Despite some mostly minor reporting errors, every cent is accounted for and correctly reported with the Missouri Ethics Commission related to PACs associated with former House Speaker Steve Tilley.
Filing mistakes were discovered this fall related to six PACs. Some issues were minor — the Conservative Leaders of Missouri PAC reported a contribution in July that was off by $1 — while others dating back to the founding of the PACs in response to changing campaign finance law in 2015 needed more work to correct.
For example, the Missouri Growth PAC failed to report all contributions made from July to November in 2020 as well as two contributions in January 2020 and January 2021. That PAC also incorrectly reported a contribution made as a credit card transaction that showed a $500 debt in the filings.
Both the Missouri CPAC and the Missouri Senior PAC had removed contributions that had been voided. The latter committee also erroneously double-counted deposits and contributions in July 2020 and October 2020 reports.
The Missouri AG PAC missed an expense in January 2020. The MO Majority PAC erringly reported stock contributions as well as interest and dividends. These types of filings can be more complicated because stock values fluctuate with the market.
Processes, policies, and experienced personnel are now in place to ensure future compliance, a representative of the PACs said.
“Most errors found were minor. Every penny was accounted for and match the general ledger and checking account,” a source said. “Steve Tilley’s only role here was raising prolific sums of money for these PACs.”
Amended October quarterly filings show:
- Missouri Senior PAC has $33,953 cash on hand and has brought in $52,333 this cycle.
- Conservative Leaders of Missouri PAC has $36,877 cash on hand and has brought in $47,333 this cycle.
- Missouri C PAC has $38,113 cash on hand and has brought in $48,333 this cycle.
- Missouri Growth PAC has $46,604 cash on hand and has brought in $52,333 this cycle.
- Missouri AG PAC has $36,722 cash on hand and has brought in $47,333 this cycle.
- MO Majority PAC has $45,876 cash on hand and has brought in $63,460 this cycle.
The PACs have drawn great interest in media circles because of their connection to the former Republican lawmaker. John Combest, a venerable news aggregator in Missouri, opined last month that with Rex Sinquefield stepping out of the conservative politics limelight, Tilley or strategist Gregg Keller could start to draw additional scrutiny.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.