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HELENA - Opponents of a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriages have filed a complaint with the state political practices commissioner accusing a Baptist church near here of failing to report contributions for an event supporting the ban.

Montanans for Families and Fairness said the church's failure to report its use of "in-kind" resources for an event over the weekend was a violation of state campaign rules.

The Rev. B.G. Stumberg, who leads the church, was unaware of the complaint when contacted Wednesday, but told Lee Newspapers that his church did nothing inappropriate.

"We haven't given a cent. The only thing we've done is we've spoken out for marriage," he said. "If they want to go to court about it, I guess I'll get me a lawyer."

The Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church opened its doors Sunday night for a broadcast event that piped in leading national evangelical leaders, including James Dobson of Focus on the Family and Chuck Colson of the Prison Fellowship, who promoted traditional marriage.

Petitions supporting a proposed constitutional ban against gay marriage were circulated and signed, Stumberg said. The initiative will be placed on the November ballot if supporters gather the required 41,000 signatures of voters.

Montanans for Families and Fairness, a coalition that includes InterMountain Planned Parenthood, the gay advocacy group PRIDE and the Montana Human Rights Network, said in its complaint that it believes the church's leaders are required to report money or "in-kind" contributions spent to host the gathering.

"They made an expense on behalf of this thing," said Rob Hill, campaign director for the coalition. "We believe they have to file with the commissioner's office. They haven't done that."

Citing state law, Hill said the church became an incidental ballot committee when it authorized expenditures for the event. Literature promoting the event indicates that churches had to pay a registration fee to access the simulcast event.

"This church used its resources to plan the event, gather the audience, provide a multimedia event and then petition its congregation, all in support of the discrimination amendment," said Karl Olson, chairman of the coalition.

Political Practices Commissioner Linda Vaughey said Wednesday that she has five days in which to determine if a violation occurred.

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