HELENA - The state Republican Party has filed a federal complaint against the state Democratic Party, saying the Democrats didn't fully disclose their election efforts with the Federal Election Commission.

The issue was first raised last week by the GOP, which argues Democrats should have been filing monthly reports for being engaged in campaigning against Sen. Conrad Burns, a federal candidate under FEC rules.

The Democrats, who recently filed a six-month report with the FEC, have said they currently are not subject to the requirement to file monthly disclosures, but have not elaborated.

The debate comes at the start of a tense 2006 election season, which has already featured critical television advertisements from both sides in the battle over Burns' seat. A record amount of money is expected to be spent in Montana as the race unfolds over the coming months.

Democratic Party Executive Director Jim Farrell said the GOP was simply trying to turn focus away from Burns' alleged ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He said his party's attorneys were looking into the GOP allegations.

The GOP said the FEC complaint was mailed Thursday. The federal regulators had not yet received it.

"I believe that they may have purposely broken the law," state GOP Executive Director Chuck Denowh said in a statement. "Campaign finance laws are designed to give people an idea of how much money is spent on politics and where it comes from."

The GOP is also alleging that Democrats should have paid Farrell's salary out of a federal account, rather than a state account, because most of his work is for federal elections.

Farrell said Democrats will be filing a state-level complaint of their own against the GOP.

Farrell said the Republicans were one day late with a state filing in the fall of 2004. The Commissioner of Political Practices verified Thursday that the Oct. 22, 2004, filing should have been filed on Oct. 21, 2004.

Republicans said they expected a counter-complaint from the Democrats.

"If that's the best they can come up with, I guess we're doing a good job with reporting," said Denowh.