Montana 'dark money' groups broke law with attack mailings
Source: Missoulian
In far-reaching decisions Wednesday, Montana’s top political cop said a prominent “dark money” group and similar groups appear to have broken state campaign laws when they coordinated mailers promoting or attacking candidates in a 2010 legislative primary election.
The rulings from Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl also said evidence shows former state Rep. Dan Kennedy, a Laurel Republican, accepted illegal contributions from the same groups and failed to properly report those donations.
... The rulings – more than three years in the making – focus primarily on American Tradition Partnership, a pro-business, anti-environmentalist group that’s been a lightning rod for campaign finance controversy in Montana and elsewhere.
... ATP has never reported any of its campaign-related spending in Montana, or its donors, claiming its material is merely educating voters on issues, rather than advocating for or against a candidate.
Read more: http://missoulian.com/news/local/political-practices-chief-dark-money-groups-broke-law-with-attack/article_0fd880f6-367b-11e3-aaf9-001a4bcf887a.html