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Hill Endorsed by Billings Gazette
In what must have been a surprise to Democrats in the southeastern part of the state, the Billings Gazette endorsed Rick Hill in their Sunday issue October 14. Citing what the Gazette characterized as “…a good job as attorney general” the paper quickly dismissed Bullock’s campaign: “It is … disappointing that Bullock hasn’t brought the same passion, specifics and organization to his campaign for governor.”
The opinion closes with: “Hill is acquainted with just about every problem Montana has had. He comes across as the candidate best prepared to make all the decisions a governor must make.”
Bullock Repeatedly Skirted Campaign Finance Laws
(Courtesy of MediaTrackers.com) The campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate and current attorney general Steve Bullock repeatedly violated campaign finance laws by using primary election contributions for general election purposes according to a Media Trackers Montana analysis of campaign finance filings. Bullock’s campaign re-designated two primary election contributions from the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) political action committee (PAC) as general election contributions without written permission, a violation of state campaign laws.
Media Trackers launched its investigation after discovering that two primary-designated contributions from GSK’s PAC — a $300 contribution dated August 1, 2011, and a $630 contribution dated May 30, 2012 — GSK PAC were used by the Bullock campaign towards the general election.
Montana Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Bullock (Photo courtesy of montanademocrats.org)
If a campaign receives over-the-limit contributions for a specific election, such as a primary, the campaign must obtain written permission from the contributor prior to using those funds in a general election according to Mary Baker, the program supervisor for the state’s Commissioner of Political Practices.
Although Media Trackers contacted GSK’s PAC on July 6 to request copies of the required written waivers, PAC treasurer Mark Santry is yet to provide proof that the permission was granted in writing as required by law. Sarah Alspach, the director of external communications for GSK, told Media Trackers that the company had sent a letter to Friends of Steve Bullock granting permission for the campaign to use the funds for general election purposes. Although state law requires the waiver to be provided before the funds are used, Alspach said the letter was not sent to the campaign until last week — almost a year after the first over the limit contribution was made.
Bullock’s campaign also appears to have violated state campaign laws related to contributions from the PAC for Echostar DISH Network PAC (EDN PAC). Three additional contributions from Echostar’s PAC are yet to be reported by the Bullock campaign.
(Read more at MediaTrackers.com)
26% of sexual, violent offenders not verify address, state audit panel told
Nearly 26 percent of Montana’s 5,000 sexual or violent offenders have not verified their address within their deadlines, according a state audit… “The buck stops here for running the registry,” Bullock said, but added all of law enforcement had to work together to gather the information.
(Read more at: MontanaWatchdog.com)
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