JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Attorney General’s Office investigation into Gov. Eric Greitens use of a veterans charity’s resources for his 2016 campaign is steadily moving forward with confirmation that several subpoenas have been issued.
On Friday, Josh Hawley confirmed that his office has issued 15 subpoenas in connection with the investigation. Those that have been subpoenaed include The Mission Continues along with their staff and former staff, the Greitens’ Group along with their staff and former staff, staff and former staff with Greitens for Missouri, and other undisclosed individuals and affiliates.
“I am pleased with the cooperation we have received thus far from individuals who have been subpoenaed and who have responded to our subpoenas and I am pleased with the evidence thus far that we have been able to collect,” said Hawley. “However, I would strongly counsel those who have or will receive a subpoena from this office to corporate fully, to comply fully and promptly with this office’s subpoenas and I remind them that failure to do so is a separate criminal violation under Missouri statutes.”
Hawley impressed the seriousness of the matter and that subpoenas are to be taken seriously several times. He said that everyone who is relevant to the investigation will be subpoenaed.
When asked how long the investigation has been active, Hawley declined to specify a date but said since his office had evidence.
“This is a very active investigation, and I imagine it will continue to be so,” said Hawley. “We want to gather the evidence right now, that is the focus of our efforts, to gather all relevant evidence and get to the bottom of what may have happened.”
They are moving as quickly and thoroughly as they can to get all the facts. Hawley’s timeline is “long as it takes to get the evidence we need to see what the truth is.”
The controversy began in 2016 when The Associated Press obtained a list of The Mission Continues donors the Greitens’ campaign was also in possession of.
The listed included more than 500 names, email address, and phone numbers of those who donated $1,000 and more to the charity founded by Greitens. The list also had names and contact information for foundations and corporations.
The AP found that of funds raised in Greitens’ campaigns initial two-months, 85 percent came from donors who gave to The Mission Continues. Throughout his entire campaign fundraising, there was significant overlap of those who also gave to the veterans charity.
Though initially denying that his campaign ever possessed the donor list, Greitens admitted that his campaign was given the list after the Missouri Ethics Commission looked into the matter.
The Missions Continues states that they “did not provide, nor authorize the use of, our donor’s information to any persons or groups for political/campaign purposes. Nor did we promote Governor Greitens for political office.”
The Greitens campaign ties to the charity further came under scrutiny when the AP reported that Greitens used a Mission Continues email to send meeting invitations to political consultants as he was preparing to run for office in 2015.
Federal tax law states that 501(c)(3) charities, such as The Mission Continues, may not “participate in, or intervene in (including publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for political office.”
While state Attorney Generals don’t have direct authority to enforce IRS laws, they do have common law authority to protect not-for-profit assets and address conflicts of interest or private gain.
Hawley mentioned that there are options of civil or criminal penalties available depending on the results of the investigation.
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
