Rex Sinquefield-funded group hammers Missouri lieutenant governor candidate over lobbyist gifts

A group funded by conservative mega donor Rex Sinquefield is out with a new TV ad attacking one of two Republicans running for lieutenant governor for accepting gifts from lobbyists.

Missouri Club for Growth, a conservative political action committee that has taken nearly $1.8 million from Sinquefield this year, is criticizing Mike Parson not only for taking lobbyist gifts but also for opposing a proposed ban on those gifts.

See the ad here:

It should come as no surprise that Sinquefield’s group is running an ad targeting Parson. He’s running for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor against Bev Randles. who used to serve as chairwoman of Missouri Club for Growth.

Randles’ campaign was kicked off with a $1 million donation from Sinquefield. She has also received $500,000 from Missouri Club for Growth and $25,000 Tim Jones, a former Missouri House speaker who now serves on the group’s board of directors.

Additionally, Randles’ campaign paid $27,000 this year to a consulting firm run by Todd and Melanie Abrajano.

Melanie currently serves as treasurer of Missouri Club for Growth’s PAC.

As for the content of the Club for Growth ad, according to filings with the Missouri Ethics Commission Parson and his staff accepted around $1,000 worth of lobbyist gifts so far in 2016. That’s a reduction from his gift totals in previous years. In 2015 he took $4,000 worth of gifts, and in 2014 he took more than $5,000.

A database compiled by St. Louis Public Radio shows Parson accepted 913 gifts from 2004 to 2015, totaling more than $45,000.

Legislation that would have banned lobbyist gifts stalled in the Missouri Senate this year after passing the Missouri House with bipartisan support.

This story was originally published June 24, 2016 at 9:50 AM.