Kalispell man says 2 GOP groups failed to disclose contributions

Complaints have been filed with the state Office of Commissioner of Political Practices alleging that the Flathead County Republican Central Committee and the Flathead County Republican Women's Club failed to submit financial reports last year.

The complaints were filed last week by Richard Kuhl, a Kalispell resident who has long been active in Flathead County Democratic politics.

Kuhl contends that between Jan. 1 and May 20, 2006, Semitool founder Raymon Thompson donated $30,000 to Excellence In Voting, a political action committee that he chairs.

Between June 22 and Oct. 21, the PAC donated $22,000 to the Flathead County Republican Central Committee. Republican candidates filed papers disclosing that they each received as much as $500 from the central committee and the women's club, but neither organization filed the reports disclosing those contributions, according to Kuhl's complaints.

Bob Keenan, chairman of the central committee, said he was made aware of the situation last week. Reports were prepared and sent Friday to Helena, he said, adding that the women's club also submitted reports.

"It's all been filed now," he said in a Monday phone interview from the Commissioner on Political Practices Office in Helena, where he was in town for legislative business and following up to make sure the documents were satisfactory.

Keenan said failure to file the documents was an oversight, partly because of recent transitions among central-committee officers.

"We've had four treasurers in just the last few years," he said.

Keenan said Kuhl's complaints will be considered by Commissioner Dennis Unsworth, and "it's possible" that fines could be levied against the two Republican organizations.