Montana judge considers fine against political group
Montana judge considers fine against political group
HELENA — A Montana judge will decide without a court hearing whether to hit a conservative political group with a hefty fine for improper campaign spending after American Traditional Partnership's lawyer asked to be removed.
District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock said Friday he would rule based on briefs filed in the proceedings against the political group known for challenging state campaign finance laws and targeting moderate Republicans.
The state attorney general's office is seeking more than $300,000 in fines against ATP after Sherlock ruled in January that the group acted as a political committee that violated state campaign finance laws when it mailed attack ads denouncing candidates in the 2008 election.
ATP has argued it did nothing wrong, but two attorneys who helped make that case have moved to distance themselves from the group.
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ATP also has won recent legal battles over political advertising, prompting a federal judge to strike down a Montana law requiring attack ads to list associated voting records and another state regulation banning knowingly false statements.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/montana-judge-considers-fine-against-political-group/article_96a569db-112e-5dc7-96c0-2fe6893fe4be.html
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nothing will be done to ATP or the clowns in charge.
