News Briefs

Pro-Parson PAC fined by Missouri Ethics Commission for violation

By: - November 17, 2021 11:06 am

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson during a press conference on Feb. 5, 2021 (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor’s Office).

The political action committee created to advocate for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson accepted an illegal contribution of $150,000 last year from an out-of-state group.

In a consent order filed this week, the Missouri Ethics Commission determined that there are reasonable grounds to believe the Oct. 2, 2020, donation to Uniting Missouri PAC from RAGA Action Fund violated state campaign finance laws.

The contribution was illegal, the ethics commission determined, because RAGA Action Fund was not registered with the state.

Uniting Missouri was fined $2,000. RAGA Action Fund was fined $1,000.

If Uniting Missouri pays half the fine within 45 days, the rest will be stayed.

This is the second time Uniting Missouri has been sanctioned by the ethics commission for violating campaign finance laws.

Last year, the PAC was fined $2,000 for failing to report flights on private planes for the governor to attend the Super Bowl and an event at the White House.

Though Parson can’t run for re-election, Uniting Missouri continues raising and spending money on his behalf. In October, the PAC reported raising $263,000 over the previous three months, with $175,000 cash on hand.

Since that October report was filed, Uniting Missouri has taken in more than $200,000 in large donations.

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Jason Hancock
Jason Hancock

Jason Hancock has spent two decades covering politics and policy for news organizations across the Midwest, with most of that time focused on the Missouri statehouse as a reporter for The Kansas City Star. A three-time National Headliner Award winner, he helped launch The Missouri Independent in October 2020.

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