Press "Enter" to skip to content

‘Dark money’ complaint hits HD 106 race with week to go before election

With less than a week to go until Election Day, a PAC involved in the HD 106 race is the subject of a new complaint filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC). 

The complaint alleged the Missouri section of Washington, D.C.-based Make Liberty Win PAC, the Missouri section of a Washington-based PAC, distributed literature promoting Republican Adam Schwadron’s campaign without disclosing the expense with the MEC. 

The complaint, filed by St. Charles constituent Courtney Kamp on Wednesday, alleged the group distributed pamphlets across the district since September without disclosing expenditures with the MEC. Specifically, the complaint said the committee failed to mention expenditures related to Schwadron’s campaign on any of its reports, despite naming other Republican candidates and identifying associated costs. 

“Today’s news is another example of why Washington, D.C., needs to stay out of St. Charles politics,” Cindy Berne, the Democratic candidate, said Wednesday. “I’m calling on my opponent to disavow the dark money super PAC that’s propping up his campaign and hiding its actions from the public.”

Marc Ellinger, chief counsel for the committee, said it had filed all its campaign expenditures and that the reports were up-to-date. 

The committee filed its amended October report Tuesday, detailing more than $27,000 in expenditures to support Schwadron’s campaign on Sept. 23. Previous reports filed with the MEC did not mention the candidate. 

The report showed more than $337,000 in total contributions toward Missouri races, including Reps. Phil Christofanelli and Mike Moon. The PAC focuses on supporting conservative candidates for state legislatures. 

But Berne’s camp said the allegation pointed to Schwadron being “bankrolled by secret donors from Washington.” 

“Adam Schwadron’s whole campaign has been based on law and order, but his most significant backers have a habit of breaking the law,” Don Soffer, a spokesman for Berne’s campaign, told The Missouri Times. “That’s something we think he needs to address.”

HD 106  is up for grabs as outgoing Rep. Chrissy Sommer was term-limited. The Missouri Times projected the race to lean Republican.

According to the latest MEC reports, Schwadron has more than $2,300 cash on hand. Berne reported more than $18,300 in her war chest.