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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Montana Republicans File 'Dark Money' Complaint Against League Of Rural Voters

Campaign funds graphic
Campaign funds graphic

The Montana Republican Party claims a non-profit group from Billings broke election laws during the 2014 campaign season.

The complaint filed with the Commissioner of Political Practices charges that the Montana League of Rural Voters used “dark money” to influence the 2014 election.  “They did not fully disclose their donors at the proper time and they did not properly report expenditures and that they were also illegally coordinating activities with certain Democrat candidates," said State Republican director Chris Schipp.

The League of Rural Voters is not a political action committee, but as a 501-c-4 non-profit it follows similar regulations.  The League’s Board Chair, Richard Parks, says the charges won’t stick.

“We are very aware of what those campaign laws are and conduct our business in such a way as to be clearly not in violation of them."

The GOP complaint says Democrat state Senator Margie MacDonald worked in the same office building that houses the group, and her boss was the League’s senior advisor. Macdonald, who declined to comment, could be removed from office if found guilty of coordinating with the group.  

The party also says Montanans “deserve to know” whether the state’s political watchdog, Jonathan Motl, will prosecute a Democrat just as he has several Republicans. Motl, who was confirmed in his post on a bi-partisan Senate vote last week, says he probably will investigate the matter.

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