Please follow us on X and Telegram.

The Yes! For Helena Schools organization continues to ignore rules and laws. There are debates all over the internet about how strongly people feel in both directions, for and against the bonds this organization is pushing for the Helena School District. We received a series of documents related to a newly filed complaint with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices. Reading through these complaints, they align with a previous article we published regarding sign placement. However, there is much more to the story.

Upon reviewing these documents, it becomes clear that the complainant raised several valid points, including concerns about reporting, transparency, and violations of local and possibly state rules and regulations regarding sign placements, among others. As you read through, you will also discover that other organizations are contributing to this campaign that do not appear to be following the law/rules either. To clarify for our audience who may not know, the mission statement for the Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) is :

“The office monitors and enforces Montana’s campaign finance laws, the ethical standards for legislators, public officers, and state employees, and investigates campaign finance and lobbying complaints. The COPP is an independent and nonpartisan office.”

Montanans Organized for Education, as stated in the complaint and evident from their website, isrun by Executive Director Moffe Funk and Deputy Director Jenny Murnane Butcher. For the statewide reader, Ms. Butcher was elected to Helena’s School District #1 this past spring to fill a seat on the seven-member school board. Ms. Murnane is no stranger to political campaigns. It would seem that not all the T’s were crossed and I’s were dotted on this campaign, which appears to be run smoothly, with a significant amount of donor funds. However, smooth is in the eye of the beholder. As the complaints show, there appear to be some problems here, and a majority of the issues are:

Serious lack of public transparency regarding who they are working with
Illegal placements en masse of political advertising signs, again giving Joe Public the impression that everyone is doing it, when that is likely not the case
Pay to play appears to be in motion with some of the donations they have received, notably an $8,000 donation this week from Dick Anderson Construction
Donations from committees that have not filed any reports, and in the case of MT Values Action Fund, they are
1. Out of another city, in a different school district, according to their address
2. Have zero searchable information online and
3. No contact information on the COPP campaign filing site, https://cers-ext.mt.gov/

We could probably go on all day rehashing this information, but let’s let you read these complaints for yourself. Some questions WE are asking. Who is Fireweed Campaigns? Who is MT Values Action Fund? Where can I find the reports for this organization? Who are their donors? They donated just this week to the tune of $7,000. Where did the money come from?

We also might like to know: Is there a conflict of interest with the new Helena School Board Member, Jenny Murnane Butcher? Given that she has helped the school board put a bond on the ballot for the September 9, 2025, primary election, and is also working for and with MOFE (Montanans Organized for Education) to get the Yes! Is the Helena Schools committee funded enough for Radio, TV, Social Media, Print, and internet ads? Text messages being sent out to the public are coming from MOFE. CERS reports from this complaint show MOFE has donated $3,416.14 in-kind to Yes! For Helena Schools (as reported anyway).

We believe voters should adopt a fair and balanced approach to things, but all that gets out is what the school district says it is. Ignore the wizard behind the curtain. They say it’s all good for you, but is it? Voters and taxpayers might want to become more inquisitive. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get answers. Real ones.