St. Louis paper questions GOP leaders' fund raising

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Questions have been raised concerning political contributions received by two Republican leaders of the General Assembly.

A story published Thursday in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says that House Speaker Pro Tem-elect Rod Jetton of Marble Hill and incoming Senate Majority Floor Leader Michael Gibbons of Kirkwood accepted donations in excess of the legal limits as interpreted by a 1996 opinion of the Missouri Ethics Commission.

However, Michael Reid, the commission's director of compliance, said on Friday that such opinions have no force of law and are subject to change.

"Our opinions are used for guidance," Reid said. "If the individual who asks for an opinion relies on it, the opinion can be used as a defense in a court of law."

Commission opinions are stamped with a warning its views apply only to the specific facts in the request "and cannot be relied upon for any other purpose."

Unless a formal complaint is made, the commission cannot take any action against Jetton or Gibbons. It isn't clear that any laws were broken.

Jetton and Gibbons established campaign committees for their leadership posts in addition to the regular campaign committees for their legislative seats. By having two committees, they were able, in some cases, to double the legal limit on contributions from individual donors. Having dual committees is a common practice by those holding or seeking legislative leadership posts, regardless of political affiliation.

The 1996 opinion says that those seeking the legislature's top two legislative posts -- House speaker and Senate president pro tem -- can operate dual committees.

Jetton said the situation, which the commission was unaware of until contacted by the Post-Dispatch, stems from conflicting legal views of state campaign finance laws. Since both the House speaker and speaker pro tem, the chamber's No. 2 post, are elected by the full House membership, Jetton said the rules should be the same and that he was assured by the House clerk that they were.

"I just want to do everything how it's supposed to be done," Jetton said.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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