Missouri redistricting fight draws more than $1 million in out-of-state donations
By Andy Alcock
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — Battle lines are being drawn in the fight over Missouri’s newly approved congressional map.
With control of Congress on the line next year, more than $1 million in out-of-state money is now part of that fight.
A report released Tuesday shows the group People Not Politicians raised more than $1.4 million in the last quarter.
The group is gathering petition signatures from Missouri voters to challenge the congressional map approved during a special session of the General Assembly.
The campaign finance report shows three groups from Washington, D.C., contributed $1.25 million to People Not Politicians in the last three months.
Global Social Welfare Fund and American Opportunity Action each gave $500,000.
Brick By Brick Foundation gave $250,000.
“Look, we appreciate all of our donors, a majority of which are from Missouri,” said Richard von Glahn, People Not Politicians executive director.
While the vast majority of individual donors listed in the report are Missouri residents, the contributions from the three Washington, D.C., groups account for more than 85% of donations this past quarter.
On Wednesday, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed suit in federal court challenging the constitutionality of a ballot box vote on the new map.
The map, approved by the Republican majority in the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe, is designed to give the GOP a better chance at claiming another U.S. House seat.
Hanaway claims dark money, or funds from groups like the three Washington, D.C., ones not required to list individual donors , is attempting to hijack that process.
People Not Politicians attorney Chuck Hatfield points out Republicans opened the door to these dark money contributions with the landmark Citizens United 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case.
“It’s like the Philadelphia Eagles complaining about other teams using the tush push,” he said.
People Not Politicians has collected about 100,000 petition signatures from Missouri voters to have a referendum on the new map in November 2026.
However, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins claims those signatures are invalid because they were collected before he and Hanaway approved the petition language.
“We are litigating that case, that was not a correct decision,” von Glahn said.
Hoskins also issued a statement Thursday noting the criminal implications of falsifying or fraudulently presenting referendum petitions.
There are five different pending court cases involving the new congressional map.
If People Not Politicians is successful in getting the new map before Missouri voters in November 2026 for approval or disapproval, congressional elections would be based on the map used before the General Assembly’s special session.
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