Kalispell Chamber Cites Risk to Advocacy Work as Reason it Opposes I-194
Proponents of the anti-dark-money ballot measure dispute suggestions the measure would prevent businesses from supporting political measures
By Mariah Thomas
In 2025, Kalispell Public Schools passed its first high school levy in nearly two decades — in no small part, thanks to help from the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, which backed the district’s funding ask and educated the community on the district’s needs.
But this year, according to chamber president Lorraine Clarno, a ballot initiative puts the chamber’s ability to do that work again at risk. The initiative, I-194, otherwise known as The Montana Plan, aims to limit “artificial persons” from contributing “anything of value” to candidates, political parties and state ballot issues. Clarno’s worries stem from the idea that the information the chamber provides is something “of value,” and therefore, would be banned under I-194.
But Clarno’s concerns are complicated by the assertions of I-194’s backers that the measure would, in fact, help small business by taking away large corporations’ ability to exercise outsized influence over elections. The argument goes that rather than “paying to play,” the measure would allow for small business owners to advocate as individuals more effectively, creating a level playing field because large companies wouldn’t still be employing such hefty muscle.
The dynamic has created a landscape where each side agrees on the importance of getting dark money out of politics but disagrees on the correct approach. And Montanans will weigh in at the ballot box Nov. 3.
I-194 is part of a national effort — dubbed the Transparent Election Initiative (TEI) — aimed at overturning the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which opened the door to corporate spending in politics and gave rise to concerns about an infusion of dark money into politics. That term refers to money used to influence elections where original sources are hidden from the public. It often happens through use of a complex web of nonprofit groups and shell companies, masking the individual or business actually backing a candidate or issue.
Russell Cleveland, who works as the executive director of partnerships for the TEI — the group backing I-194 and other initiatives like it across the country — said at a Kalispell event stumping for the ballot initiative earlier this month that in Montana, dark money has made a splash on both sides of the aisle in this year’s election cycle. On the Democratic side, a question of who backed the mysterious Progressive Vet PAC that bankrolled Alani Bankhead in the Senate primary before it stepped out of the mix has plagued her campaign. And Republicans have battled with their own dark money web rearing its head during a heated primary election cycle. Cleveland argued the activity on both sides underscored the need for change.
Cleveland, formerly a business owner himself, told attendees Aug. 11 there are several mechanisms to reform campaign finance law. He likened passing I-194 to a critical base hit.
Clarno said the Kalispell Chamber agrees with the premise of getting dark money out of politics. But it’s the TEI’s approach that poses an issue for Kalispell’s chamber and some of its membership.
“I mean, we don’t think out of staters should be influencing and funding Montana’s campaigns,” Clarno said. “And there was good intent in this initial effort, but the way it came out, it now, if passed, will restrict the ability for businesses in Kalispell, including nonprofits, churches, everything, from providing education and information and supporting our schools, supporting our first responders and things like that.”
Cleveland bristled at the suggestion the measure would prevent businesses from supporting political measures. He pointed to Montana’s history, where the state’s Corrupt Practices Act of 1912 banned corporations from using treasury funds to influence state candidate elections.
“We did just fine with having some parameters in place around campaign finance,” Cleveland said. “So, it’s just reminding people that we operated in this way. I really do believe that this is important work.”
Even so, Kalispell’s chamber isn’t alone in its opposition to the ballot measure. The state’s chamber and the Billings Chamber of Commerce joined Kalispell’s as early opponents to the initiative. Cleveland pointed out at the Transparent Election Initiative’s Kalispell event that several of the state’s smaller chambers have either taken neutral stances on the issue or supported it. In the Flathead, both Bigfork’s and Columbia Falls’s chambers told the Beacon they don’t take stances on political issues and would neither support nor oppose the ballot initiative.
Clarno said there’s no expectation that individual businesses in Kalispell must all fall in line with the chamber’s stance.
“Businesses deserve a voice and they deserve the right to have an opinion,” Clarno said. “And, you know, we all feel differently about different things, and wear a lot of different hats. So, there are times when a businessperson may not agree with the collective board of directors’ decision, but they have every right to exercise. That’s what our country was founded on.”
And at the TEI’s recent Kalispell event, one local business owner found himself out of lockstep with the chamber’s position. Stefan Berry, who co-owns The Bookshelf in downtown Kalispell, said he attended the event because a friend encouraged him to. The Bookshelf is not a member of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.
Berry, nonetheless, views I-194 as an important effort. He feels that it helps level the playing field for small businesses like his.
“I just don’t see a downside to removing dark money from our elections,” Berry said.