Federal candidates required to file campaign finance reports 15 days after testing phase
Complaint highlights Fagg’s campaign activities for U.S. Senate could violate multiple campaign finance laws
End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller released the following statement after news that the American Democracy Legal Fund (ADLF) filed an FEC complaint against Judge Russell Fagg for operating a campaign without filing his candidacy.
“Judge Fagg is blatantly disregarding the law. Montanans expect more from their public officials, especially judges who are tasked with upholding the law. Instead, Fagg is skirting campaign finance laws, lying to Montana voters, and running a sham political committee for his campaign. Worse, it put his judicial impartiality at risk while he attempted to muster support for his candidacy. The FEC should immediately investigate Fagg’s shadow campaign and take appropriate action.”
The Violation:
- The Russ Fagg Senate Exploratory Committee is a front for Fagg’s Senate campaign. It was created several months ago but reports reveal that it is conducting campaign activities beyond the “testing the waters” phase, a clear violation of FEC laws.
- Judge Fagg has created a campaign website and accepts campaign contributions.
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Under the Montana Code Of Judicial Conduct, judges cannot raise money for political organizations. Yet Fagg has been raising secret money from unknown donors for months.
End Citizens United is a grassroots organization with over 15,200 members in Montana. Founded in March 2015, the group is committed to passing meaningful campaign finance reform and overturning Citizens United. ECU has endorsed Senator Jon Tester for re-election.
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