Montana State Representative Zooey Zephyr, the state's first transgender lawmaker, was barred by the Republican-controlled House from participating on the House floor for the remainder of the 2023 session. Zephyr called the decision "a disturbing affront to democracy" and vowed to stay committed to serving her community.

Zephyr has spent much of her adult life working as a community advocate. She has worked to help integrate diversity, equity and inclusion. She has worked with the city of Missoula to draft human rights legislation tailored towards making justice more accessible to people who have experienced discrimination.

​Zooey is fighting for human rights — from voting rights to trans rights to working towards dismantling the cruelties of the prison-industrial complex. She is also working to address climate change, health care, housing inequality and infrastructure.

Ben Murrey serves as Independence Institute’s Director of Fiscal Policy, working to promote fiscal responsibility in Colorado government and to defend the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in the state’s constitution. Prior to his role with II, Ben spent seven years as a United States Senate staffer in Washington, D.C. and a legislative aide for Senator Ted Cruz. While in Washington, he participated in numerous legislative and policy battles, including those over the 2014 effort to defund Obamacare, passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, and passage the CARES Act in 2020. He also took on other fights to stop federal bureaucratic overreach, limit the size and scope of the federal government, and restore fiscal order in Congress. Before moving to D.C., Ben coordinated grassroots and get-out-the-vote efforts for 45 east Texas counties for the Ted Cruz for Senate campaign during the 2012 runoff election. He served as Deputy Director of Operations during the general election. A graduate of Hillsdale College with honors from both the Politics and German departments, Ben has been steeped in the principles and precepts of limited government, free market economics, and individual liberty. He did two stints as an exchange student in Germany, first on a State Department scholarship where he spent a year living with a German family and attending a German high school (Gymnasium) in Bremen and later for a semester at the University of Saarland. He speaks fluent German. A native Texan, Ben spent his formative years vacationing in and falling in love with Colorful Colorado. Years working the D.C. swamp left him with the strong conviction that most of America’s governing should happen at the state and local level. He finally put his money where his mouth was by moving with his wife and son to Denver and joining the Independence Institute staff.

Prior to his role with II, Ben spent seven years as a United States Senate staffer in Washington, D.C. and a legislative aide for Senator Ted Cruz. While in Washington, he participated in numerous legislative and policy battles, including those over the 2014 effort to defund Obamacare, passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, and passage the CARES Act in 2020. He also took on other fights to stop federal bureaucratic overreach, limit the size and scope of the federal government, and restore fiscal order in Congress. Before moving to D.C., Ben coordinated grassroots and get-out-the-vote efforts for 45 east Texas counties for the Ted Cruz for Senate campaign during the 2012 runoff election. He served as Deputy Director of Operations during the general election.

A graduate of Hillsdale College with honors from both the Politics and German departments, Ben has been steeped in the principles and precepts of limited government, free market economics, and individual liberty. He did two stints as an exchange student in Germany, first on a State Department scholarship where he spent a year living with a German family and attending a German high school (Gymnasium) in Bremen and later for a semester at the University of Saarland. He speaks fluent German.

A native Texan, Ben spent his formative years vacationing in and falling in love with Colorful Colorado. Years working the D.C. swamp left him with the strong conviction that most of America’s governing should happen at the state and local level. He finally put his money where his mouth was by moving with his wife and son to Denver and joining the Independence Institute staff.

https://i2i.org/about/our-people/ben-murrey/

https://i2i.org/author/beni2i/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-murrey-40500426/

Judd is a Conservative writer, comedian, producer, and the host of the comedic late-night political news podcast/tv show/youtube channel “Conservatively Unplugged with Judd Dunning (with Canadian American co-host Adam Richmond!). Judd’s passionate self-effacing, politically incorrect right show reports far too unfiltered on “American Everyman News” with comedy and intelligent pro-Trump Conservative commentary weekly. Prior host of last year’s Politicon panel “Right-Wing Comedy in These Trumptastic Times” and star of TV Pilot “CU News! goes to Politicon”, Judd is soon to publish his new book with co-author and comedian Eric Golub titled “Thirteen Reasons Why…NOT to Be a Liberal” and he is also moderating a celebrity podcast/panel at Politicon 2018 by the same name this year Sunday at 11 am in K Street Lobby. Judd can be seen on stage and as a Conservative Political TV Correspondent and also remains in a long mid-life crisis yet absolutely stoked on America. #MAGA #walkaway #Trump

Jim Marshall, MA, is a licensed mental health professional. His 911 Training Institute specializes in development and delivery of innovative science-driven training, tools and resources fostering optimal wellbeing of 9-1-1 Professionals and their confident mastery of calls involving mental crises and suicide. Jim is co-editor of The Resilient 9-1-1 Professional: A Comprehensive Guide to Surviving & Thriving Together in the 9-1-1 Center. He was a recipient of the Presidential Award from the National Emergency Number Association in 2020 and holds a masters degree in clinical psychology from Wheaton College in Illinois.