Attorney General Chris Koster (D), the party’s nominee for Governor, speaking at a GOTV kickoff rally in Kansas City – October 29, 2016.
Chris Koster, the 2016 Democratic Party nominee for Governor of Missouri, in Kansas City on October 29, 2016:
Chris Koster (D): ….and to try and bring this state together again. You know, government, government is a word we use as a synonym for cooperation. When they built that state capitol, a hundred years, down on the river in Jefferson City it was a building that was built so that we had a place to go and cooperate. Government is a synonym for cooperation. And when you’ve got a wing, one wing, part of the Republican party that has declared war on cooperation in this state, what path do any of us have forward? [voice: “No path.”] Our only path is to bring people together. [voices: “Right.”]
And I’m running against a gentleman who came out of nowhere about six months ago with this machine gun [laughter] firing into the distance and then this big explosion out in the distance. And, have you ever seen this commercial? The fireball goes up like thirty feet in the air. And all over the State of Missouri people ask me, ‘What’s that thing blowing up in the distance?’ And I tell them, ‘It’s the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, folks.’ [laughter, applause]
There’s no doubt that Missouri does want change. But the change that they want is not war on cooperation. The change that they want is not a my way or the highway attitude. The change they want is bringing people together. The change they want is real progress. The change they want is communication and cooperation between communities….
That explosion was Missouri. And Eric Greitens (r) had a lot of help.
On Saturday afternoon Missouri Democrats held a get out the vote kickoff rally at Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s campaign office in Kansas City. Several statewide office holders and candidates, local office holders and candidates, and approximately two hundred activists and volunteers were in attendance.
Attorney General Chris Koster (D), the party’s nominee for Governor, speaking at a GOTV kickoff rally in Kansas City – October 29, 2016.
Chris Koster, the Democratic Party nominee for Governor:
(left to right) Judy Baker, Kansas City Mayor Sly James, Russ Carnahan, Secretary of State Jason Kander, Chris Koster, Jackson County Executive Frank White, Representative Emanuel Cleaver.
C041325 10/21/2016 DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION-MISSOURI Democratic Governors Association 1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100, Suite 1100 Washington DC 20005 10/20/2016 $150,000.00
C041325 10/21/2016 DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION-MISSOURI Democratic Governors Association 1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100, Suite 1100 Washington DC 20005 10/20/2016 $400,000.00
C041325 10/21/2016 DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION-MISSOURI Democratic Governors Association 1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100, Suite 1100 Washington DC 20005 10/20/2016 $450,000.00
On Eric Greitens’ (r) now legendary transparency, a press release from Chris Koster’s (D) 2016 gubernatorial campaign:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15th, 2016
[….]
Statement: Eric Greitens’ “SEALs For Truth” is Funded By Dark Money Organization
St. Louis – Today, SEALs For Truth, a mysterious organization, and Eric Greitens’ largest donor, disclosed their list of “donors” to the public. Instead of a list of individuals, the organization was completely funded by a single organization called the “American Policy Coalition”. It is just one anonymous group funneling money to another anonymous group – a Russian nesting doll of campaign finance.
In the Republican Primary, Greitens claimed the donors behind SEALs For Truth were “Naval special warfare, Navy SEALs, and special warfare combatant crewmen who were also part of Naval Special Warfare, who saw what was happening in [his] campaign.” MEC filings show that was a lie.
David Turner, spokesman for the Koster campaign, delivered the following statement:
“Eric Greitens lied to the people of Missouri. He is running a campaign with no regard for ethics or integrity. This FEC disclosure further proves his only interest is furthering his own political ambitions. With more than 70% of his donations outside of Missouri, and more obscured through legal entities and dark money groups, his pledge to clean up corruption is a complete and utter joke. What’s worse is that he continues to mislead Missourians by refusing to release his tax returns. I have one word to describe Eric Greitens on ethics: pathetic.”
The American Policy Coalition? “SEALs for Truth” and the “American Policy Coalition” don’t show up in any searches at the Missouri Ethics Commission.
The October quarterly filing [pdf] for “SEALs for Truth” with the Federal Election Commission lists a single $2,000,000.00 contribution from the “American Policy Coalition, Inc.” in Washington, D.C.:
SCHEDULE A
ITEMIZED RECEIPTS
All Listed Line Numbers
Committee: SEALS FOR TRUTH
Contributor’s Name Contributor’s Address Employer/Occupation Memo/Description Memo Text Date Amount ($) Aggregate ($) Limits American Policy Coalition, Inc. P.O. Box 26445 Washington, DC 20001 07/18/2016 2000000.00 2000000.00
[emphasis added]
That’s it. One $2,000,000.00 contribution, of which all but $25,000.00 was passed through to Eric Greitens’ (r) 2016 gubernatorial campaign.
