Montana Gov. Bullock vetoes bill to raise allowable campaign contributions
HELENA — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock has vetoed a bill that would have raised the amount of money that could be contributed to political campaigns and changed operations within the office of the state’s campaign finance watchdog.
The bill, carried by Rep. Tom Richmond, R-Billings, would have increased the amount of money that could be spent by political committees, political parties and individuals on campaigns, in some cases by more than double.
In his veto, Bullock wrote the changes in the bill would “completely undermine the effectiveness (of the Commissioner of Political Practices) and the increase in contribution limits are far above what Montanans believe to be acceptable.”
“Due to the Montana Disclose Act and the significant efforts of the (Commissioner of Political Practices) over the course of the last two years, our 2016 elections were among the most transparent and cleanest on records,” Bullock wrote in his veto. The bill “is a palpably political effort to undo this process."
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/bullock-vetoes-bill-to-raise-allowable-campaign-contributions/article_958fac24-5c3a-5b39-85fe-8204f9f2c6e9.html
