Does dark money trail lead to legislator?

Sen. Bruce Tutvedt is living in a glass house and throwing around “Dark Money” stones. Tutvedt is one of the leaders in a “scorched earth” campaign against well-respected fiscally conservative Republicans around the state of Montana such as Speaker of the House Mark Blasdel.

It is interesting to follow the Dark Money trail that funds Tutvedt’s group calling itself “Montanans for Responsible Leadership.” This is the group that spent significant funds on mailers to smear Blasdel and other fiscally conservative Republicans like Mike Hebert here in Flathead County as well as others Republicans around the state of Montana. It is interesting to see their contributors, Harold Tutvedt, Bruce’s dad, is in for $5,000 and Bruce’s daughter Emily is in for $100 and is the deputy treasurer. But Bruce is mysteriously missing from the contributor list of Montanans for Responsible Leadership.

But wait, a group calling itself MT BASE (Montana Business Advocates for Sensible Elections) is listed as contributing $20,000 to Montanans for Responsible Leadership. Lo and behold, when you look at the contributors to MT BASE, Bruce Tutvedt is listed as contributing $5,000 on May 1, 2013. Is this hidden Dark Money? Is Bruce trying to hide his contribution in a Dark Money way?

Why has Bruce Tutvedt declared war on Republicans? Why is Bruce accusing others of using Dark Money, when he contributes to groups that appear to be manipulating contributions through a Dark Money scheme. Bruce, if you live in a glass house, you shouldn’t through dark money stones.

Jeff Larsen, Lakeside