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PAC backing term-limited Missouri governor keeps raising, spending campaign cash
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson speaks to the media from his office in the state Capitol (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor’s Office).
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has given no indication his name will ever appear on a ballot again after he leaves office at the end of this year.
But the political action committee set up by his supporters to bankroll his political career continues raising and spending money.
During the first three months of 2024, the PAC — called Uniting Missouri — reported raising $307,000. The biggest chunk of that money came in a $250,000 check from a St. Louis-based law firm.
The law firm’s founding partner, Eric Holland, also gave the PAC $50,000 in December.
Uniting Missouri also received $25,000 this year from a committee connected to his longtime friend and adviser, lobbyist Steve Tilley.
The PAC spent $73,000 during the first quarter. Of that, around $64,000 went to credit card payments. The charges appear to be for an early February “fundraising event,” which includes a $56,000 payment to the Kansas City Chiefs; $8,400 to Ticketmaster; and $650 to the NFL Experience.
The governor attended this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas, where the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers.
Uniting Missouri reported having roughly $320,000 cash on hand.
During that same period, Parson’s campaign committee — Parson for Missouri — reported only raising $304. But it has $241,000 cash on hand.
The spending by Uniting Missouri around a Chiefs Super Bowl is similar to last year’s game, which Parson also attended. The PAC paid $56,000 in February 2023 to the Chiefs for a “fundraising event.” It also paid more than $110,000 during the first three months of 2023 to an aviation company connected to Tilley.
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