Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Wednesday the appointment of Kirk Bushman, a Billings mechanical engineer and former Public Service Commission member, to temporarily fill the PSC’s District 2 seat in south-central Montana while Commissioner Brad Molnar remains suspended from office.

Background on Bushman

Bushman is no stranger to the commission. He served on the PSC from 2013 to 2016 before losing a Republican primary. He mounted subsequent bids for the seat in 2020 and again in 2024 — losing the most recent primary directly to Molnar. Bushman was chosen from a field of five applicants who sought the temporary appointment.

Gianforte praised the selection, saying Bushman “brings decades of engineering experience and a strong understanding of the important work of the Public Service Commission.”, as first reported by the KTVH

Molnar’s Suspension

Gianforte suspended Molnar for one year last month following an investigation into the commissioner’s workplace conduct. The investigation report alleged that Molnar made repeated and unwelcome sex-based remarks toward staff, behaved unprofessionally, and retaliated against employees who raised complaints or cooperated with investigators.

Molnar has disputed the suspension and filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse it. The case is pending before State District Judge Mike Menahan, who has not yet issued a ruling. Molnar’s attorney, Matthew Monforton, was sharply critical of the governor’s timing, telling reporters that “the governor didn’t wait for the judge; he decided the judge was optional,” as first reported by KTVH.

Molnar Pushes Back

Molnar himself argued that placing Bushman — who lost to him in the 2024 GOP primary — in the District 2 seat effectively overrides the outcome of that election. The objection raises a broader question about executive authority to shape the composition of an independent regulatory body while litigation over the underlying suspension is still unresolved.

The PSC regulates utilities operating in Montana, making District 2’s seat consequential for energy and ratepayer decisions affecting south-central Montana residents.

What Comes Next

Bushman’s tenure in the seat will depend in part on how Judge Menahan rules in Molnar’s lawsuit. If the court blocks or reverses the suspension, Molnar’s status — and Bushman’s appointment — could be directly affected. No hearing date in that case has been publicly announced.

The appointment adds another dimension to what has become one of the more unusual political situations in Montana state government this cycle, with a suspended elected commissioner, active litigation against the governor, and his primary opponent now seated in his place.