called it "The Flying Checkbook Ranch." Every month they wasted more money on FOOD thrown in the dump than I paid on my mortgage every year. About five times as much! Four thousand dollar fine? Chripes, they just as well tell guys like this to pay up with a pack of bubble gum. Removing their hunting priveledges is the ONLY way you can hurt filthy rich vanity trippers like this guy.