A seniors advocacy group on Oct. 7 sent cease and desist letters regarding two campaign ads for Montana candidates, claiming they imply endorsements that don’t exist.
AARP took issue with a Montana Republican State Central Committee ad about prescription drug prices that supports Republican Sen. Steve Daines and opposes his Democratic challenger, Gov. Steve Bullock.
AARP found similar problems with a Democratic Attorneys General Association ad against Republican Attorney General candidate and Roosevelt County Attorney Austin Knudsen.
Letters sent to both organizations say the ads illegally use AARP’s logo, implying the association endorses Daines and Raph Graybill, who is Bullock’s chief legal counsel and Knudsen’s Democratic opponent for attorney general.
AARP says it’s a nonpartisan organization that doesn’t endorse candidates. The letters demand both groups stop using the AARP logo in their ads, which AARP members have complained about. AARP says it will pursue “any remedy available” to prevent further unauthorized logo use.
Neither the Montana Republican State Central Committee nor Democratic Attorneys General Association immediately returned a request for comment.
