Montana Republican Party Secures Restraining Order Against Candidate Lisa Bennett and Fundraising at Tomorrow's 'Politics & Pancakes' Event
Lisa Bennett is challenging Brad Barker for his seat in the House of Representatives and running to represent her precinct in the Carbon County Republican Central Committee
By Denise Rivette
On Wednesday, April 25, in Carbon County District Court before the Honorable Judge Matthew J. Wald, the Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) attempted to make permanent its temporary restraining order and injunction against Lisa Bennett (current candidate for state representative and Republican precinct committee person) and her organizations/websites GOP Montana and the Montana Association of Republican Central Committees. Because Bennett has so far been unable to secure legal counsel, the temporary order remains in place for eight weeks (until after the June primary), allowing time for her preferred counsel to return from vacation. Counsel for MTGOP did not oppose the continuance.
In obtaining the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, Emily Jones, counsel for MTGOP, asserted in court documents, “In this case, granting a TRO and preliminary injunction serves the public interest as described above. It prevents Lisa Bennett from deceiving the public regarding her activities. It further prevents her from illegally soliciting donations from Republican donors to unregistered political committees that have failed to file the required campaign finance reports. Because the public interest is served by granting injunctive relief and would be disserved without injunctive relief the Court should grant MTGOP's Motion for a TRO and preliminary injunction.”
The issues arose after the Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) claims Bennett failed to comply with a letter sent by the MTGOP in October insisting she “Cease and Desist All Use of MTGOP's Name, Image, and Marks /Fraudulently Holding Yourself Out as a Representative of MTGOP” and instead allegedly went on to obtain the fictitious name Montana Association of Republican Central Committees, continued operating the gopmontana.com website, represented herself to the Commission of Political Practices (COPP) as a compliance officer of the MTGOP and, using the email address compliance@gopmontana.com, caused official documents to be diverted from MTGOP to Bennett.
Appearing pro se (representing herself), Bennett stated she had not received the cease and desist letter and would comply with the order to take down her GOP Montana website. She claimed to be unaffiliated with and unable to answer for the Montana Association of Republican Central Committees (MARCCo).
The Montana Secretary of State has listed as members of MARCCo Karla Johnson of Absarokee and Levi Mceuen of Broadus. Attempts to contact them remain unsuccessful. Although the GOP Montana website was taken down sometime Tuesday or Wednesday, a website for MARCCo has been created using the same logo that was on the GOP Montana website and continues advertising the Politics & Pancakes meeting as a fundraiser. Before the GOP Montana website was taken down, a question on their “Get Involved” form asked “Why are you interested in Montana Association of Republican Central Committees?”
The order as it stands states:
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED the Defendants are temporarily restrained from 1) holding themselves out as authorized representatives or affiliates of any official Republican Central Committee; 2) operating any unincorporated and unregistered political committee; 3) raising any funds at the Politics & Pancakes town hall meeting scheduled for April 27, 2024 or any other gathering, with the exception of funds specific to Lisa Bennett as a political candidate in accordance with Montana campaign finance laws; or 4) engaging in any other activity designed to undermine the Montana Republican State Central Committee and its affiliates or mislead the public as to the Defendants’ affiliation with the Montana Republican Party.
Also mentioned in court documents is a complaint filed by residents of Carbon County against Lisa Bennett with the Commission of Political Practices alleging similar behavior against the Carbon County Republican Central Committee. This behavior includes representing herself to COPP as an officer of the Carbon County Republican Central Committee and signing and filing official documents on behalf of that entity. In March, in response to that complaint, Chris Gallus, Commissioner of Political Practices wrote:
In October 2022, Chris Gallus filed a lawsuit on Lisa Bennett’s behalf against Carbon County alleging the County failed to provide public records. On January 11, 2023, Gallus was granted an extension for filing a previous motion based on his impending appointment as Montana Commissioner of Political Practices which would “statutorily prohibit” him from representing Bennett. He was granted the extension so he could hand the case off to an attorney who did not have a conflict of interest. Gallus was appointed to the COPP position on January 19, 2023, and confirmed on February 14. On May 24, Gallus continued to represent Bennett by responding to the County’s answers and counterclaims with another motion for extension to find another attorney due to his “public employment creating potential conflicts”. Another extension was granted until June 10. On June 9, a notice of substitution of counsel and yet another request for extension was filed by the Plaintiffs’ new counsel, Del Post, of Missoula. No further action is expected on this case until after the November election.
Gallus has yet to recuse himself as Commissioner of Political Practices from the Bennett case.
On June 26, the hearing on the permanent restraining order and injunction against Bennett et al. will be held in Carbon County District Court.
As of 9:30 p.m. today, Friday, Montana Association of Republican Central Committees continues to advertise the Politics & Pancakes event on its website, and it continues to be advertised as a fundraiser. There is no mention of the event on the Stillwater Republican Women’s Facebook page or anywhere else on the internet when searched for various ways. Karla Johnson of Absarokee is the president of the Stillwater Republican Women as well as one of two listed members of the Montana Association of Republican Central Committees.
(Updated 9:38 p.m.)
UPDATE: As of Saturday, April 27, at 6:00 a.m., the Montana Association of Republican Central Committees continues to advertise the Politics & Pancakes event on its website, and it continues to be advertised as a fundraiser.