Montana Gov Paying lip service while complying to real ID!!!

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Governor sends clarification to Homeland Security over Real ID
By MATT GOURAS
Associated Press Writer

HELENA (AP) — Gov. Brian Schweitzer sent a letter to Homeland Security officials this week assuring them that he agrees with the state attorney general about making Montana driver’s licenses more secure even though he opposes the federal Real ID program.

The governor’s staff said the letter was not a conciliatory gesture, nor should it be construed as a change in the governor’s stance on the Real ID program.

Montana officials have been adamant that they can not comply with Real ID because the Legislature last year banned any compliance.

Schweitzer declared victory last week after Attorney General Mike McGrath sent Homeland Security a letter saying state officials would not comply with Real ID. That letter also noted the steps Montana has already taken, and will take, to strengthen security of its driver’s licenses.

Homeland Security responded, saying they viewed that letter as a request for an extension, and would consider Montana among the states complying with Real ID. The agency was seeking such an extension request from all the states along with a promise to implement Real ID in the future.

Schweitzer described McGrath’s letter as just a way to give bureaucrats “some piece of paper.” Schweitzer, at the time, said DHS had “painted themselves in a corner” and was backing down.

Homeland Security then sought assurances from Schweitzer that he supported the security measures outlined in McGrath’s letter.

In Schweitzer’s Monday letter, addressed to Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff, the governor said “I recognize the question that some recent press coverage might have raised, but I can assure you I stand behind the Attorney General’s letter in its entirety.”

Homeland Security said it is simply interested in results. The agency says the security steps McGrath and Schweitzer outline will indeed clear the first hurdles of Real ID.

“We care about results, not sound bites, labels or interpretations on whether someone said uncle,” said Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke. “We’re pleased that Montana is on the road to more secure licenses. That’s what matters for Montanans, and for the rest of the country.”

McGrath’s letter says the state has done things to make it harder for people to fraudulently get a driver’s licenses. More steps are coming, such as plans to unveil an enhanced card with three levels of security — including a new data management system that predates Real ID.

The attorney general’s office said Tuesday that the federal government would not be given a copy of the database, one of the larger concerns state lawmakers held last year when they rejected the federal plan.