Posted: October 26, 2012 at 7:52 pm

Missoula Money Mystery

Rick Hill’s controversial $500,000, it turns out, originated from the Republican Governors Association in DC. They wrote a check to the Montana GOP and the same day, the GOP sent it out the door to the Hill campaign.

But did you know that shortly before the RGA sent the dough to the Montana GOP, that an entity calling itself the ”Montana Law Foundation” sent $200,000 the the RGA? This shows up from the most recent report. Here is a link to that report and here is the screenshot:

The address listed for this group is the same address used by two Missoula law firms, the Boone Karlberg Law Firm and Datsopoulos Mac Donald & Lind. Boone Karlberg is the big insurance industry law firm in Montana and the former law firm of federal judge Sam Haddon, a Bush appointee and a major donor to former MT Senator Conrad Burns. As you know, Rick Hill, is a former insurance exec who made millions an insurance executive. There are also several Republican attorneys at the Datsopoulos firm.

I called both law firms and asked to speak with the Montana Law Foundation. Both said their firms had no such organization. That’s a problem.

There’s only one reason that a fake Montana group would donate to the RGA instead of the Montana Republican Party and that’s to hide the donation’s source. As the Center for Public Integrity reported this week, the RGA skirts state reporting laws by claiming it doesn’t need to report contributions in any one state because it is working in multiple states. It can simply claim any one donation was spent in state A and so it needn’t be reported in state B.

15 comments

October 26, 2012 - 8:40 pm shocked

But iI thought Milt was a Democrat!
October 26, 2012 - 9:38 pm Larry Kralj, Environmental Rangers

http://www.leftinthewest.com/diary/4782/tim-fox-throws-rick-hill-under-the-bus
October 26, 2012 - 9:58 pm Yvette

There are many lawyers at Milts firm, many of whom are hard right republicans
- October 27, 2012 - 9:25 am Cowgirl
  
  Good point. I’m going to update the post to reflect this.
October 26, 2012 - 10:16 pm Ben Tully

Gee, however did the geniuses at Lee Newspapers miss this. Good going folks. (Sarcasm more than implied.)
October 26, 2012 - 10:19 pm Elizabeth

Does the DGA skirt the same state reporting laws as the RGA?
- October 27, 2012 - 8:08 am Ben Tully
  
  Did the DGA funnel illegal donations to Bullock? No.
October 27, 2012 - 9:22 am rls4568

Cowgirl,
FYI the state real property ownership records show that the property on Main Street is owned by DM & L Real Estate at that same address in suite 201
- October 27, 2012 - 9:25 am Cowgirl
  
  Very interesting. Thanks rls4568.
October 27, 2012 - 9:33 am shocked

Maybe it is just a coincidence that Milt’s firm owns the building. Yeah, that’s it.
October 27, 2012 - 11:45 am Drifter

It wouldn’t surprise me if they haven’t at least pondered the notion of engaging in the blood ivory trade and looting elephant graveyards to raise funds.
October 27, 2012 - 1:55 pm davesfirstrodeo

Check your spam emails
October 27, 2012 - 2:33 pm Cowgirl

Another interesting tip came in: Apparently the Lind of DM&L is Tim Fox’s attorney.
October 28, 2012 - 8:01 am Cowgirl

This just in: the Datsopoulos firm represents the Montana Building Industry Association:

http://www.mtaudubon.org/issues/wetlands/documents/MT_Audubon_Lessons_Msla_Flathead_Setbacks_Report_2009_FINAL.pdf

Which Rick Hill lobbied for:

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/governor-s-race-rick-hill-seeks-major-economic-regulatory-reforms/article_db70d532-0abd-11e2-abec-0019bb2963f4.html
November 6, 2012 - 8:29 am Pingback: Corruption Defines Montana’s 2012 Elections « Political Gossip, Satire, and Analysis from MT's Capital City