A proposed ballot measure that would ask voters to make sweeping changes to state government ethics policies is attracting attention from donors and criticism from Missouri Republicans.
The Kansas City Star reports a group called Clean Missouri is collecting signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. The proposal would ban all lobbyist gifts to legislators larger than $5; require legislators and their staffs to wait two years after they leave the Capitol before becoming lobbyists; and rework how legislative districts are drawn.
The campaign recently received $250,000 from a St. Louis-based political action committee and $300,000 from the lobbying arm of liberal billionaire George Soros' philanthropic network.
Sam Cooper, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, said the effort is designed to disenfranchise Missouri voters.
