JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Tom Schweich’s campaign committee has dispersed $479,752.01 back to donors of the late auditor’s campaign committee for governor.
Schweich’s April quarterly Missouri Ethics Commission report shows that disbursements began in late March, roughly one month after the then-State Auditor took his own life in his Clayton home.
Schweich’s campaign committee has refunded donations ranging from $2,000 dollars to donations topping the $37,000 mark. The total refunds to donors so far exceed Schweich’s fundraising totals in the first quarter. Schweich raised nearly $400,000 before his death.
State auditor Tom Schweich former U.S. Senator Jack Danforth and prominent donor Sam Fox were the recipients of largest refunds.
Schweich was steaming toward a primary fight with former Missouri House Speaker Catherine Hanaway in the race for governor before his abrupt suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound in February. Schweich claimed in the days and weeks leading up to his death that he was the target of an anti-Semitic “whisper campaign” against him.
Missouri politicos were still reeling from Schweich’s death when his spokesperson, Spence Jackson, took his own life a few weeks later in his Jefferson City apartment, citing fears of pending unemployment as a political operative.
Currently, Hanaway is still pursuing the nomination for governor and is expected to face a potentially crowded primary. Former state Rep. Randy Asbury is seeking the nomination, and speculation is rampant that several more candidates are mulling entering the race including businessman John Brunner, Sen. Mike Parson, and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
