Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens Finally Answers ‘Dark Money’ Claims

Eric Greitens Image by Rubenstein Public Relations

By Nathan Guttman May 23, 2017

After months of refusing to address a growing controversy about secret “dark money” donations he received through a non-profit organization, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is speaking out.

The Kansas City Star reported on Monday that Greitens, in an interview with a conservative radio station, responded to claims that it was inappropriate for his advisors to set up a nonprofit support group which is exempt from transparency requirements, thereby allowing him to receive indirect funding from sources that do not have to be revealed.

Greitens went on offense, accusing “the liberal media and some career politicians” of trying to intimidate donors. He argued that just as voters don’t have to publicly reveal their name and personal information outside the polling place if they vote, donors should be allowed to give money without turning in “all your information over to the government.”

The nonprofit, A New Missouri, Inc., was set up by Greitens aides after he was elected governor in order to support his agenda. Since then, the group has been accused of funding attack ads against state senators critical of Greitens.

Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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