Montana Democrats Clash Over Response to $253K Campaign Fraud as Consultant Awaits Sentencing

HELENA — A Helena political consultant who embezzled over $250,000 from Democratic campaigns and organizations across Montana will be sentenced on January 12, 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Abbey Lee Cook, 35, pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of wire fraud for systematically defrauding clients between 2021 and 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris will determine Cook’s sentence, with each count carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case has exposed deeper rifts within Montana’s Democratic Party, with elected officials attempting damage control while internal critics demand accountability from party leadership.

Political Spin vs. Reality

Days after Cook admitted to the charges in August, Montana House Rep. James Reavis (HD-47) posted a video on social media characterizing the situation as evidence of Democratic Party accountability.

“Democrats found someone stealing from them they helped bring her to justice and she returned the money,” Reavis said in the August 25 video. “I don’t view this story as an indictment on the Montana Democratic Party as a whole.”

Former Montana Democratic Party executive board member Jesse James Mullen immediately pushed back against Reavis’s characterization the same day.

“James, this is a wildly irresponsible mischaracterization of the Cook situation,” Mullen posted on X. “She is not ‘giving back’ the funds, she faces a court mandate to return the funds or face prison time.”

Mullen, who resigned from the party’s executive board in September 2024 over budget transparency concerns, corrected several aspects of Reavis’s narrative.

“‘Democrats’ did not turn her in,” Mullen wrote. “A single victim who happens to be a Democratic legislator turned her in while a GOP outlet broke the story publicly.”

Institutional Failures Highlighted

According to Mullen, the Montana Democratic Party continued recommending Cook’s services “despite rumors of her malfeasance going back multiple cycles, and likely awarded her no bid contracts simultaneously.”

The case reveals that other Democratic organizations failed to seek legal remedies despite “felony level amounts being stolen and caught prior,” Mullen noted.

Cook operated Abbey Lee Cook and Associates LLC, providing campaign compliance services that gave her access to client bank accounts. Court documents detail how she used this trusted position to make unauthorized transfers ranging from $800 to $15,000.

The DOJ press release provides new details about Cook’s concealment methods, including transferring approximately $26,000 between victim accounts without authorization. When questioned about a July 2024 transfer from one PAC to a statewide campaign, Cook falsely claimed she was “redirecting payments that were misdirected” but never provided promised written documentation.

Ongoing Party Tensions

The Cook case has intensified existing tensions within Montana’s Democratic Party leadership. On September 2, Mullen posted about the party’s upcoming state convention, writing: “We’re building accountability into @MTDems at our state convention in a week and a half. And we’re going to want honest answers to difficult questions from those hoping to lead @MTDems.”

Cook’s victims included candidates for statewide office and a current state representative, according to federal court documents. Previous reporting identified her clients as including campaigns for Ben Alke for Attorney General, Zooey Zephyr for State Representative, and Jeremiah Lynch for State Supreme Court, as well as organizations like Planned Parenthood Association of Montana.

The Montana Sentinel’s investigation revealed suspicious patterns in Cook’s financial filings, including excessive payments to herself and multiple amendments that could “confuse audit trails.”

Legal Proceedings Continue

Cook admitted to using the fraudulently obtained funds for personal expenses, including credit card payments, vehicle loans, and commercial property payments. The total loss exceeded $250,000, according to the criminal information filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus.

Under her plea agreement, Cook must pay $253,000 in restitution to victims and has waived her right to appeal. The FBI conducted the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus, with Cook represented by defense attorney Christopher Betchie.

When asked about Mullen’s allegations regarding the party’s continued recommendations of Cook despite rumors of malfeasance and potential no-bid contracts, Montana Democratic Party Interim Executive Director Justin Ailport provided a statement to Western Montana News.

“The Montana Democratic Party believes Ms. Cook should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Ailport said.

The statement did not address the specific allegations raised by Mullen about the party’s vendor recommendation processes or potential no-bid contracts.

This story was updated at 11:55 a.m. on September 10, 2025, to include a statement from the Montana Democratic Party.