A View From the Left: Democratic House Whip Kim Abbott on trust, responsibility and unexpected surprises in the Montana Legislature

Rep. Kim Abbott, D-Helena, is in her second term serving House District 83, but she’s been involved with the Legislature a lot longer than that.

Prior to serving in the House, Abbott lobbied in the capitol on behalf of the Montana Human Rights network, a state-based grassroots human rights organization that works to promote democratic values such as pluralism, equality, and justice.

From increasing access to health care to passing protections from discrimination to protecting public education, Abbott has been a leader in the Democratic policy arena for a long time. 

In this episode, Rep. Abbott discusses the difference between lobbying and legislating, the challenges of keeping personal emotions in check during debate on hot-button issues, and some of the surprises she encountered since joining the House.

Abbott also weighs-in on Medicaid expansion proposals, a new sexual harassment policy for legislators, and the controversy over the disappearance of "legal review notes."