The state has cleared a well-known Missoula gun-rights advocate in a charge he failed to register as a lobbyist, but fined the National Rifle Association for making that mistake in 2009.

Political Practices Commissioner Dave Gallik says that Gary Marbut and Montana Shooting Sports Association don't have to register as a lobbyist because Marbut is not paid to do the work and does it on his own time.

The two-year-old complaint followed Marbut's efforts at the 2009 Legislature making the state's self-defense laws more gun friendly.

But Gallik says that the NRA failed to register its lobbyist Brian Judy for that session.

Judy subsequently registered and the NRA and Judy agreed to pay a total fine of $500.

Associated Press

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