Montana senator’s priorities 'called into question' after taking money from defense contractors

25 June 2023

As 2024 races approach, United States Senator John Tester (D-Montana) is taking a page out of his former Republican opponent's book ahead of his bid for reelection, The Associated Press reports.

Per AP, while running against Senator Conrad Burns (R) eighteen years ago, the Democratic lawmaker "positioned himself as a fighter for the middle class who could take on a government that had become 'an auction where the folks who get representation isn't based on what's right but who can write the biggest campaign check."

Tester called out Burns for his history of being "linked through campaign contributions to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was convicted of conspiracy and fraud charges, and also faced scrutiny for working closely with lobbyists to craft spending packages," according to the report.

Furthermore, after accusing the Republican senator of "casting 'votes based on money that's passed to you," he slammed the GOPer, saying, "That is wrong, and it shows the fact that Sen. Burns has lost touch with Montana. Washington has changed him, it will not change me."

However, 15 years late, AP reports, "After Tester became chair of the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee in 2021, he received campaign contributions totaling over $160,000 from employees and committees representing the defense industry," adding, "At one point last year, 49 Lockheed Martin executives and lobbyists — none of whom had given to the senator in the past — gave Tester's campaign a combined total of nearly $50,000."

AP reports:

In recent campaign cycles, Democrats have faced calls to reject checks from corporate political action committees. But Tester is also under reelection pressure as he faces a potentially challenging race back home in Montana, where his small-town farming roots and populist reputation have helped him survive the state’s increasingly conservative tilt.

Republicans tried to defeat Tester in 2018, attacking him for accepting money linked to corporations, but he still defeated the GOP nominee, Matt Rosendale, by four percentage points.

Sarah Feldman, who is Tester's spokesperson, insisted, "Every decision he makes is based on one thing: what's in the best interest of Montana and our national security, and he'll never back down from defending the Montana way of life or defending this country from enemies that want to do us harm."

AP further notes:

Most all lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats alike, accept campaign donations from lobbyists and corporations. Two other lawmakers who hold key roles on committees that determine military spending — Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Democrat Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut — each took in more than $60,000 in campaign contributions from Lockheed employees last year.

Director of the Campaign Legal Center's advocacy for campaign finance reform, Saurav Ghosh, noted the fact contractors donated to the Democrat "after he received a senior role crafting military spending" is unsurprising — considering, "In some ways getting your voice heard in Washington often involves money."

Ghosh emphasized, "When you take money from an industry that you're responsible for regulating, that sends a message to the public that really calls into question whether you're making policy decisions that are in the public's best interest."

The Associated Press' full report is available at this link.

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