A version of this story first appeared in Capitolized, a weekly newsletter featuring expert reporting, analysis and insight from the editors and reporters of Montana Free Press. Want to see Capitolized in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up here.
The “war on coal” has long played a role in Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s pro-fossil fuels messaging, but a conservative nonprofit with secretive funding sources has recently been circulating ads suggesting the two-term Republican AG is fighting from the wrong foxhole.
Ads by 60 Plus Association target Knudsen for suing the asset management firms that invest in the coal industry, namely State Street, BlackRock and Vanguard. The latter two are the largest shareholders in NorthWestern Energy, Montana’s largest monopoly utility.
On tax filings, 60 Plus bills itself as an advocate for seniors. The association did not respond to a detailed voicemail left by Capitolized for this article.
A Knudsen source familiar with the ads said it isn’t clear if 60 Plus is working for a client.
Knudsen has a history of criticizing BlackRock for operating under a policy known as ESG, or environmental, social and governance standards, that can discourage investment in fossil fuel industries.
He and other Republican attorneys general wrote to BlackRock in 2023, questioning the firm’s participation in efforts like the 2020 Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative, which suggested that investments in greenhouse gas emitters be balanced with investments in companies that are reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Both BlackRock and Vanguard have since exited the initiative.
At the heart of the 60 Plus ads is the lawsuit filed by the Republican attorneys general accusing the investment firms of using their power as mining company shareholders to reduce coal production. The ads, however, say it’s Knudsen who isn’t advancing President Donald Trump’s energy agenda to prioritize electricity generated by burning coal or natural gas.
Four of the 11 attorneys general involved in the lawsuit have been targeted with ads. All are members of the Republican Attorneys General Association, a privately funded group that promotes the election of its members. Six-figure donors to RAGA range from major tobacco and energy companies to a nonprofit affiliated with Leonard Leo, a Republican influencer credited with trying to reshape America’s courts. Knudsen previously served as RAGA’s vice chair.
On its website, 60 Plus said the lawsuit will drive up energy costs for seniors. The coal lobby isn’t buying the explanation.
America’s Coal Associations issued a letter July 25 condemning 60 Plus for aligning itself with the investment firms. The Montana Coal Council, which represents the state’s coal mining stakeholders, signed the letter.
Tax records show that some of the same donors funding RAGA also fund 60 Plus.
Koch Industries, a top donor to RAGA, also funds Americans for Limited Government, which gives money to 60 Plus, as does Leo’s foundation, The Concord Fund, which does business as the Judicial Crisis Network.According to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a political watchdog, 60 Plus “has a reputation for renting out its services” to support candidates and issue-based campaigns, particularly in the energy sector.
latest stories
Former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester takes advisory role with Palantir
Former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, has confirmed that he has accepted an advisory role with Palantir, a data and technology company. The firm has drawn criticism regarding multiple governments’ use of its advanced surveillance technology and data-tracking capabilities. Tester told Montana Free Press that he joined the company because “there’s an opportunity to set the record straight on them.”
Missoula AI company sues city over data center restrictions
Missoula company CubCloud AI has sued the city of Missoula over a recent zoning change that blocks data center development within the city limits, citing the state’s Right to Compute Act.
New $900M St. Vincent hospital in Billings under construction
The new Billings campus on North 27th Street is one year into a four-year build that will replace the hospital’s existing facilities. Currently, that amounts to five separate buildings, the oldest of which was built in 1918.
