Washington D.C. is a long way from Montana, but there were a number of people from the Big Sky State on the National Mall during the Inauguration of Donald Trump Friday, January 20. Will Deschamps from Missoula was in the crowd and says the event was the type of pomp and circumstance one would expect.

"It's a testament to what has kept us, as the United States, as long and as strong as we've been," Deschamps said. "It was very well attended, there were lots and lots of people, though I don't have an official count. There were protestors obviously, but I'll tell you, they weren't in our face, they had a loud voice, but other than that I didn't see anything out of the ordinary from what you'd normally see at something like this."

Many prominent state officials met on the eve of the inauguration with many of the Montanans who turned out for the event.

"Congressman Zinke had a cocktail party and hors d’oeuvres for people from Montana at a place called 'The Loft.' It was fairly well attended, it was down in China Town," Deschamps said. "Senator Daines showed up, Attorney General Tim Fox was there, it was a lot of fun."

According to Deschamps there was a lot of excitement from the Montana delegation about Congressman Ryan Zinke’s expected confirmation as the Secretary of the Interior under the new Trump administration.

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