HELENA (LEE)—A mailed flier targeting three Democratic lawmakers for their votes against a gun-rights bill sparked some angry words on the House floor Wednesday— and not everyone complaining was a Democrat.

Shortly after Rep. Julie French, D-Scobey, rose to call the Republican Party flier “garbage,” Republican Rep. Tom McGillvray of Billings got up to publicly apologize to Democrats who were targets of the piece.

“We did not know anything about it until last night,” he said. “We did not support it, we did not authorize it, we did not know it was coming.

“I would hope as representatives we can stop this kind of stuff.”

The flier, mailed this week by the Montana Republican Party, went to households in the districts of three Democratic representatives: French, Doug Cordier of Columbia Falls and J.P. Pomnichowski of Bozeman.

They are among 42 House Democrats who voted no on Feb. 27 against House Bill 340, which broadens the definition of self-defense when using a firearm.

The flier described opponents of the bill as “anti-gun,” said they believe “using deadly force to defend yourself against a criminal makes you the criminal,” and listed a phone number where constituents could call French, Cordier or Pomnichowski and tell them their “anti-gun stance is dead wrong.”

It also had a picture of a dead body in a body bag, with the words “Is this your neighbor?” super-imposed across the top of the picture.

Chris Wilcox, executive director of the state Republican Party, said the party is simply holding Democrats accountable for their votes.

“It’s interesting that nearly every candidate in Montana claims to support gun rights when they run for office,” he said. “When it comes time to vote, constituents get a real look at where Democrats stand.”

French, Cordier and Pomnichowski, all freshman legislators, each defeated Republican incumbents in hard-fought, relatively close contests last November.

French said the flier distorts her position on gun rights and is offensive to people who may have seen their relatives in a body bag.

“I’m appalled that we pay for this kind of garbage to go out to the people in our district,” she said on the House floor.

French also said political attacks of this nature polarize legislators and make it harder for them to work together. However, she said it’s her responsibility as a legislator to “move beyond this.”

“That’s what the people elected me to do: To move beyond this and represent them,” she said.

French said she voted against HB340 because it potentially gives legal advantages to criminals who claim self-defense when committing a gun-related crime.

Law enforcement groups across Montana have opposed the bill for the same reason. The bill initially failed on the House floor on Feb. 23 on a 48-50 vote, was revived a day later, and then won approval Feb. 27 on a 57-42 vote. It is now before the Montana Senate.

Republicans have said they consider HB340 one of their signature bills this session, to demonstrate their strong support of gun rights.

Democratic Party Executive Director Jim Farrell said Wednesday his party has sent no political fliers this Legislature attacking individual Republicans on their votes.

He also wrote a letter Wednesday to Republican Party Chairman Karl Ohs, noting that Republican lawmakers are denouncing attack mailers while the party is carrying them out.

“Please explain the apparent hypocrisy of your party on this mailing that you sent out this week,” Farrell wrote.

Ohs said Wednesday he hasn’t had a chance to see Farrell’s letter, and might respond later.