Alex Sakariassen
Pair of bills would rewrite Montana’s campaign finance laws
The Senate State Administration Committee heard testimony Friday afternoon on a pair of GOP bills that would relax state campaign finance laws and allow political candidates to carry personal loan debt from primary contests into their general election campaigns.
Legislators consider bill exempting Montana churches from political disclosure laws
Senate Bill 162 would excuse all religious organizations from having to report the costs of political contributions and election communications made during any election to the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices.
Pandemic bumps and backlash shape Montana’s pivitol race for US Senate
According to emails, released by the governor’s office under a public records request, many criticized the governor for not issuing a statewide mask mandate early enough and questioned his motives in other pandemic-related decisions.
American Prosperity Group found in violation of Montana’s campaign law
Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan issued a decision Friday, May 15, stating that the organization behind a late-March cable ad mentioning Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Fox violated state campaign practice law.
Ousted N.D. senator warns Montana Democrats: Trump can win again
Montana Democrats got a political reality check Saturday afternoon. During a luncheon speech at the party’s 2019 rules convention in Helena, former U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp posed a hypothetical question: If the 2020 election were held tomorrow, how many of the gathered delegates believed President Donald Trump would win a second term?
Montana Democrats to voters: ‘I am you. We’re not rich.’
The brief speech came moments before the Montana Democratic Party dove headlong into its 2019 rules convention, and after a morning of informational sessions that featured fleeting drop-in appearances by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and Gov. Steve Bullock.
Stapleton’s plan for new statewide election system raises ‘grave concerns’
County elections officials are expressing “grave concerns” over Secretary of State Corey Stapleton’s plan to implement a new statewide election system in time for the 2020 elections.