Governor's 'dark money' bill hits committee

HELENA — Bipartisan foes of so-called "dark money" behind many attack advertisements in politics are facing some opposition from traditional allies.

Republican State Sen. Jim

Peterson discusses the plan he wrote with the governor to shed light on

so-called "dark money" in politics at committee hearing on Thursday, in

Helena.

Republican state Sen. Jim Peterson and Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock are teaming up with a measure that aims to force more disclosure on third-party money in politics.

They took their bill to its first legislative committee hearing Thursday.

A key GOP Senate leader used the hearing to criticize Peterson's measure as "complex" and "confusing."

And advocates of campaign finance reform argued that the governor's attempt to do so wrongly lets candidates raise more money.

Bullock has made the bill a priority after an election cycle that saw a proliferation of third-party spending and the high-profile case of one such group that refused to disclose its donors.