On transparency, Montanans can’t trust Dennis Rehberg

Calls for transparency ignore his personal practices

BILLINGS, Mont. – Multimillionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg made a dishonest call for transparency on Friday despite his history of hiding lobbyist contributions, irregular online fundraising reporting filing and continued support from secretive special interests.

While answering questions on rightwing radio, Rehberg attempted to brush aside his history of questionable practices by calling for “100 percent transparency” in campaign spending—something Jon Tester supports.

“Every single dime [of campaign contributions] ought to be identified by the individual that contributed that dollar,” Rehberg said Friday. “And I don’t care if it’s a union, a corporation, or an individual, dollar one ought to be identified—and it ought to be done within the 24 hour period and you can put it on the Internet.”

But last year, Rehberg was caught hiding $25,000 in donations he took from registered lobbyists.

And despite calling for a 24-hour online filing period, Rehberg waited 10 days post his latest fundraising report online. That’s 216 hours late by Rehberg’s standard.

Rehberg has also benefited from more than $2 million in TV attack ads from secretive groups like Crossroads GPS, which are allowed to accept limitless anonymous donations. The organization responsible for secret campaign spending, Citizens United, endorsed Rehbergon September 21.

Tester voluntarily submits his FEC reports electronically and has introduced a bipartisan billto require all Senate candidates to follow his lead. Tester believes current disclosure requirements are “like farming with a horse and plow.”

“After spending 35 years as a career politician, Montanans can’t trust Congressman Dennis Rehberg,” said Montanans for Tester spokesman Aaron Murphy. “While Congressman Rehberg claims he’s for transparency, Jon Tester is actually setting the standard. And unlike Congressman Rehberg, Jon believes all Montanans deserve to know who contributes to political campaigns.”

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