Political Practices proceeding with Molnar investigations

Helena Independent Record – July 16, 2008
Campaign-finance and ethics complaints against Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar, R-Laurel, are proceeding at the Office of Political Practices, although no ruling on the merits has occurred.
Commissioner of Political Practices Dennis Unsworth said the campaign-finance complaint is still under investigation, and that the ethics complaint will be handled by [...]

Obscure political groups feed attack machine

Helena Independent Record – June 29, 2008
When Denton rancher Scott Seilstad challenged incumbent Republican state Rep. Ed Butcher in a primary contest this June, he had to tangle with something other than Butcher: Campaign mailers and money from a bevy of obscure political groups, bent on defeating him.
Seilstad, a pro-life Republican who signed a pledge [...]

Malcolm to run as a write in candidate

Livingston Enterprise – 20 June 2008
It’s not over ’til it’s over.
After his defeat to Joel Boniek in June’s Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 61, Bruce Malcolm has decided to run as an independent for the seat.
“I started out to do a job in the Legislature, and I’m three quarters of the way [...]

Montana election law challenged in court

Montana’s News Station.com – June 17, 2008
Republican US Senate candidate Patty Lovaas of Missoula wants to get her name on the November election ballot as an independent, but Montana law says she can’t do it. Lovaas is unhappy about that, and she’s not alone.
Environmental activist Steve Kelly is not happy with Montana’s election law either. [...]

Schweitzer touts state’s energy potential

Daily Inter Lake – June 17, 2008
Mr. McGuire had one word for young Benjamin, aka Dustin Hoffman, in the 1967 movie “The Graduate.” “Plastics,” the well-to-do businessman advised the newly graduated boy on building his career. Plastics. Gov. Brian Schweitzer told a gathering of electric power cooperative and business leaders in Kalispell Monday that the [...]

PSC races promise to be feisty battles

Helena Independent Record – June 16, 2008
In the campaign for the Public Service Commission district in southeastern Montana, candidates Brad Molnar and Ron Tussing appear ready for full combat.
Tussing’s campaign manager is filing campaign and ethics complaints against Molnar, the Republican incumbent, and Molnar is blasting back, criticizing Tussing’s past actions as chief of police [...]

Tester – Schweitzer Team Up on Veterans Issues – Havre Daily

Continuing his fight to increase benefits for military veterans, Sen. Jon Tester teamed up with Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer in the U.S. Senate Thursday.
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Political Party Balance Shifting in Montana – Ravalli Repubic

Montana has long been a solid Republican state. Its conservative agricultural roots having merged with its libertarian streak to oppose big government, big taxes and big city liberalism.
But as people escape California to places like the Bitterroot, and the pressures of growth make some long-term residents rethink some issues, times and political calculations can change.
With [...]

Laurel Outlook – Absentee Ballots Popular

The number of people voting by mail for last week’s primary election was four times greater than in any previous primary election, according to County Election Director Duane Winslow – and the cost of conducting a dual election process is costing taxpayers 30-40 percent more.
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Choteau Acantha – Bean defeats Anderson by slim vote in HD 17

With all precincts in three counties reporting, retired Augusta school administrator Russell Bean on Monday held a narrow 15-vote victory over Choteau businessman Jim Anderson in the Republican primary race for House District 17.
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