A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Greg Gianforte, as Intelligent Discontent has observed, could have built his website with Montana talent. Instead, he appears to have hired a Greenwood, Indiana, political firm, the Prosper Group Corporation, that “…[specializes] in developing digital strategies for conservative campaigns and organizations,” and brags about its relationship with Wisconsin’s union busting governor, Scott Walker, and Americans for Prosperity, of Koch brothers fame.
Here’s a screenshot of Prosper’s home page:
Gianforte’s 5 January 2016 C-5 campaign finance report records paying Prosper $6,400 on 18 November 2015 for “advertising and retainer.” Intelligent Discontent reported that Gianforte’s campaign paid Connect Strategic Communications of Dallas, TX, a total of $22,531 between 17 October and 7 December 2015. His C-5 lists the expenditure as for “website hosting and advertising.”
When I downloaded the source code for www.gregformontana.com Wedensday morning, I found the following comment:
That comment — which I never would allow in a website I coded — points to Prosper as the website’s author. Connect Strategies, I believe, just hosts the website.
Greenwood is 70 miles east by north of the Terra Haute home base of right wing attorney James Bopp, mastermind of the Citizens United lawsuit. Back on 8 January, Intelligent Discontent reported Gianforte's campaign made two payments to Bopp’s law firm.
Prosper says this about its founder, Kurt Luidhardt:
His unique blend of experience gives him a different perspective on politics and communication. His Midwestern values of hard work and service has led to positive and long term relationships with his clients. Those folks include Governors Chris Christie, Scott Walker and Mike Pence as well as current and former US Senators Ben Sasse, Dan Coats, and Scott Brown and Mike Enzi. In addition, dozens of members of the US House have worked with Kurt and his team — from Indiana to New Jersey to California.
Campaigns and Elections Magazine awarded Kurt a 2010 Rising Star award saying, “Luidhardt has become one of the GOP’s top thinkers in online campaigning.” His firm has won dozens of Pollie and Reed Awards recognizing innovation in digital engagement for Republican political campaigns.
Mike Enzi is a Republican U.S. Senator from Wyoming, so Gianforte did hire an outfit with experience working in a Rocky Mountain media market. I suppose one could say Prosper has experience working next door to Montana.
Gianforte is associating himself with some of the most reactionary people in America. That’s what Gov. Bullock and Montana’s Democrats should focus on instead of making the dishonest accusation that Gianforte is a New Jerseyite and not a Montanan.