Ryan Zinke SOFA PAC

Highlights:

Ryan Zinke started a Super PAC-Special Operations for America (SOFA PAC) in 2012

Zinke stepped down from SOFA PAC and announced his candidacy days later

SOFA PAC became Zinkes principal campaign committee and worked to promote his
campaign.

SOFA PAC used Zinkes property as its main headquarters.

SOFA PAC spent thousands against Zinkes Republican primary opponent.

SOFA PAC has spent over $175K helping Zinkes campaign.

Two ethics complaints have been filed against Ryan Zinke and SOFA PAC for illegal
coordination.

Zinke hired former SOFA PAC Treasurer as his chief of staff

TIMELINE
July 2012: Ryan Zinke begins Super PAC-Special Operations for America (SOFA PAC). He
promotes SOFA PAC on Fox News and claims he wasnt taking a paycheck for it but was doing it
for God and country. [Hannity, 7/26/12]
March 2013: From July 2012 to March 2013, SOFA PAC pays $26,317 in consulting fees to
Continental Divide International, which Zinke served as CEO. The purpose of Continental Divide
International is unclear. In addition to consulting fees, SOFA reimbursed Continental Divide
more than $3,000 for unspecified expenses and paid for Zinke to travel to the Republican
National Committee in Tampa and the Conservative Political Action Conference in Denver.
[Mother Jones, 11/01/13]
September 2013: On September 30, 2013, Zinke resigns from SOFA PAC. [Soforamerica.org,
9/30/13]

October 2013: On October 21, 2013, Zinke announces candidacy for U.S. House. SOFA PAC
promotes Zinkes campaign and establishes itself as the principal campaign committee of Ryan
Zinkes campaign. [Billings Gazette, 10/21/13; Campaign Legal Center Complaint, 3/05/14;
Facebook, 10/12/13, 10/16/13]
November 2013: Zinke and SOFA PAC use the same researcher potentially coordinating
research and SOFA PAC continues to rent a home owned by Ryan Zinke-located directly across
the street from Zinkes primary residence. [Huffington Post, 5/07/14]
March 2014: On March 5, 2014, the Campaign Legal Center filed a formal complaint with the
Federal Election Commission against Ryan Zinke and SOFA PAC. [Campaign Legal Center
Complaint, 3/05/14]
May 2014: In May 2014, SOFA PAC reported making $17, 260 in media buys against Zinkes
chief Republican opponent in the primary, Matt Rosendale. [Independent Record, 5/21/14]
June 2014: On June 30, 2014, Zinke filed a formal complaint against Ryan Zinke and Special
Operations for America with the Federal Election Commission. [MDP Complaint, 6/30/14]
November 2014: As of January 6, 2015- SOFA PAC has spent $175,278 to help Ryan Zinkes
campaign. [Open Secrets, accessed 1/06/14]
January 2015: Zinke hires SOFA PAC treasurer, Scott Hommel, as his chief of staff. [Helenair,
1/6/15]
Zinkes Hires Former Treasurer of SOFA PAC as Chief of Staff

Zinke Hired Former Treasurer of SOFA PAC as Chief of Staff. Zinke hired Scott Hommel
as his chief of staff. Scott Hommel was the treasurer of SOFA PAC. [FEC, 7/13/14;
Helenair, 1/6/15]

Company owned by Chief of Staff Received Money from SOFA PAC. Zinke isnt the
only SOFA staffer to benefit professionally from this apparent financial shell game. SOFA
paid out $86,499.85 over the past year to Battle Plan Strategies, a New York company
owned by SOFA treasurer Scott Hommel. Those expenditures were made for
administrative consulting, administration and strategy consulting.[Missoula
Independent, 11/13/13]

Zinke Reaping Benefits from Citizens United, Using Former Super PAC to Launch Campaign

Zinke Taking Super-PACs to a New Extreme. From Mother Jones: The point of
Colbert and Stewarts comedy bit was to demonstrate that the Supreme Courts Citizens
United decision had rendered campaign finance law remarkably flimsy-so weak that it
was legal for a person to start a super-PAC, raise unlimited heaps of cash from big-

money donors that super-PAC, quit the super-PAC, and then run for federal office
supported by that super-PAC...Now Ryan Zinke-a 52 year old ex-Navy SEAL and former
state senator who is running to be Montanas only congressional seat is putting
Colberts theory to the test. [Mother Jones, 11/01/13]

GOP Candidate Benefiting from Super PAC He Founded Takes Heat from Fellow
Republicans. But the decision by the group, Special Operations for America, to
support Zinke is not exactly surprising. Zinke founded it himself two years ago, and he's
now reaping the benefits of its support as he runs for Congress. It's not completely clear
how legal this set-up is in this post-Citizens United world. But it smells fishy enough that
it's raising objections -- not only from campaign finance reform experts, but also from
Zinke's fellow Republicans, who don't usually complain about the influence of super
PACs. [Huffington Post, 5/07/14]

Zinke Reaps Benefits of super PAC He Founded. A U.S. House candidate in Montana
is benefiting from a political action committee he created, leading at least one opponent
and some experts to question the legality of the peculiar arrangement. Ryan Zinke, a
former Navy SEAL who is seeking the Republican nomination for Montana's lone
congressional seat, created the Special Operations for America (SOFA) super PAC to
back Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign. The committee now backs candidates
who support the military and their first candidate is Zinke, a 52-year-old former state
senator. Since October, when Zinke announced his candidacy, SOFA PAC has spent more
than $70,000 on television, radio and Internet advertising in support of his campaign.
[AP, 2/14/14]

Group Files Complaint Over Super PAC Linked to Zinke. A campaign watchdog group
has asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate a political action committee
associated with Ryan Zinke, who is running for Montana's seat in the U.S. House of
Representatives. Zinke, a Republican, formed the Super PAC called "Special Operations
for Montana" to oppose Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Now, the group is
supporting Zinke with a couple of campaign ads. [KRTV, 3/06/14]

Montana Republicans Criticized Zinke for SOFA PAC

"Former GOP Chairmen Oppose Zinke." "Recently all three of us, all former state
Republican chairmen spoke out in opposition to Ryan Zinke's bid to be Montana
Republicans' nominee for the lone U.S. Representative seat being vacated by Steve
Daines." [Hungry Horse News, 5/23/14]
o "Zinke is Wrong for Montana, say Three Former GOP Chairmen." [Daily Inter
Lake, 5/22/14]

Former Republican Congressman Rick Hill: "There are Obvious Ethical Questions
Surrounding His Association with SOFA PAC." Rick Hill said "I have also been very open
with my criticisms of Zinke. To my mind, there are the obvious ethical questions
surrounding his association with SOFA (Special Operations for America) PAC and its
promotion of his candidacy." [Hungry Horse News, 5/23/14]

Former GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Ken Miller: Concerned with Zinke's Super PAC
Ties. Former Republican Gubernatorial candidate Ken Miler said: "I share Rick's concern
with Zinke's close ties to a super PAC that is pouring money into the campaign
promoting Zinke. Legal complaints have been filed because of the apparent coordination
between the Super PAC and ZInke, which is prohibited by law." [Hungry Horse
News, 5/23/14]

Republican State Senator John Brenden: "It's kind of like Nepotism." Republican State
Senator John Brenden said about SOFA PAC and Zinke "That arm's length situation can
sometimes get a little cozy. It's kind of like nepotism." [Huffington Post, 5/07/14]