The Montana Political Practices Commission, the state’s top elections and election enforcement official, has received two complaints centering on the Republican attorney general primary, including one regarding incumbent Attorney General Austin Knudsen. It also includes things.
Earlier this week, the Daily Montanan reported that Knudsen was seen calling Montana’s campaign finance laws “ridiculous” and saying at an event last Saturday that he had asked a friend to run in a partisan primary. This was said in an audio recording obtained by the news organization. as a way to raise more funds.
Logan Olson, a Republican on the ballot, is also Daniels County Attorney. Mr. Olson appears to have done little in terms of campaigning. Before the complaint was filed, COPP said recruiting candidates to run under false premises could be a campaign violation.
The Daily Montanan reported in a subsequent article that Olson did not appear to meet the constitutional requirements to run for state attorney general. State law requires lawyers to practice law for five years from the time of election.
Olson was not admitted to the Montana bar until September 2020, but some courts count his time in law school toward the requirement.
The Daily Montanan reached out to both sides, but they did not respond to requests to discuss this or any previous developments.
On Wednesday, Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, filed two complaints with the Political Practices Commission, accusing both Knudsen and Olson of violating the law.
For Knudsen, the investigation means another state agency will look into his conduct. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel has already charged Knudsen, the state’s top lawyer, with 41 ethics violations. The case is pending in the Montana Supreme Court, the official governing body of the state bar.
Knudsen, through his lawyer, denied the ethics violation allegations and said he was “just passionately representing my client.”
The complaint filed this week alleges that Mr. Olson and Mr. Knudsen apparently planned Mr. Olson’s participation in the race in preparation for the general election, in which Mr. Knudsen is facing Democrat Ben Alke. The purpose was to raise funds.
The complaint against Olson also alleges that he ran for office in violation of state law and is ineligible due to a five-year work requirement.
“Mr. Olson currently works at the law firm where Mr. Knudsen worked before becoming Attorney General,” the complaint states.
In addition to working as Daniels County Attorney, Olson lists employment at the O’Toole Law Firm, according to his LinkedIn page.
Mr. Knudsen filed to run for re-election on November 6, 2023, while Mr. Olson did not file for re-election until the last day of eligibility on March 11, 2024. As part of his application process, Mr. Olson was required to take an oath that he was eligible for re-election. Democrats claim his candidacy is a false oath.
Article 6, Section 3 of the Montana Constitution states that the attorney general must be “an attorney in good standing who has been actively engaged in the practice of law for at least five years prior to election and is admitted to practice law in the State of Montana.” It stipulates that
In at least some cases, courts have found that time spent in law school counts toward the five years.
The Democratic Party’s complaint filed Wednesday also notes that Olson raised zero dollars during the campaign, and that the report does not list any donations, fundraising events or travel.
“Austin Knudsen and Logan Olson both have the same financial director and campaign manager, Katie Wenetta of Burning Tree Consulting,” the complaint states. “This apparent link between the two ‘campaigns’ is egregious and likely illegal.”
The Montana Democratic Party is asking the Political Practices Commissioner to remove his name from ballots and fine Olson.
Meanwhile, the complaint against Knudsen asks that the Commissioner of Political Practice order Knudsen to repay any amount in excess of $790, the amount he could legally raise without a major opponent.
The Commissioner of Political Practice does not accept all complaints as worthy of investigation, but on Thursday decided to proceed with two of the cases.
