JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missourians First has organized to challenge the ethics reform ballot initiative called Clean Missouri.
Although the issue will not be voted on until the November general election, it has already garnered a great deal of attention and is expected to be heavily discussed and debated between now and November.
Missourians First has assembled a powerhouse team, with former United States Senator Jim Talent serving as Chairman.
“Every person affiliated with this committee is in favor of good, ethical government, but Clean Missouri is attempting to deceive voters by putting together multiple subjects to hide its true intent – to change our non-partisan redistricting process in favor of one that requires gerrymandering and dividing communities of interest,” Senator Talent said.
Joining Senator Talent in an advisory capacity are legislative leaders from both chambers of the General Assembly. Senate Pro Tem Ron Richard together with Senators Bob Onder and Caleb Rowden are joined by Representatives Elijah Haahr, Shamed Dogan, and Dean Plocher; the legislators have all been leaders in instituting ethical government policies in Missouri.
Missouri mega-fundraiser Karen Mohan Day will be raising money for Missourians First, and Franklin County attorney Rachel Reagan-Purschke will serve as Treasurer. Veteran communicator Rich Chrismer will handle media relations, and political operative Scott Dieckhaus will serve as the Campaign Manager.
The bipartisan Clean Missouri coalition released a statement following the announcement.
“We are not surprised that a few politicians in Jefferson City want to protect a corrupt system where legislators can keep taking $900,000 a year in lobbyist gifts while ignoring voters back home.
“Clean Missouri is proud of its broad, bipartisan coalition, including former U.S. Senator John Danforth, Sen. Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph), Republican Rep. Nick Marshall (R-Parkville), former Senators Jim Lembke (R-Lemay) and Bob Johnson (R-Lee’s Summit), Hon. Paul DeGregorio, and other individuals, as well as the Missouri Conference of the NAACP, the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Missouri Faith Voices, the League of Women Voters of Missouri and many other organizations.”
Missourians First was quick to rebut.
“The so-called ‘Clean Missouri’ initiative is not about ethics or good government – it is a Trojan Horse carrying a mandate for gerrymandering. If supporters of this deceptive initiative really wanted ethics reform, they would not have deliberately placed this poison in the drink. Missourians First supports good, ethical government and we are going to do everything possible to ensure voters get the facts about the deceptive and dishonest ‘Clean Missouri’ campaign.”
