Former Commissioner of Political Practices, Jeff Mangan, is organizing an effort to get big money out of our state politics

Responding to public frustration with the flood of dirty money in our politics, former Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan is working with a group that is proposing a ballot measure to restrict corporate contributions by amending the Montana Constitution. Titled the Transparent Election Initiative, supporters are currently working on the ballot language.
🔗 https://transparentelection.org/

Supreme Court Opens The Floodgates

In 2010, the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The Court ruled that restrictions on campaign spending by corporations and unions violated the First Amendment’s protection of free speech. That decision opened the floodgates for dark money in our political process.

Since then, money from shadowy groups and secretive wealthy individuals has poured into elections. The Brennan Center reports that dark money peaked at $1.9 billion in federal races during the 2024 election cycle. It’s estimated that more than $300 million was spent here in Montana on the Tester–Sheehy Senate race—roughly $375 for every registered voter.

Montana Republicans and Dirty Money

In 2016, the recently elected chair of the Montana Republican Party, Art Wittich, was convicted of violating Montana campaign laws after failing to report nearly $20,000 spent in his legislative race in Gallatin County. That figure did not include additional money spent by “independent expenditure” groups promoting his candidacy. Wittich featured prominently in the 2018 documentary film Dark Money, which provided a detailed exposé of corruption in our political process.
🔗 https://www.acslaw.org/inbrief/prosecuting-dark-money-in-new-documentary/

We Did It Once. . . .

Montana is no stranger to corporate corruption and dirty money in elections. During the era of the Copper Kings in the late 1800s, widespread political corruption spurred citizens to act. A wave of progressive reforms led to the passage of four initiatives, culminating in the Direct Primaries Act and the Corrupt Practices Act of 1912. These laws prohibited corporate contributions to campaigns, regulated corporate expenditures in elections, and established direct primaries to limit party control of candidate nominations.

In 1972, the passage of the new Montana Constitution further embedded progressive reforms into state law. It enshrined every citizen’s right to participate in government and created mechanisms for direct democracy through ballot initiatives.

It’s a Matter of State’s Rights

The concept behind the Transparent Election Initiative is simple. The group proposes using the well-established power of the State of Montana to regulate corporate activity. In a series of 1979 decisions, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the authority of states to regulate corporations doing business within their borders. The Court stated:

“The first place one must look to determine the powers of corporate directors is in the relevant State’s corporation law… it is state law which is the font of corporate directors’ powers.”

The sad truth is that America has become an oligarchy where politics are for sale, and the highest bidders call the shots. Nothing will change until we get money out of the process. This effort is one way to begin doing that.

For more information, visit or follow:

Short Video:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL-WrMBT4vQ/

Website:
transparentelection.org

Related Resources:

• Corp Power v. Rights – TEI: Corporation Powers vs. Rights
• Montana History – Transparent Election Initiative

Social Media:

• Facebook: facebook.com/transparentelection
• Instagram: instagram.com/transparentelection
• Twitter/X: x.com/transparent406
• LinkedIn: Transparent Election Initiative
• Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/transpelectinit.bsky.social

Send Contributions To:
Transparent Election Initiative
P.O. Box 1953
Helena, MT 59624
📞 406-430-7337