Table of Contents
.jpg?table=block&id=37a5280f-62fa-8037-8b62-e9a6bcedffc1&cache=v2)
Do not index
I-194 Will Demand Transparency in MT Elections
Rep. Tom Millett (R-Marion, HD 2) recently submitted a guest opinion outlining several concerns regarding I-194, commonly known as The Montana Plan.
Rep. Millett notes that I-194 would prevent MT entities and “possibly some out-of-state organizations from contributing to or spending money on state and local campaigns.” To make it very clear, I-194 would impact foreign, out-of-state, and in-state entities in exactly the same way. We already have well-established state law that all corporations, whether in-state or out-of-state, operate under the same set of rules when conducting business in Montana. I-194 uses our robust state corporate law wisely.
Rep. Millett notes: “Wealthy business owners, executives, and nonprofit leaders could still spend large sums of money personally, simply shifting political influence from corporate accounts to billionaire donors...” Frankly, he’s right. I-194 does not infringe on an individual’s personal freedom to financially contribute during elections. However, I-194 does require the individual’s contribution to be transparent and public knowledge. We deserve to know who is influencing our elections, and right now, we don’t.
He’s concerned about PACs. What he doesn’t acknowledge is that PACs already have strict laws that require transparency regarding their donors. This would not change with I-194; however, the initiative would take it a step further by preventing PACs from receiving money from any entity besides an individual. PACs could no longer be used to hide the source of large sums of money.
Rep. Millett discussed federal elections and the Montana Plan. It’s true that the Montana Plan does anticipate litigation, as no one expects corporations to just roll over when they will no longer be able to buy our candidates and influence our elections.
He’s also right that I-194 is currently a statutory initiative; however, the Montana Supreme Court has already determined this initiative’s language constitutionally sound (Filed 4/24/26; Case Number: OP 26-0170).
Rep. Millett is misrepresenting I-194 and his straw man arguments are easily refuted. As he says, “The devil is in the details.” We should be skeptical of politicians who oppose an initiative that will open the door for Montanans to take our elections back into our own hands.
Visit sign.mttei.org for petition information.
Beca Holmquist