Eric Greitens Under Fire For ‘Dark Money’ Political Donations
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Nathan Guttman May 4, 2017
Missouri governor Eric Greitens, who ran on a platform of ethic reform, is now getting a taste of his own medicine.
The Kansas City Star reports that lawmakers in Jefferson City are forcing a debate over a bill that would provide greater transparency in political donations from not-for-profit organizations including one that is backing Greitens.
The legislation would expose donors behind A New Missouri Inc., a nonprofit set up by Greitens’ supporters in order to advance the Republican governor’s agenda. Donors to the organization were not identified since under current Missouri laws nonprofits are exempt from providing names of their donors.
The group, A New Missouri Inc., waged war against lawmakers pushing for the ethics legislation, including by running ads disclosing one of the state senators’ cell phone number. But Republican and Democratic state senators used procedural meandering to overcome the leadership’s refusal and to force a debate on the “dark money” bill.
Greitens, who is Jewish, is viewed as rising star in Republican politics but since taking office this year he has been criticized for lack of transparency in his administration.
Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
