Gov. Greg Gianforte’s annual 12-day Giving Campaign lacks transparency
Just Facts MT's last blog, Gianforte’s Charity Overshadows Governance, focused on the governor’s wealth and campaign pledge to donate his salary if elected. This blog takes a deeper dive into an annual 12-day Giving Campaign to better understand the network of nonprofits Gianforte is supporting both as governor and through his Family Foundation. For this blog, we utilized IRS records from 2005-2022 – the most recent available. Source: Gianforte Fam Charitable Tr - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica and State of Montana Governor’s News Releases
For example, Gianforte held a press event in December 2023 to personally donate a quarter of his annual salary to an anti-abortion institution to which his foundation donated $252,500 from 2016-2021. Gianforte said, “We love to support organizations that are pro-life.” Source: https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2023/nov/29/gov-kicks-off-12-days-of-giving-campaign-at-kalispell-pro-life-clinic/ What does it imply when Gov. Gianforte serves as a trustee for his Family Foundation that hands out about $10 million a year and has the means to donate his salary to an organization that shares his conservative views, and uses state resources to spotlight his conservative, Christian values?
How can we hold our government leaders accountable when they intermingle policy, politics, and personal wealth? While researching this blog, a pattern emerged with foster care, human trafficking, and veteran-based nonprofit organizations. The pattern showed that the 12-Day Giving Campaign provided a platform for Gianforte to highlight organizations with which he has a relationship. In many cases, the nonprofits were relatively new start-ups and less than 10 years old; many were launched in 2020. They were all recipients of Gianforte Family Foundation grants. Based on the policy issues, the organizations partnered with one another and highlighted support from the Gianforte Family Foundation. In several cases, these organizations are now embedded in state government agencies and identified as a resource to the public on public agency websites. More research is needed to better understand the flow of money between state agencies, Gianforte's business relationships, and his Family Foundation-funded nonprofits. We’re limited by data from 2023 because the IRS has not yet released nonprofit reports for the Gianforte Family Foundation.
THE KEY ISSUE
Just Facts MT research recognizes Greg Gianforte's three roles in making decisions: As a publicly elected official, as a family foundation trustee, and as an individual donor. While each of these roles is separate and distinct, they also are intermingled because the donations come from one person – Gianforte, the governor (a public trust); Gianforte as a nonprofit trustee; and, from Gianforte as a private individual. That’s a lot to unpack, but unpack it, we’ll try. Who is Greg Gianforte serving?
THE KEY QUESTION
How can Gov. Gianforte expect working Montanans to give, donate, or support a small group of organizations that are primarily faith-centered and funded by his own foundation? How can the public, through their own pocketbooks, be the primary solution to a wide variety of tangled policy issues, such as food insecurity, that require legislative and executive attention? Answer: They can’t.
Policymaking Authority and Administrative Powers of Governor From Montana law: “…the governor is the chief executive officer of the state. Subject to the constitution and law of this state, the governor shall formulate and administer the policies of the executive branch of state government. In the execution of these policies, the governor has full powers of supervision, approval, direction, and appointment over all departments and their units, …”. Source: Montana Code Annotated 2-15-103. Policymaking authority and administrative powers of governor
What is a Trustee for a Family Foundation? “A Trustee for a Family Foundation holds a fiduciary responsibility to oversee and manage the operations of the foundation. This includes making decisions on how the foundation’s assets are invested, determining which organizations or causes will receive funding, and ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations.” Source: Understanding the Role of a Trustee in a Family Foundation - Members Trust Company
What is a personal charitable contribution deduction? “You may deduct charitable contributions of money or property made to qualified organizations if you itemize your deductions.” (Gianforte can deduct from his taxes his donation of salary to nonprofits.)
Source: Charitable Contribution Deductions | Internal Revenue Service
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