Dear Editor: I-194 Won't Stop the Political Ads

Dear Editor,

Montanans are being bombarded with television and other political ads in this year’s congressional races. Voters should understand an important limitation of ballot initiative I-194: it would not stop much of the political spending we are seeing today.

I-194 restricts political spending by certain “artificial persons,” including corporations, nonprofits, partnerships and trade associations. But the initiative expressly exempts political committees, and its restrictions are aimed at state and local political activity—not the federal campaign system.

That means the federal PACs and...