For Immediate Release: July 9th, 2014
Press Contact: Kevin Stamps, 636-208-6570, kstamps22@gmail.com
OPPONENTS OF AMENDMENT 1: KOSTER “CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT, YOU CAN’T COUNT ON HIM”
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri’s Food for America, one of the groups leading the Vote No on Amendment 1 campaign, today said the revelation that politician Chris Koster came out in support of the Amendment is no surprise given his political history, but it raises serious questions about his commitment to rural Missouri, both its economy and its people.
“If there’s one thing Chris Koster has been consistent on, it’s his inconsistency,” said former State Senator Wes Shoemyer, who is heading up one of the organizations leading the opposition. “All you have to do is look at his track record; he switched parties from Republican to Democrat following huge gains by Democrats in 2006, when filing legal action against the State of California Koster claimed he was protecting Missouri from California’s rules, but now he wants to hand our farms over to China’s rule?”
Shoemyer wasn’t the only one unsurprised. “I supported Chris Koster in 2012,” said Laura Umphenour of Nixa. “After the passage of Proposition B in 2010, he seemed to be in the news every other day cracking down on abusive puppy mills – now he comes out in favor of an amendment that could undo those laws passed by the voters of Missouri. I know one thing for sure, he can’t count on my vote – you can’t count on him.”
“Surprised, no, disappointed, yes,” said Former Lieutenant Governor Joe Maxwell, who owns a hog farm with his brother in rural Missouri. “The effects of this ambiguous law are so broad, you would think that as Missouri’s “Lawyer in Chief” he would be more cautious with his support of a law that could tie up Missouri’s court system and cost the state millions.”
Koster’s announcement, given from the headquarters of Missouri Farm Bureau, comes on the heels of one of the Amendment’s sponsors, Rep. Bill Reiboldt ducking a scheduled debate with Maxwell, citing Missouri Farmers Care – a group made up of corporate special interest and the driving force behind the Amendment – telling him not to attend. “This just raises more questions about who is really calling the shots,” Maxwell said. “You got outside groups telling legislators who they can debate, followed by our Attorney General speaking at a press conference called by one of Missouri’s most powerful lobbying groups. My question is who’s marching to whose drum.”
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Background
Contributions – From MEC Website
Smithfield Foods, Inc.
– Koster for Missouri – $20,000.00 – March 2013
– Friends of Munzlinger – $10,000.00 – November 2013
– Friends of Munzlinger – $10,000.00 – September 2012
– Friends to Elect Bill Reiboldt – $1,000.00 – August 2012
Monsanto
– Koster for Missouri – $5,000.00 – June 2014
– Koster for Missouri – $5,000.00 – July 2013
– Koster for Missouri – $5,000.00 – September 2012
– Koster for Missouri – $5,000.00 – March 2012
– Friends of Munzlinger – $2,500.00 – June 2013
– Friends of Munzlinger – $1,328.50 – June 2013
– Friends of Munzlinger – $1,000.00 – October 2012
– Friends to Elect Bill Reiboldt – $500 – January 2014
