A coalition of former public officials is advocating to eliminate corporate money from Montana politics through a proposed constitutional initiative planned for the 2026 ballot. The Transparent Election Initiative (TEI), led by Jeff Mangan, aims to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which permits unlimited corporate campaign contributions. They seek to address common questions about corporate influence in elections with this initiative.
The Montana Plan, TEI’s proposed initiative, intends to modify Montana’s corporate charters. These charters are the legal agreements that permit businesses to operate within the state. The initiative would explicitly prohibit both new and existing corporations from contributing to political campaigns. Consequently, any out-of-state companies operating in Montana would need to comply with this regulation, restricting entities from channeling money within the state for political purposes.
In a discussion with Montana Free Press, Mangan explained that the plan would prevent corporations from donating to elections via political action committees (PACs). This ban would close the current loophole allowing individuals to anonymously fund corporations that, in turn, contribute to PACs. Though PACs must disclose their donors, the current system could be exploited by listing only corporate donors, who are not required to reveal their funding sources. TEI’s initiative seeks to eliminate this anonymous donation pathway.
During a press conference, Mangan addressed concerns about potential conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, describing the initiative as “a whole different section of law” that effectively circumvents Citizens United.
The initiative launched on June 18, gaining support from former Montana governors Mark Racicot and Steve Bullock, along with endorsements from ex-U.S. Senator Jon Tester and Rina Fontana-Moore, a former legislative candidate and Cascade County clerk. Legal drafting by Matt Cochenour, a former assistant attorney general, is underway to prepare the initiative’s language. The proposal faces several administrative processes, including reviews by the Legislative Services Division and Secretary of State’s Office, as well as a statewide signature-gathering effort.
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