FILE - Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, left, testifies during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 10, 2024. Montana's top political cop on Thursday, July 18, said he found no evidence that Knudsen violated Montana campaign finance laws in recruiting a primary challenger so he could raise more campaign cash. HELENA, Mont.
In the last three decades, both Democratic and Republican candidates have had token primary challengers, Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus found, but no complaints have been filed and the Legislature has not moved to change the law. Knudsen is facing 41 counts of professional misconduct on allegations his office tried to undermine the Montana Supreme Court while defending a challenge to a state law about judicial nominations. The case is scheduled to be heard in October.
“There is simply no evidence whatsoever in the complaint or on the record here that shows a payment or promise of valuable consideration was provided by Attorney General Knudsen, or a surrogate of his campaign, to Mr. Olson,” Gallus added. Olson also said he was genuinely seeking the office, the decision stated.