Ruling finds Western Tradition Partnership breaks laws and solicits funds from South Africa

Business may not be usual any more for Western Tradition Partnership.  Two years after a complaint was filed by Ben Graybill (pictured), Great Falls attorney and member of Montana Conservation Voters Board of Directors, just yesterday the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, Dennis Unsworth, found Western Tradition Partnership in violation of state campaign and disclosure laws.  Western Tradition Partnership solicited donations for political work in Montana promising that “no politician, no bureaucrat and no radical environmentalist will ever know you helped make this program possible.”

With a plan to spend $460,000 in Montana’s general election against pro-conservation candidates, yesterday’s ruling by Unsworth might put the skids on their planned operations in Montana.

Click here to read the article: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_f7cf251a-dd85-11df-9764-001cc4c03286.html.  It’s anything but dull and boring. In it you will find that:

• Western Tradition Partnership and their shell operations like Coalition for Energy and the Environment violated Montana’s financial reporting and disclosure laws in 2008 over dozens of political mailers.
• WTP appears to have solicited money from key people in foreign corporations in South Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom to spend in Montana and other states.
• WTP’s shell groups had Treasurers who were college students, one who claimed he did not know what he was signing (campaign reports) and never had access to the checking account he was supposed to steward.
• WTP’s actions raises the “spectre of corruption in the election process”.
• James Brown (Doney, Crowley Bloomquist, Payne, Uda PS of Helena) informed the Commissioner on May 20, 2010 that he was representing Western Tradition Partnership, and on or about June 20th said he was serving as general counsel for the Montana Republican Party. In those same timeframes, Western Tradition Partnership sent out attack mailers in several Republican primaries, against several elected legislators.
  * We’re not sure exactly how Mr. Brown could represent both WTP and the Republican Party when WTP was actively working against Republican legislative candidates in the June, 2010 primary, but maybe Republican candidates who were attacked in June should be asking for an explanation.
• WTP sent out tens of thousands of illegal campaign flyers in 2008.
  * They persisted their law breaking actions in the 2010 primary, and are poised to do so again.
• WTP’s shell outfits appeared to have forged signatures on campaign reports, filed late reports or no reports, eliminated the words” and correct” on their campaign reports before signing and under reported or misreported what they spent.
• WTP and shell outfits raise “money laundering concerns.”
• Claim they were responsible for electing 14 of 19 candidates, but did not account for the funds they spent to help elect these 14 people.

And don’t forget, WTP’s staff people have included former Rep. John Sinrud, ousted Tea Party leader Tim Ravensdahl, and former Rep. Dan Fuchs, among other luminaries.

Up next, a list of the races in which WTP worked in 2008 and 2010, so you know what seated legislators benefited from their actions, which candidates did not.

If you see campaign material from Western Tradition Partnership in the next 12 days please contact us at 406-254-1593.

The Commissioner’s finding is great news, not only for the future of fair play in Montana elections, but for pro-conservation candidates in this year’s election. Montana Conservation Voters is working to elect pro-conservation candidates across the state l with the support of members like you!

With 12 days to go in this year’s election, and the power to protect our clean air, water and land hanging in the balance, you can do your part to help us win a Conservation Majority by contributing today! We have just $5,000 yet to raise to pay for our Get-Out-The-Vote canvassers across the state and we need your help ensure victory on November 2nd!

Please click here now to contribute $50 to Montana Conservation Voters Political Action Committee! Every $10 of your contribution will pay for one hour of canvassing resulting in 10-13 conversations with voters about turning in their ballot or going to the polls to vote for our pro-conservation candidates.

For a Conservation Majority on November 2^nd!

Theresa M. Keaveny
Executive Director