Montana governor donates first-quarter salary to drug treatment center

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) will be donating the first quarter of his salary to a drug treatment facility in the state. 

One Health Bighorn, a medical facility that also does drug treatment, is set to receive money from the governor, upholding a promise he made to donate his salary to multiple groups throughout his tenure, The Associated Press reported. 

Gianforte, who is a multimillionaire, will be donating his $120,000 annual salary as governor throughout the year to different organizations, with the medical center receiving the first quarter of it. 

“We face a drug epidemic in our state, and while there’s no silver bullet to end it, we can combat it by promoting treatment and recovery for Montanans struggling with addiction,” Gianforte said in a statement about the donation, according to the AP.

The money donated to the center will be used for medication-assisted treatment and support groups, the governor’s office said. 

Along with the donation, the governor started a new fund to assist drug treatment programs across the state, the AP noted.

Gianforte, who previously represented Montana in the House, is in his first term as governor of the state. He won his election in 2020, becoming the first Republican governor of the state in 16 years. 

The Hill has reached out to the governor’s office for comment.