Freedom Principle MO announced that it had filed a formal complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, alleging violations of Missouri’s new campaign finance law, Senate Bill 152 (SB 152), by the committees Stop the Ban and People Not Politicians.
The complaint accused the two committees of knowingly or willfully accepting contributions from prohibited foreign-linked sources through the Global Impact Social Welfare Fund to influence Missouri ballot measures.
SB 152, which was passed during the most recent legislative session and took effect in 2025, amended Chapter 130 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri to prohibit committees from accepting contributions from “foreign nationals.” The term includes foreign individuals, governments, political parties, and entities organized under foreign laws or majority-owned by foreign interests. The law also requires committees to obtain affirmations from donors contributing more than $2,000 that they have not received aggregate funds exceeding $10,000 from prohibited sources within the previous two years (for individuals) or four years (for entities).
Violations can result in civil penalties, including fines and possible disqualification of ballot measures.
According to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission, People Not Politicians accepted a $500,000 contribution from the Global Impact Social Welfare Fund on September 13, 2025, while Stop the Ban accepted $100,000 from the same fund on September 25, 2025.
Freedom Principle argued that public records from Candid.org showed that the Global Impact Social Welfare Fund received substantial grants from entities with foreign ties, including:
- $8,945,526 in 2023 from Global Impact, a Washington, D.C.–based organization with international operations and funding streams that could fall under SB 152’s definition of foreign-owned or foreign-controlled entities.
- $2,303,834 in 2023 from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a Washington, D.C.–based 501(c)(4) organization that has received donations from Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss and other foreign-linked sources.
- $50,000 in 2023 from Der Action Inc., a New York–based entity connected to international advocacy networks.
Freedom Principle MO argued that these inflows, totaling more than $11 million in recent years, indicated that the Global Impact Social Welfare Fund had aggregated foreign-linked funds. As a result, its contributions to Missouri committees may have been unlawful under SB 152, which prohibits both direct and indirect foreign funding of state ballot measures.
“Missouri voters deserve elections free from foreign interference, and SB 152 was designed to protect our state from exactly this kind of dark money laundering,” said Byron Keelin, president of Freedom Principle MO. “By accepting these tainted contributions, Stop the Ban and People Not Politicians have undermined the integrity of our ballot process. We urge the Attorney General to investigate swiftly, enforce the law, and hold these committees accountable to ensure Missouri’s elections remain in the hands of Missourians.”
The complaint called for a full investigation into the committees’ compliance with SB 152’s affirmation requirements, potential civil penalties, and any necessary remedial actions, including the possible invalidation of affected ballot measures.
