Don’t let corporations control our politics

Just days after the Transparent Election Initiative (TEI) was cleared to begin collecting signatures for The Montana Plan (Initiative I-194), a coalition of corporate and industry groups — including the Montana Chamber of Commerce and Montana Petroleum Association — filed a lawsuit with the Montana Supreme Court seeking to block the measure from reaching the ballot.

The lawsuit asks the Court to intervene before Montanans have the opportunity to collect signatures and place the question before voters: whether corporations and other artificial entities should be allowed to spend money influencing elections.

Montana has a long history of powerful corporate interests trying to control our politics and shut out the voices of ordinary citizens. Just like the Copper Kings, these modern corporate barons will do anything to protect their grip on political power — even if it means trying to stop Montanans from having their say.