2016: As Communications Director, Aaron Flint Defended Gubernatorial Candidate Greg Gianforte Over Allegations Of Laying Off Montanans And Outsourcing Jobs

2016: The Montana Democratic Party Said Gubernatorial Candidate Greg Gianforte’s Company Laid Off About 40 Bozeman Employees And Also Outsourced Jobs

2016: The Montana Democratic Party Said Gubernatorial Candidate Greg Gianforte’s Company Laid Off About 40 Bozeman Employees

2016: The Montana Democratic Party Said Gubernatorial Candidate Greg Gianforte’s Company Laid Off About 40 Bozeman Employees In 2001. “The Montana Democratic Party expanded its attacks on Greg Gianforte's business record this week, saying the Republican candidate for governor's claims about job creation are hollow. […] Rather than saying Gianforte's company laid off employees because it was going to outsource their jobs, the Democrats have not directly tied the two events. In a Monday press release, the party mentioned about 40 Bozeman layoffs several sentences before it discussed the company's outsourcing, but it did not expressly say one caused the other. […] Gianforte Spokesman Aaron Flint declined multiple requests to discuss in detail the 2001 layoffs or the jobs Carstensen said were outsourced, but he did provide emailed statements on other questions.” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]

2016: The Montana Democratic Party Said Gianforte’s Company Outsourced Jobs

2016: The Montana Democratic Party Said Gianforte’s Company Outsourced Jobs. “The Montana Democratic Party expanded its attacks on Greg Gianforte's business record this week, saying the Republican candidate for governor's claims about job creation are hollow. […] Rather than saying Gianforte's company laid off employees because it was going to outsource their jobs, the Democrats have not directly tied the two events. In a Monday press release, the party mentioned about 40 Bozeman layoffs several sentences before it discussed the company's outsourcing, but it did not expressly say one caused the other.” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]

2016: A Former Chief Financial Officer At RightNow Said The Company Outsourced Jobs To Lower Labor Costs. “Susan Carstensen, who worked as chief financial officer or vice president at RightNow for 12 years, said that while the hiring of workers in Armenia and India were not tied to the layoffs, they still were deliberately outsourced jobs. ‘We did, at different points, outsource some jobs with an engineering team in Armenia and the strategy for that was a lower cost of labor. We did have contracts with an Indian outsourcing firm that provided more lower-cost labor for service work,’ she said, noting it affected ‘probably less than 100’ jobs.” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]

• Gianforte And His Wife Founded The Company RightNow Technologies. “For months the party directly, or through volunteer letter writers, has claimed that the Bozeman company Gianforte founded with his wife in 1997, RightNow Technologies, laid off Montanans and outsourced their jobs, even though Democrats had previously apologized to Sen. Steve Daines, a former VP, for similar attacks made during his 2012 campaign.” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]

2016: The Montana Democrats Did Not Directly Tie Gianforte’s Layoffs To Outsourcing Jobs

2016: Montana Standard: “Rather Than Saying Gianforte's Company Laid Off Employees Because It Was Going To Outsource Their Jobs, The Democrats Have Not Directly Tied The Two Events.” “Hyers said the Democrats' criticisms of Gianforte are different than those made in 2012. In reviewing press releases from the party this cycle, the difference seems to be, at least in part, semantic. Rather than saying Gianforte's company laid off employees because it was going to outsource their jobs, the Democrats have not directly tied the two events. In a Monday press release, the party mentioned about 40 Bozeman layoffs several sentences before it discussed the company's outsourcing, but it did not expressly say one caused the other.” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]

NOTE: Care should be taken in the exact wording of this hit. In 2012, Gianforte sued the Montana Democratic Party for claiming his company’s layoffs were in connection to outsourcing jobs. The Montana Democratic Party issued an apology letter for claiming Gianforte’s company laid off employees in order to outsource jobs to India.

2016: As Gianforte’s Communications Director, Flint Defended Gianforte’s Company, Saying The Company “Had Call Centers All Over The World Because Of The Global Nature Of Their Business”

As A Gianforte Spokesman, Flint Declined To Discuss Details Of The 2001 Layoffs. “Gianforte Spokesman Aaron Flint declined multiple requests to discuss in detail the 2001 layoffs or the jobs Carstensen said were outsourced, but he did provide emailed statements on other questions. […] ‘RightNow served global companies all over the world,’ Flint wrote. ‘Take Nikon for example. RightNow provided their Montana-made solutions to help them deliver better customer service in 50 countries and 33 different languages. Many RightNow clients had call centers all over the world because of the global nature of their businesses.’” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]

• October 2015-November 2016: Flint Served As Communications Director For Greg Gianforte’s Gubernatorial Campaign. [LinkedIn, Aaron Flint, accessed 4/17/26]

Image: see original report, p. 52

[LinkedIn, Aaron Flint, accessed 4/17/26]

2016: Flint: “Many RightNow Clients Had Call Centers All Over The World Because Of The Global Nature Of Their Businesses.” “‘RightNow served global companies all over the world,’ Flint wrote. ‘Take Nikon for example. RightNow provided their Montana-made solutions to help them deliver better customer service in 50 countries and 33 different languages. Many RightNow clients had call centers all over the world because of the global nature of their businesses.’” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]

2016: Flint: “RightNow Served Global Companies All Over The World.” “‘RightNow served global companies all over the world,’ Flint wrote. ‘Take Nikon for example. RightNow provided their Montana-made solutions to help them deliver better customer service in 50 countries and 33 different languages. Many RightNow clients had call centers all over the world because of the global nature of their businesses.’” [Montana Standard, 9/28/16]