Search Articles:

 

Breaking News......... Trophy mounts from around world burn in Billings fire......... Trap shooters flock to state tourney in Billings......... Osprey win third in a row......... Single shoe sought with warrant in fatal Seeley hit-and-run......... Local News......... Jury acquits ex-Griz Wilson in second murder trial........Lincoln County sheriff recall petitions approved........Warrants suggest evidence tampering in Seeley Lake hit-and-run........Defendant pleads guilty to embezzling $800,000 from Missoula bank........Pearly white fight - Burtello Salon owner, state board face off over teeth-whitening procedure........BNSF comes clean in Whitefish, but residents skeptical about contamination........

HELENA - The Federal Election Commission has fined the State Democratic Central Committee $15,000 for not fully disclosing money it spent on a 2005 attack ad against former Republican Sen. Conrad Burns.

Montana Republican Party officials called the election laws violations "deplorable" and "intentional," but Democrats on Wednesday insisted they were a mistake and have been corrected. They have 30 days to pay the fine.

"This was a very routine misinterpretation of complex FEC reporting requirements that are very technical," said Jim Farrell, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party.

The violations involve more than $106,000 in advertising payments made to several firms between August and November 2005 for a TV ad questioning Burns' ties to convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to an agreement signed by FEC and Democratic Party attorneys.

FEC officials say Burns was an official candidate for the 2006 election at the time, and the advertising money should have been reported by Democrats in monthly and annual finance reports, but was not.

Democrats amended their 2005 annual report to include the money, but not until April 2006, the agreement stated.

Former Montana Republican Party Executive Director Chuck Denowh filed the complaint with the FEC in February 2006.

Democrats said they didn't think Burns was an official candidate at that time because he hadn't filled out paperwork to place his name on the Montana ballot.

But federal election laws label someone a candidate once their donations or expenditures exceed $5,000. Burns' campaign did that in December 2000, making him a U.S. Senate candidate from that point on, the agreement stated.

"Montana state law says one thing, the FEC rules say something else," Farrell said.

State GOP officials said Democrats knew they were breaking federal election laws - an allegation Farrell denies.

"This is not a case of one political party picking on another over something minor," said Chris Wilcox, executive director of the Montana Republican Party. "This was a serious violation of federal law and a misrepresentation of their actions to Montana voters. ... They knew this was federal election activity. Apparently, they hoped no one would notice."

Farrell acknowledged the misstep, and said the committee is now filing monthly finance reports.

"The issues raised in the case are moot," he said.

On the Net: Federal Election Commission: http://www.fec.gov; Montana Democratic Party: http://www.montanademocrats.org; Montana Republican Party: http://www.mtgop.org

---

---

Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)

---