Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.

 

2 July 2014

West Glacier real estate, investigation of trappers, sunshine on TV ads

It’s the hottest day of the year so far, and it’s bringing some of the hottest news. Below, links to stories on an important real estate sale at West Glacier, possible campaign finance irregularities by pro-trapping organizations, and a new sunshine requirement for political ads on television.

Extremely valuable West Glacier real estate changes hands

Vince Devlin at the Missoulian has the story. The Lundgren family sold its real estate holdings at West Glacier to the Viad corporation of Phoenix, AZ. A press release at Viad confirms the sale.

Compared to many gateway to National Parks communities, West Glacier is a sleepy, not terribly tacky, little town. That may change. Viad did not purchase hundreds of acres of real estate to preserve West Glacier’s current ambience. And it’s not likely that the kind of development Viad undertakes will cater to low-rolling tourists or be all that light on the land.

Pro-trapping organizations under investigation

Trapping is a traditional activity in Montana. It’s also a dirty, nasty, cruel, and unnecessary activity that ought to be banned. And now, reports Montana Cowgirl this morning, two of the major pro-trapping organizations are being investigated for alleged violations of campaign finance laws:

In fact, the two pro-trapping organizations are now under investigation for alleged multiple violations of campaign finance and financial reporting. According to a complaint filed with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, the trappers held a big auction to raise money they said would be used to oppose the trapping ban. Yet a review of the organizations’ filings with OPP shows that they never reported the $25,000 in profits they claimed to have earned from the auction–in any of their PAC or incidental committee reports.

Then there are these photos, which appear to show MT Trappers Association Vice President Jason Maxwell using a FWP trailer and booth to display its materials and banner–their banner opposing the trapping ban initiative I-169. If this turns out to be the case, this would be is a violation of state ethics and political activity laws, because state agencies and public funds/resources are not allowed to campaign to support or oppose ballot initiatives.

There’s more, and none of it is good.

TV Contracts for political ad are supposed to be online

Cowgirl also reports that beginning yesterday, television stations are supposed to post online all contracts for political advertising. There’s some compliance, but it’s spotty. The contracts reveal who pays for the ads and how much they cost.

Smart voters hit the mute button when a political ad appears and avert their eyes until the ad ends. They get their information about candidates elsewhere. Unfortunately, not all voters are smart.