'Extreme, undemocratic': John Tester condemns Montana GOP for silencing Zooey Zephyr

The suppression of the voice of transgender Montana State Representative Zooey Zephyr (D-100th District) by Republicans last week has sparked nationwide outrage and led to massive demonstrations by Zephyr's constituents in the city of Missoula.

Zephyr was banned from the House floor by the GOP as retribution for her accusing conservatives of having "blood on their hands" by passing legislation that strips transgender Montanans of their rights and access to critical health services such as gender-affirming care.

Republicans also canceled Monday's scheduled meetings of the House Judiciary and Human Services Committees in which Zephyr would have participated, however, the Montana Free Press reported on Friday that the Judiciary's was reinstated.

READ MORE: Montana’s only transgender lawmaker silenced for saying GOP as 'blood on its hands'

Meanwhile, Montana's Democratic United States Senator John Tester blasted the assembly's right-wing majority for its "extreme" and "undemocratic" retaliatory action.

"I served in the Montana legislature for years, working with everyone to get things done for Montana. Let's be clear: banning a duly-elected representative is an extreme, undemocratic step that harms the thousands of Montanans who no longer have a voice in their government," Tester tweeted along with audio of his interview with the Northern Broadcasting Network.

Listen to Tester below or at this link.

READ MORE: 'Not being hyperbolic': Montana Democrat says GOP-backed anti-trans bills have led to suicide