Tester casts second vote for campaign transparency

Montana farmer support CI-166 in Nov., does Rehberg?

BILLINGS, Mont. – For the second time this week, Montana farmer Jon Tester today voted for a measure to require more transparency in political campaigns—while his Senate campaign challenged Congressman Dennis Rehberg to state his position on a Montana voter initiative that will appear on the November 6 ballot.

Tester is a longtime supporter of the Disclose Act, which requires any organization or entity that makes a campaign-related expenditure of $10,000 or more to disclose their contributions within 24 hours.

The measure is a response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s unpopular Citizens United decision, which allows corporations to spend unlimited money on political campaigns with no transparency.

Although the Disclose Act earned majority support, the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to move forward.

Tester’s U.S. Senate campaign meantime challenged Rehberg to say whether Rehberg will join him in supporting Constitutional Initiative 166 on Montana’s November 6 ballot.

CI-166 defines Montana policy to state that “corporations are not human beings with the same rights as human beings.” The measure earned more than 25,000 signatures from Montana voters—more than enough to qualify for the ballot.

“Will Congressman Dennis Rehberg join Jon in supporting this important measure?” said Montanans for Tester campaign manager Preston Elliott. “After 12 years in DC, Congressman Rehberg believes he’s more accountable to the corporations and special interests he does favors for, and Montana voters deserve to know whether he believes those corporations are entitled to the same rights as they are.”

Rehberg has embraced the Citizens United decision, which allows corporations to spend unlimited money on elections with no transparency or accountability.

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