Montana’s Gamble to Rewrite Corporate Political Spending

The Montana Plan, or Initiative 194, proposes a fundamental shift in how the state handles campaign finance. Instead of challenging the 2010 Citizens United decision—which affirmed that money constitutes protected speech—the initiative asserts that states hold the authority to define the powers granted to the corporations they create. Supporters, including former state commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan, argue this is a matter of redefinition rather than regulation. The goal is to strip corporations, nonprofits, and trade associations of the legal capacity to spend in state elections, effectively cutting off the flow of dark money.

Tom Moore of the Center for American Progress notes that while the measure will not prevent individual wealthy donors from contributing directly, it would dismantle the mechanism of laundering money through opaque groups. Critics, notably the Montana Chamber of Commerce, contend the initiative infringes upon First Amendment rights and anticipate immediate legal challenges should it pass. Despite the threat of litigation, proponents like former Republican Governor Marc Racicot view the move as a necessary stand against the erosion of civic engagement, arguing that the state must reclaim authority over its own corporate creations.