Senator Jon Tester is under increased scrutiny following a report revealing that he held 218 meetings with lobbyists between January 2023 and August 2024, according to his public schedule. This figure does not account for meetings held between his staff and lobbyists, raising questions about the extent of his engagement with special interest groups.
Throughout his political career, Tester has positioned himself as a critic of lobbying practices, frequently citing his commitment to transparency and integrity. In his 2006 campaign against Conrad Burns, Tester criticized the influence of lobbyists, vowing, “I won’t sell Montana down the road by cutting deals with K-Street lobbyists.” He has even taken an ethics pledge promising to disclose all lobbyist meetings and to avoid their influence on his voting.
Despite these claims, data from OpenSecrets shows that Tester has accepted more money from lobbyists than any other member of Congress during this election cycle. He also ranked second in lobbying contributions in 2018 and first in 2012. Sara Bryner, research director for OpenSecrets, stated that “lobbyists are among Tester’s strongest allies.” Notably, at least one of his meetings involved a former staffer now lobbying for BNY Mellon, a major global bank.
A recent analysis by Montana media outlets confirmed Tester’s 218 meetings with registered lobbyists, though it pointed out that he has not reported staff meetings with lobbyists, which experts suggest account for much of the interaction between his office and special interests. Since taking office, Tester has accepted over $2 million from lobbyists.
In a recent post on social media platform X, Tester called for the overturning of the Citizens United ruling, which allowed for the creation of Super PACs and corporate political donations. Ironically, Super PACs have reportedly spent around $23.5 million in support of Tester’s current campaign, more than any other congressional candidate.
Concerns about a potential pay-to-play system were also raised following a $41 million grant awarded to the Headwaters Hub, a consortium of Montana tech companies that Tester advocated for. Executives from these companies have donated $30,000 to Tester’s campaign over the past two years.
While Senator Tester is known for his vocal opposition to lobbyist influence, he continues to be one of the top recipients of lobbying funds and Super PAC support during his re-election campaigns.
Tim Sheehy’s campaign spokesperson criticized Tester, claiming he has profited from lobbyist contributions while failing to uphold his ethical commitments. “Jon Tester is bought and paid for by D.C. insiders,” the spokesperson said. “It’s time to fire Jon Tester and bring in political outsiders like Tim Sheehy who can’t be bought to restore service, sacrifice, and accountability back to D.C.”
