While other states with similar restrictions on campaign spending have overturned laws that limited union and corporate spending following the Supreme Court ruling in favor of Citizens United in January, Montana is still holding out.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Attorney General Steve Bullock is maintaining that the Montana’s Corrupt Practices Act of 1912 remains constitutional. From the WSJ:
At least nine of the 24 states with campaign laws threatened by Citizens United have repealed or suspended them, according to Jennie Bowser of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Only Montana is known to be defending its law, she said.
“Montana has a record, a history and a present that’s different from what the Supreme Court had in front of it,” says Mr. Bullock, a Democrat elected in 2008. “In Montana, we have a record that shows those expenditures did corrupt and do corrupt.”
After a state judge rules on whether to block the law the decision is expected to be appealed and could reach the Supreme Court.
Three plaintiffs have challenged Montana’s law since the Supreme Court ruling: Western Tradition, the Montana Shooting Sports Association and Champion Painting out of Bozeman.