JEFFERSON CITY — Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is facing a possible ethics investigation following the filing of a complaint involving his campaign for governor.
In a May 22 letter to the Missouri Ethics Commission, lobbyist and attorney Jane Dueker alleges that a political action committee formed to raise money on behalf of Ashcroft made an unlawful and unreported contribution associated with a fundraising appeal in March.
Dueker, who lobbies for police organizations in the Ƶ area, notes that the Committee for Liberty PAC split the cost of the mailing, resulting in a contribution of $5,244 to Ashcroft’s personal fundraising committee.
People are also reading…
That committee cannot accept amounts over $2,825 per election under state law.
“Ashcroft for Missouri has filed false campaign finance reports and the (Ethics) Commission should take appropriate action,” said the complaint, which was first reported by the Missouri Scout political newsletter.
An Ashcroft campaign spokesman rejected the accusation.
“This is 100% fundraising activity and has only been mailed to GOP donors from specific donor lists, so there’s nothing to her complaint,” said campaign manager Jason Cabel Roe.
Ashcroft, the son of former U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft, is leading in GOP primary polls against Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and state Sen. Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring.
But Kehoe has raised more money and has received a bevy of endorsements from farm organizations and law enforcement groups, including police organizations represented by Dueker.
In April, Ashcroft announced the Ƶ Ethical Society of Police, an organization representing primarily Black Ƶ police officers, had endorsed him for governor.
It’s not clear when or if the commission will take up the complaint.
The MEC currently does not have enough members to meet because the state Senate did not take up a series of appointments to various boards and commissions before adjourning earlier this month.
At least five complaints against other campaign committees were dismissed in recent weeks by the MEC because of a lack of a quorum.
According to the most recent fundraising report, Kehoe continues to dominate the money race. In the quarter ending March 31, Kehoe took in more than $556,000. His affiliated American Dream PAC raised more than $1.8 million.
During the same time period, Eigel’s campaign committee and PAC took in more than $572,000.
Ashcroft’s combined campaign and PAC totals accounted for around $509,000.
“The liberal Democrat behind this phony complaint is using the same kind of lawfare we see Democrats using nationally to target Republicans,” Roe added.
The winner of the August Republican primary will face either House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, or southwest Missouri businessman Mike Hamra.