#MTGov Daily Rundown: Bullock Shows Hypocrisy as Dark Money Enviro Group Pours $500K Into Race

Governor Steve Bullock continues to "do one thing and say another" on dark money. On Monday, news broke that the anti-coal special interest group Montana Conservation Voters is going to spend $500,000 in dark money to help re-elect the governor.

"A Montana-based environmental group said Monday it will spend $500,000 to help re-elect Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and defeat his Republican rival, Greg Gianforte.

The Montana Conservation Voters Action Fund, a political action committee, will use the money to fund a door-to-door canvassing effort to encourage people to sign up for absentee ballots, and to vote in the governor’s race." -MTN News 8/8/2016

"Reporter Mike Dennison quickly pointed out that the Montana Conservation Voters Action Fund would be using anonymous “dark money” to fund the door-to-door canvassing — the irony being that Bullock has long been a critic of “dark money” used to influence elections but will benefit from it this year." -Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 8/12/2016

MCV claimed that they would report their spending on August 9, however, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported that, as of that date, they had yet to report their spending. It also doesn't change the fact that the money spent remains "dark money."

"But it wasn’t. The fund’s balance actually dropped from $17,854 to $15,673, according to the new report. If and when Elliot does disclose the money, it will still be “dark money” in that there is no way for the public to know where it came from except for an address in Washington, D.C." -Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 8/12/2016

Meanwhile, Governor Bullock has continued to decry this same of out-of-state special interest money.

"Montana has a history of clean and fair elections, but that history was tarnished in recent years by secretive, out of state, special interests who tried to buy our elections. The message to those who seek to hide in the shadows while using despicable tactics to con Montana voters is clear: you're not welcome here." -Governor Steve Bullock

Bullock has continued to face charges of hypocrisy on this issue as he campaigns against dark money, yet continues to benefit greatly from its use. During 2015, Bullock chaired the Democratic Governors Association where he primary job was raising corporate cash, much of it undisclosed. The DGA has already spent more than $1.3 million on Bullock's re-election efforts.

As chair, Bullock raised more than $17 million in corporate donations. At least $3 million came from undisclosed sources.

"The DGA group is called America Works USA. Records and public statements by the DGA indicate the group collected $3 million of the $17 million raised by the DGA the first six months of this year – but DGA officials wouldn’t confirm that figure." -MTN News, 9/17/2016

Bullock hosted multiple corporate fundraisers in 2015, while at the same time decrying dark money during the 2015 legislative session.

"On Friday, Gov. Steve Bullock hosted a fundraising dinner for the Democratic Governors Association in Washington, D.C.

The exclusive event, which coincided with the National Governor’s Association annual winter meeting, comes a little more than two weeks after Bullock criticized unlimited corporate campaign contributions and undisclosed “dark money.” -Great Falls Tribune, 2/22/2016

Bullock's own elections efforts have benefitted greatly from DGA cash. In 2012, The DGA spent $3 million in support of Bullock through the Montana Jobs, Education, and Technology (JET) PAC. The DGA is already spending big money on Bullock's re-election bid.

"In 2012, the DGA raised more than $50 million, much of that coming from unions, drug makers, insurance companies, energy companies and other corporate sources. That year, the DGA gave over $2.8 million to Montana Jobs, Education and Technology PAC, a political action committee that worked to get Bullock elected." -Great Falls Tribune, 11/21/2014