JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – The governor of Missouri asserts that your vote might have been acquired by external special interest groups.
Following his signing of a new law that reversed the paid sick leave outlined in Proposition A, we questioned Gov. Mike Kehoe about his decision to contradict the voters’ intent. His response was…
When questioned about why he reversed a voter-approved initiative in Missouri that mandated paid sick leave, Governor Kehoe stated the issue was placed on the ballot using funds from outside the state, saying, “No one in Missouri brought that bill to the ballot. It was purchased and put on our ballot.”
To uncover the truth, Gray Media’s Missouri Capitol Bureau reviewed campaign finance records for Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, the organization supporting Proposition A. Overall, the group collected almost $6.5 million, but over half of this amount was provided by a single source: theSixteen Thirty Fund.
The top three contributors to the campaign are the Sixteen Thirty Fund, Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action, and Move Action. The last two organizations are based in Missouri, while the Sixteen Thirty Fund is a progressive group located in Washington, D.C., which has received financial support from a Swiss billionaire; this group contributed over $3.5 million to Proposition A.
Sixteen Thirty Fund provided the following statement:
The Sixteen Thirty Fund was pleased to back Missourians for Healthy Families & Fair Wages in their achievement of increasing paid sick leave and boosting the minimum wage. The initiative was led by a wide range of Missouri groups and community members.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund stated that the Proposition A campaign was led by residents of Missouri and criticized Kehoe for reversing the paid sick leave provision, stating, “The governor’s and Republican legislators’ choice to eliminate paid sick leave, even though it was approved by voters, is a clear assault on Missouri’s democratic system and its working people. Instead of honoring the wishes of Missouri voters, they opted to remove advantages that would allow employees to take time off to care for themselves and their families without losing income.”
The individual responsible for Proposition A, Richard Von Glahn, supports his initiative and the approval of Proposition A.
We are honored to receive support from any individual or organization that backs our goal of a more robust and healthier Missouri, but Prop A was created in Missouri, backed by its residents, and approved by them,” Von Glahn stated. “Governor Kehoe let down the people of Missouri when he signed its repeal. He is aware of this, which is why he did it during a private event, surrounded by corporate lobbyists, out of the public’s view.
A political science professor at Saint Louis University, Steve Rogers, mentioned that organizations such as Sixteen Thirty can direct funds to various causes nationwide without revealing their financial backers. This practice is referred to as “dark money” in political campaigns.
“Generally, I believe the public desires openness, which makes political situations somewhat less favorable,” Rogers stated.
Having worked on campaigns and studied them throughout his career, Rogers does believe that money has an impact on election results.
There was no structured effort directed against Proposition A.
