Montana’s chief campaign law enforcer says Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen did not break the rules by recruiting his primary election opponent.
Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus says Montana law bars candidates from paying or otherwise incentivizing opponents to run for office. He determined there’s no evidence Knudsen offered any kind of kickback or coordination for Daniels County Attorney Logan Olson when he recruited him to join the GOP primary.
“When you read the law, it’s very clear that it involves payment or it involves consideration. And consideration in this regard is the promise of valuable consideration to another,” said Gallus.
Knudsen said Gallus made the right decision. He called the complaint “frivolous.”
The Montana Democratic Party filed the complaint after the Daily Montanan reported on a recording of Knudsen at a fundraiser. In the recording, Kndusen said he recruited Olson to run in the GOP primary to circumvent campaign finance laws that limit how much money uncontested candidates can raise.
Gallus wrote in his 51-page decision that it’s the “worst kept secret in all of Montana's campaign finance laws” that campaigns in the past and present have used the same tactic. He wrote the only difference in this case is that past candidates “were much more clever and quiet regarding their affairs.”
Gallus wrote it’s up to the state Legislature to decide if they want to change the law.
Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Sheila Hogan says the party disagrees with the commissioner’s conclusion. She said the party will focus on making the case to Montana voters to “hold Austin Knudsen accountable at the ballot box.” Knudsen faces Democratic challenger Ben Alke in the general election.
Olson was found to have violated state law by accepting an excessive campaign contribution and failing to document it properly.
Olson may challenge that decision and go to court. Or he can negotiate a settlement with the commissioner.
