Affiliation Disclosure Disorder

There seems to be a serious disease infecting Democrat political candidates in the Helena area: Affiliation Disclosure Disorder. This new and relatively perplexing affliction is most recently evidenced by the lack of the legally required disclaimer on the radio ads for two high profile, very Democrat candidates – Joe Cohenour and Mary Caferro.

In Joe’s case, I can understand his desire to distance himself from his party. House District 78 was one of the few local districts that went into the McCain/Palin column last election – it’s no longer a guaranteed D win. In addition, there was a concerted effort by the Democrats to find a viable candidate to oppose him in the primary. Having lost the school board election four years ago, Joe probably knows that he can’t count on the usual suspects and loyal district Dems to get him that coveted extra chance to feed at the public trough, so he must have figured that his best bet is to distance himself from a party that doesn’t really want him and hope that enough “undeclared” voters will see his name on the ballot and put name recognition over party designation in the primary.

As for Mary, I can’t quite figure it out. Certainly, it can’t be an oversight – she’s played in the sandbox for too long to claim that she doesn’t know the rules. And Senate District 40 is pretty much a safe liberal bastion in the heart of the People’s Republic of Helena – so she can’t be trying to avoid the cooties, as it were. Distancing herself from any possible similarity to Dave Gallik has merit, but is hardly definitive as conclusive proof of her susceptibility to the contagion.

It’s a puzzelment, for sure. Why are these two fairly well-known Democrats now suddenly adverse to proclaiming their long-time liberal ties? Why is Joe not proudly touting himself as a Democrat candidate for HD 78? How come Mary’s radio spots don’t end with the mandated party affiliation?

Sudden onslaught ADD. Hmmm…. Could it be fatal?

11 thoughts on “Affiliation Disclosure Disorder

  1. MCA 13-35-225 Emphasis mine.
    (2) Communications in a partisan election financed by a candidate or a political committee organized on the candidate’s behalf must state the candidate’s party affiliation or include the party symbol.

    Why did I know that statute number without having to search for it 🙂

    Perhaps the HD84 challenger should read the disclaimer laws also. Particularly 13-35-225 (1) All communications advocating the success or defeat of a candidate, political party, or ballot issue through any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, direct mailing, poster, handbill, bumper sticker, internet website, or other form of general political advertising must clearly and conspicuously include the attribution “paid for by” followed by the name and address of the person who made or financed the expenditure for the communication. When a candidate or a candidate’s campaign finances the expenditure, the attribution must be the name and the address of the candidate or the candidate’s campaign.

    And finally, this link to material on the Political Practices website:
    http://politicalpractices.mt.gov/content/pdf/5cfp/Disclaimer_brochure.pdf

    Now you’re an expert 🙂

  2. Well, if we’re going to get picky about those little details, maybe we also ought to mention that Mary Caferro is NOT running for HD 80. Seems she’s recycling her yard signs from last election.

  3. On her report to the CPP hope she will show that as her in-kind contribution to her current campaign along with a fair estimate of the value.

  4. Why can’t the HD84 challenger follow the law? I saw the nice big mailer he sent out and, while he does have an address on there as part of a disclaimer, he does not have the words “Paid for by”. None of the 4×8’s he has up all over town have ANY disclaimer on them.

  5. Probably because he and the others mentioned above who are ignoring the campaign practices laws know that there is very little the COPP can or will do.

  6. But that gets their names in the paper. I have another idea. See you tomorrow night and you’ll find out.

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