Ad to Pay Trustee Candidates to Unseat Current Trustees Runs Afoul of Montana Campaign Laws

An ad placed by Realtor John Suprock offering money to anyone who could replace school trustees Toni Rehbein, Scott Bixler, Joe Toth or Drake Lemm may have run foul of Montana State law.

"Mr. Suprock had put an ad in the Missoulian, and had basically said that he would give a $10,000 contribution to any school trustee candidate that would unseat one of three trustees currently on the school board," said Office of Political Practices spokeswoman Mary Baker. "We asked Mr. Bixler to send us a copy of the ad so we could see it. Then we called Mr. Suprock and let him know that  a $10,000 contribution exceeded the allowed limits of $300."

Baker says she received an official complaint on March 27. The complaint paper work appeared to be in proper order.

The Political Practices Office has five days to determine weather the complaint has merit and, if so, then a notice will be sent to Mr. Suprock. Once notified, Suprock will have 20 to 30 days to respond to the complaint.