Clean Missouri is a wolf in sheep's clothing

Clean Missouri will be on the Nov. 6 ballot as Amendment 1. With a name like that you would think it would be a bipartisan bill with pure intentions. But, what we have is a Wolf in Sheep's clothing.

Clean Missouri is being promoted as ethics reform and includes changes to the state's laws relating to lobbyists and campaign contribution limits. This part of Amendment 1 I agree with. However, it's what is in the weeds that has to be spotlighted.

Amendment 1 is a drastic change to the process of redistricting Missouri's legislative districts. Clean Missouri would give the state auditor, the only Democrat statewide officeholder in Jefferson City, the authority to appoint a demographer to redraw Missouri's Legislative Districts. Why not our Secretary of State in charge of elections? We currently have a bipartisan committee and a process that keeps political elites from controlling how are districts are drawn. Clean Missouri would write partisan gerrymandering into our state constitution.

This unelected appointee from the Auditor's Office would be tasked with drawing districts as "fair" as possible, which means that a district would seek to have a bipartisan split (same number of Republicans and Democrats). This means that there will be non-contiguous districts, including House and Senate Districts that stretch like a snake from here into St. Louis or from Joplin into Kansas City. If Clean Missouri gets to redistrict the way it wants to, districts will no longer represent Missourians' values like it does today. Here's the bottom line on Clean Missouri -- the real reason for Amendment 1 is to eliminate the Republican majority in Jefferson City. Big money from George Soros and other liberal elites haven't been able to win at the ballot box, so let's try this dirty little trick called Clean Missouri.

Clean Missouri is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, The Sierra Club, NARAL Pro Choice, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Teacher Unions, Empower Missouri, SEIU, and AFL-CIO and others. Amendment 1 is a way to draw districts that Democrats can win in so they can get their agenda passed. Abortions, sanctuary cities, gun control, higher taxes and the list goes on.

Stand with me to oppose Amendment 1 -- Clean Missouri. Do not allow out-of-state billionaires and liberal special interest groups alter the way we elect our representatives.

Rick Francis (R-145), of Perryville, is a member of the Missouri General Assembly.