State’s political commissioner finds Carlino’s complaint unfounded

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) The Montana Commissioner of Political Practices on Thursday dismissed a campaign finance complaint filed by a Missoula City Council member just days after the same council member was found to have violated a number of campaign finance laws.

Council member Daniel Carlino last week filed a campaign finance and practices complaint against his Ward 3 challenge Jennifer Savage, alleging that she failed to disclose in-kind contributions received for her campaign, and that the value of the contributions had exceeded the state's established contribution limits.

Carlino also alleged that Savage's campaign was financed in part by Mayor Andrea Davis's own campaign. However, Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus found Carlino's complaint to be unfounded on a number of fronts.

“No evidence has been provided that proves or even alludes to coordination between the Andrea Davis campaign and Jennifer Savage or the Savage Campaign,” Gallus determined.

Carlino on Thursday night maintained his allegations.

"Davis and Savage both have the same paid campaign managers Westridge Creative and Prosperi Community Consulting group, who put together the post cards and texts from Davis’ campaign funds to support Savage’s campaign," Carlino said. "Clearly they are coordinating on using Davis’ campaign funds to support Savage’s campaign, which would be against campaign finance laws."

Savage said she was satisfied with Gallus' determination and said Carlino's allegations were little more than retaliatory.

"I'm glad to see that the commissioner dismissed this complaint swiftly and definitively as it had no merit whatsoever," she told the Current. "I’m proud of our campaign. We’ve told the truth and played by the rules while staying zero focused on delivering for Missoula."

Carlino's complaint against his surging challenge was filed nearly a month after Savage filed a campaign finance complaint against Carlino, alleging that he failed to disclose relevant campaign contributions and expenditures, and failed to disclose who paid for his campaign text messages, most of which mislead voters.

In that case, Gallus determined that Carlino had committed at least five violations under state law and referred at least one of them to the Missoula County Attorney's Office.

“Having determined that prosecution is justified, this matter will now be referred to the Missoula County Attorney,” Gallus wrote in his decision regarding Carlino's violations. “The County Attorney's office is free to conduct their own investigation.”

In Carlino's case against Savage, Gallus agreed that she had no control over what another candidate puts in their campaign materials.

“COPP agrees,” Gallus stated.