The AP has a report today on the state investigation into contributions to the “Integrity in Government PAC,” which has been ongoing since January. The PAC has been active recently running newspaper ads targeting Gov. Butch Otter and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, featuring crudely drawn cartoons. The Idaho Falls Post Register reported in February that the PAC’s $126,000 in contributions in May 2014, including several large donations, raised questions about the source of the money; among those identified as donating large amounts were an individual who had little reported income. Donations by someone other than the reported source would violate the state’s Sunshine Law.

Back in May of 2014, I reported that the PAC, which had previously raised just under $20,000, mostly from out-of-state individuals and couples but also including two donations from Idaho GOP county central committees, had suddenly raised $107,000 in a week in nine big donations, six of those from residents of the Idaho Falls area, and the other three from Utah and Wyoming.

At the time, Lee Ann Callear, the PAC’s chair and an Idaho GOP executive committee member, said she’d broken with Otter after the 2008 GOP state convention, when the party voted out Otter’s choice for state party chair, and said, “This campaign season, we are in an all-out war.” Here is the AP report:

Idaho PAC at center of scrutiny, investigation

KIMBERLEE KRUESI, Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Campaign donations from unknown sources to a north-central Idaho political action committee are under scrutiny from the state's top officials.

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden emailed a complaint to Secretary of State Lawerence Denney against Integrity in Government PAC in early January, warning that the group may have violated several of Idaho's campaign funding laws.

"It is with some trepidation that I make this complaint, because I was among those whom the Integrity in Government PAC attacked during the campaign. Just as any other citizen, however, I am compelled to inform you of these concerns," Wasden wrote in a Jan. 11 email obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.

Wasden's office has since launched an investigation against the PAC and declined to comment because it is ongoing.

"I believe that this, as well as other contributions, may have been previously examined by the Idaho Secretary of State," Wasden wrote in his letter.

While the donations sparked rumors in 2014, the secretary of state's office says no formal investigation was launched against the PAC until this year.

PAC treasurer Marge Arnzen declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press. PAC chairwoman LeeAnn Callear did not return requests for comment.

"I can't really give you anything," Arnzen said before promptly hanging up.

Wasden's complaint came several days before two Idaho Falls Republicans filed a similar objection filed to the Secretary of State's office.

Jerry and Carrie Scheid wrote that they believed the Integrity in Government PAC had several questionable donations that deserved examination.

"We decided to bring this matter to your attention and formally complain because we are tired of seeing a small group of aggressive eastern Idaho politicos making a mockery of campaign finance laws which are supposed to limit undue influence from the wealthy," their letter read.

Political action committees raise money for candidates or parties from donations by individuals or corporations. Donors can give unlimited amounts to PACs, but the PACs themselves can only give specified amounts to campaigns. However, PACs have unfettered freedom to run their own campaigns against candidates or ballot initiatives.

For example, the Integrity in Government PAC gave $5,000 toward C.T. "Christ" Troupis' campaign in 2014 — who was running against Wasden for attorney general — which is the ceiling mark on how much a PAC or individual can give to a campaign.

The PAC also spent nearly $90,000 on mailers, brochures and other related items at an Idaho Falls printing company. Roughly $16,700 was spent on newspaper and broadcast advertisements, and nearly $8,700 was spent on postage and miscellaneous literature all in the lead up to the 2014 May primary.

The PAC primarily supports tea party or far right conservative favorites that have long been at odds with the Idaho Republican establishment leaders. Tensions have peaked over the past few months as Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter launched Otter PAC, with the intent of supporting state and local Republicans. Opposing Republicans argued that the move was designed to oust non-establishment members.