BOISE, Idaho — Newly obtained documents from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office are raising questions about transparency behind a major ballot initiative effort, while updated public records show changes in how millions of dollars tied to the campaign are being reported.
In documents Idaho News 6 obtained from the Secretary of State’s Office, five in total, the state raises concerns that the campaign may not have fully disclosed the source of its donations.
WATCH: Funding behind Idaho cannabis initiative reviewed in new records
But as of Thursday evening, public campaign finance records on Idaho Sunshine show a change.
What was previously listed about $1.7 million in contributions from the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho LLC now shows that money attributed to two sources: $1 million from Double Springs Ranch, LLC and $700,000 from Mike Tunney.
Both are tied to the family of Dr. Dori Tunney, who died in 2024 after a battle with brain cancer. Campaign organizers have said her experience helped inspire the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act.
In a previous interview, campaign spokesperson Amanda Watson described the family’s involvement and said privacy was initially a factor.
“This incredible woman, Dr. Dori Tunney, she unfortunately passed away in 2024 after a very brutal bout of glioblastoma. Our group is trying to finish the work she began, and I think for the privacy of the family, there was maybe the hope that it could be done without having to drag, kind of, that story into it. All the cards are on the table; these are Idaho people,” Watson said.
At the center of the state’s review are two connected entities: the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho PAC and the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho LLC.
The PAC is the political committee supporting the ballot initiative. The LLC, according to the campaign, is a for-profit merchandise business tied to that effort.
In correspondence, the Secretary of State’s Office questions whether that LLC was used in a way that could conceal donor identities and whether it should instead be classified as a “nonbusiness entity,” which would require full disclosure of its contributors.
Campaign representatives have pushed back, saying the LLC is a legitimate business, pointing to merchandise sales and operations.
Watson said the campaign has been transparent and believes it is fully compliant with Idaho law.
The development comes as the campaign says it has collected more than 100,000 signatures, with just over 70,000 valid signatures needed to qualify for the 2026 ballot.
The Secretary of State’s Office has also urged campaigns to submit signatures sooner rather than later to help county clerks manage the verification process.
The Secretary of State’s Office said it is still reviewing the information and declined to comment further.
