In response to the Montana legislature passing watered down foreign funding legislation, Americans for Public Trust, a nonpartisan watchdog, issued the following statement calling on Governor Gianforte to veto the legislation that does not restrict foreign funding of ballot initiatives:
“While House Bill 818 was once a recognition of the need to address foreign influence in Montana’s politics, the bill was amended and now fails to comprehensively prohibit foreign funding of state ballot issue campaigns,” said Caitlin Sutherland, Executive Director of Americans for Public Trust. “Foreign-backed organizations like the Sixteen Thirty Fund will still be able to dump money into state ballot measures unimpeded, drowning out the voice and will of Montana voters. We urge Governor Gianforte to veto HB 818, and hope Montana lawmakers will pass legislation at the earliest opportunity that actually closes this foreign influence loophole.”
