Halloween

Things are getting real strange up there in Bozeman.  After a bunch of American Traditions Partnership papers show up in a meth lab, but the state committee administering election laws can't do anything about it cause, well, it was a meth lab, the ATP head honcho bleats that it belongs to him, which means the state committee can do anything about it, and then, well, there is a break in (thanks to ER's Montana correspondent, RN)

The basement is where the contested documents from American Tradition Partnership consultant Christian LeFer were held until recently, as had previously been reported in the news.

LeFer is seeking the return of the documents, claiming they were previously stolen before ending up at the political practices office.

Political practices program supervisor Mary Baker said the documents are secure, and previously had been moved off-site. The staff has not found anything missing.

"It is hard to tell for sure because there are so many documents here in the office," Baker said.

ATP is involved in several lawsuits with the state, which argues the group is engaged in illegal electioneering. The conservative group, actively attacking Attorney General Steve Bullock in a fake newspaper being distributed around the state, is also suing the state over campaign finance laws.

The tax-exempt social welfare group convinced federal courts earlier this month to suspend the state's campaign contribution limits, a decision reversed six days later as arguments continue in that case. That has led to turmoil in the governor's race over a disputed $500,000 donation to Republican candidate Rick Hill, who is running against Bullock.