Post by Logan on Jul 8, 2016 5:58:00 GMT -6
Regulator plans sweeping review of Montana political party committees
HELENA – Some Montana political party committees could soon become political action committees in a change that could have major repercussions on how, and how much, those committees are allowed to spend on elections.
The state’s chief political regulator on Thursday announced a broad review of Montana's political party committees, explaining nearly one-third of the 107 party groups now registered with regulators may not have been formed by a state-recognized party and could have to be reclassified as PACs.
PACs, unlike political party committees, can’t provide candidates with unlimited, potentially special interest-funded "personal services," such as salaries for campaign staffers.
The Montana Democratic Party has reported spending at least $124,000 on such services for Gov. Steve Bullock’s re-election campaign – roughly five times the total the party would be allowed to directly contribute to Bullock under state law. Last week, Montana GOP chairman and state Rep. Jeff Essmann filed papers that would allow his party to engage in similar spending.
Read more: missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/regulator-plans-sweeping-review-of-montana-political-party-committees/article_a7355672-aacb-587b-96a7-bc5cbacdced6.html
HELENA – Some Montana political party committees could soon become political action committees in a change that could have major repercussions on how, and how much, those committees are allowed to spend on elections.
The state’s chief political regulator on Thursday announced a broad review of Montana's political party committees, explaining nearly one-third of the 107 party groups now registered with regulators may not have been formed by a state-recognized party and could have to be reclassified as PACs.
PACs, unlike political party committees, can’t provide candidates with unlimited, potentially special interest-funded "personal services," such as salaries for campaign staffers.
The Montana Democratic Party has reported spending at least $124,000 on such services for Gov. Steve Bullock’s re-election campaign – roughly five times the total the party would be allowed to directly contribute to Bullock under state law. Last week, Montana GOP chairman and state Rep. Jeff Essmann filed papers that would allow his party to engage in similar spending.
Read more: missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/regulator-plans-sweeping-review-of-montana-political-party-committees/article_a7355672-aacb-587b-96a7-bc5cbacdced6.html