Making Sure Missourians Know How One Billionaire Was Trying to Buy This Election

And that billionaire is--no surprise--Rex Sinquefield.  Did you all see this from a week or so ago?

Sinquefield rep tried to get reporters to write for his PAC on the side

Here's the story:

ST. LOUIS • A representative of a Missouri PAC funded by wealthy conservative political activist Rex Sinquefield tried to recruit several political reporters from mainstream media outlets around the state to write copy on the side for its causes — a clear no-no among working journalists, as the PAC's representative quickly learned.

The public relations firm Skyword Press, representing the Sinquefield PAC Grow Missouri, sent out an email to several reporters in which it offered $250 per article for the journalists to write about tax reform, politics and other controversial issues on which the PAC lobbies.

Some of the offers were sent to reporters who regularly cover Sinquefield's political activities, including Alex Stuckey of the Post-Dispatch Jefferson City Bureau. Some of the emails specified that the writers would be allowed to write anonymously.

National media blogger Jim Romenesko, who wrote on the issue Friday, said others who reported having been approached include St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum and Columbia Daily Tribune’s Rudi Keller.

It's disgusting. It's vile. And it's blatant.

Fortunately, a government representative is saying something about it, if even without out-and-out naming him. This, then, from The Turner Report:

Schweich rips into Sinquefield during victory speech

In one of the best Missouri political speeches in recent memory, State Auditor Thomas Schweich rips into the corruption in Jefferson City and without mentioning him by name mentions "candidates who seem to be bought and paid for by one donor." Of course, the candidate to whom Schweich is referring is former Speaker of the House Catherine Hanaway, who is running for governor and has been receiving hefty contributions from retired billionaire Rex Sinquefield. Schweich will likely be an opponent of Hanaway in the 2016 Republican primary, but that doesn't lessen the truth in what he is saying.

Here's the video:


Missouri needs campaign contribution limits put back in place in Jefferson City, without question. This is beyond disgusting. And the change needs to come from us.