The disbursements for “SEALs for Truth” filed with the Federal Election Commission:
SCHEDULE B
ITEMIZED DISBURSEMENTS
All Listed Line Numbers
Committee: SEALS FOR TRUTH Disbursement To Address Election Type Date of Disbursement Extra Description Amount This Period Text Memo Clark Hill PLC 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW Suite 1000 N. Bldg Washington, DC 20004 07/25/2016 Legal fees 3295.50
Clark Hill PLC 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW Suite 1000 N. Bldg Washington, DC 20004 09/01/2016 Legal fees 3010.00
Jackson-Alvarez Group 7777 Leesburg Pike Suite 407N Falls Church, Virginia 22043 09/28/2016 Research consulting services 5000.00
Greitens for Missouri 4579 LACLEDE AVE #138 St. Louis, Missouri 63108 07/18/2016 Contribution 1975000.00
[emphasis added]
Nope. Still no idea who wrote the check(s). So much for campaign finance transparency.
C031159 10/12/2016 KOSTER FOR MISSOURI NEA Fund for Children and Public Education 1810 East Elm St Jefferson City MO 65101 10/12/2016 $250,000.00
[emphasis added]
It’s probably this committee:
C161334: Nea Fund For Children & Public Education-Non Federal Unitemized Account – Missouri
Committee Type: Political Action
1810 East Elm Street
Jefferson City Mo 65101
Established Date: 09/08/2016
[….]
Public education and organized labor. What’s not to like?
“…It is time for your candidate to live up to the standards of transparency he places upon everyone else.”
Chris Koster (D) [2016 file photo].
Chris Koster’s (D) 2016 gubernatorial campaign sent the following letter to Eric Greitens’ (r) campaign:
October 4, 2016
Austin Chambers
Campaign Manager
Eric Greitens for Governor
By Email
Re: Release of Financial Disclosures
Dear Mr. Chambers:
Last Thursday, the Koster for Missouri campaign released copies of Chris Koster’s 2012 through 2015 personal U.S. federal and Missouri state tax returns, including the supporting worksheets and forms documenting all sources of income, covering the previous 4 years. With these disclosures, and in combination with the Missouri Ethics Commission filings, the voters of Missouri now have a clear and complete understanding of the amount and source of all personal earnings and campaign contributions received by Attorney General Koster.
For some time, Mr. Greitens has promised to release his own returns and disclosures only after Attorney General Koster himself did so. Yet despite that promise, your campaign now gives an array of excuses as to why you have not, and may not, release Mr. Greitens’ tax returns. This is pertinent information necessary for Missouri’s voters to assess what conflicts or contradictions exist between Mr. Greitens’ actual financial activity and his obligations should he be elected to serve as Governor.
Plainly put, just as your campaign has previously hidden the identities of multi-million dollar campaign contributors and supporters within the so-called “SEALs for Truth” and LG PAC committees, you are again keeping the voters of Missouri in the dark regarding the amounts and sources of money provided to Mr. Greitens during the last four years. This is unacceptable.
We call on you to release — by 5:00 pm Thursday, October 6th — Mr. Greitens’ detailed personal 2012 – 2015 federal and state tax returns, as well as those returns for Eric Greitens, LLC, including the supporting worksheets and forms documenting all sources of income for each return. These forms would include, but not be limited to, K-1s, W-2s, and 1099s, as were included in Attorney General Koster’s disclosure. Only with such candid disclosure is it possible for Mr. Greitens to provide the voters an equivalent assurance, as has Attorney General Koster, that no conflict or inconsistency exists between Mr. Greitens’ actual financial history, his campaign’s rhetoric, and his suitability to act as Governor.
Please consider the complete disclosures described above as an absolute condition in order for our campaign to continue negotiating with yours regarding the terms and details of the contemplated October 14th gubernatorial debate.
Your campaign and Mr. Greitens have repeatedly accused your opponents of financial conflicts, improper tax behavior, and lying. It is time for your candidate to live up to the standards of transparency he places upon everyone else.
Sincerely,
s/
Andrew P. Whalen
Koster for Missouri
What would the Donald do? Just asking.
“…Please consider the complete disclosures described above as an absolute condition in order for our campaign to continue negotiating with yours regarding the terms and details of the contemplated October 14th gubernatorial debate…”
Photos by Jerry Schmidt.
![Chris Koster (D) [2016 file photo].](https://i1.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/img_9687.jpg?ssl=1)
![Eric Greitens (r) [2016 file photo].](https://i0.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160818-img_9575.jpg?ssl=1)
![Chris Koster (D) [2016 file photo].](https://i2.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/img_2039.jpg?ssl=1)
![Chris Koster (D) [2016 file photo]](https://i0.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/20160805-img_8522.jpg?ssl=1)
![Chris Koster (D) [2016 file photo].](https://i2.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/img_2028b.jpg?ssl=1)