An investigation by the Missouri Ethics Commission found “reasonable grounds” that Truth in Politics — a group that primarily sought to influence the outcomes of Springfield school board races — repeatedly violated campaign finance laws.
The consent order, which was filed on December 18 and uploaded on Friday, making it public, outlines the ways Truth In Politics broke the rules, according to the MEC.
The five leaders behind the group were subjected to a hefty financial penalty totaling nearly a quarter of a million dollars.
For two years, while receiving more than $127,000, Truth In Politics failed to register as a committee, report contributions and spending, and file required campaign finance reports.
Charges of $249,446 were jointly levied by the MEC against five Truth in Politics leaders: Curtis Jared, president; George Husted, secretary and treasurer; Directors Lee Fraley, Royce Redding, and Sam Clifton.
If they pay $20,000 in fees within 45 days, the rest will be waived, provided that no group members violate campaign finance laws within the next two years. If they do, the remaining $229,446 will be due.
Jared, Husted, Fraley, Redding and Clifton — along with their attorney Lucinda Luetkemeyer — signed the consent order in December, waiving their right to a hearing.
It was also signed by MEC Executive Director Stacy Heislin.
Truth In Politics was incorporated as a nonprofit in July 2020, and began soliciting contributions in March 2021 “with the express intent of using these resources to influence the results of elections” in April 2021 and 2022, according to the consent order.
In a two-year period ending in March 2023, the group raised at least $127,000 without reporting contributions to the MEC. The gifts included $18,000 each from Humana and Centene Management, and $17,000 from Rapid Roberts.
They spent $119,826 during the same period “to support candidates for office.”
Below are examples of ways Truth In Politics sought to influence the results of the April elections in 2021 and 2022, primarily for the School Board but also for the Springfield City Council:
- A flyer or door hanger reading “Paid for Truth in Politics, Royce Redding, Treasurer” claimed Springfield teachers were “forced to engage in critical race theory, which has roots in Marxism” and urged support for school board candidates Kelly Byrne and Maryam. Muhammadkhani. The post also promoted support for City Council candidate Brent Brown.
- Brent Brown was paid for billboards;
- A political attack ad ran on television falsely claiming that incumbent President Charles Taylor is “hijacking meetings so he can push critical race theories over and over again.” The ad also urged support for candidates Kelly Byrne and Steve Makowski. At the time, Byrne publicly requested that the ad be stopped.
- Following calls for the TV ad to be removed, Reading issued a statement reiterating the allegations against Taylor and saying “we stand by our ad and will not back down from those who are afraid the community will learn the truth.”
In the 2021 Board of Directors race, Mohamed Khani was elected alongside Danielle Kincaid and Scott Cress. Brown, who donated to the group Truth in Politics, was not elected to the City Council.
In 2022, Taylor was defeated and Byrne and McCosky were elected to the school board.
There is no public, direct relationship between the Truth in Politics group and candidates Mohamed Khani, Byrne and McCosky, and none of them have donated to the group. However, Rapid Roberts – where McCosky works – was a major donor. Byrne’s campaign treasurer, Tyler Creech, also donated $2,300 to the group.
In the 2024 school board race, an in-kind donation made by a company owned by Curtis Jared also came under scrutiny by the Missouri Ethics Commission.
The company placed billboards supporting board candidates Mohamed Khani, Landon McCarter and Chad Rollins in Springfield for more than four months before the April election.
McCarter and Rollins reported an in-kind donation of $7,500 from Jared Outdoor LLC, but the LLC was not classified as a corporation under federal tax law nor registered with the MEC, a required step.
As a result, McCarter and Rollins were each charged $7,500 under separate consent orders in December, but were allowed to pay only $750 as long as they did not violate campaign finance laws for two years.
In total, the MEC found that Truth In Politics failed to file 12 campaign finance reports, which are due quarterly and on specific dates before and after the election.
Truth In Politics also failed to quickly report large contributions and spending as required by law before and immediately after the election, including four donations of $5,000 or more.
As part of the report, Truth in Politics detailed the money it accepted and spent. Details are included in the consent order.
Contributions in 2021, 2022
This includes total contributions of $500 or more. In some cases, an individual made a dozen or more contributions during a biennium.
- $18,000 – 2 cents administration; Humana.
- $17,000 – Rapid Roberts;
- $7,750 – Curtis Jared;
- $5,500 – Ronald Neville;
- $5,000 – Jeffrey Cason; Brian Magers; Brent Davis;
- $3,000 – Lauren Cook II;
- $2,500 – Nicholas Austin; Brent Brown;
- $2,400 – Carson Bookman;
- $2,300 – Royce Redding; Joe Passanese; Tyler Creech; Candace Prewett;
- $2,200 – John Rudder;
- $2,100 – Caleb Arthur; Sam Clifton;
- $2,000 – Candice Ehasz; Fraley Freemasonry. Sam Correll;
- $1,500 – Pennsylvania Corporations; 311 S. hampton llc
- $1,200 – Nathan Adams; David Havens;
- $1,000 – Jodi Pesner; Mavis Busick; Mark and Margaret Bolt; Unknown donor
- $900 – Scott Speight;
- $500 – Gordon Kane; Genco Facilities Management;
Spending in 2021, 2022
Truth In Politics paid money to more than a dozen companies and individuals over the two-year period. Here are amounts of $5,000 or more.
- $35,105 – Ax Media;
- $34,926 – Vanguard Field Strategies:
- $16,498 – Axiom Strategies;
- $6,974 – Remington Research Group;
- $5,000 – WPAI.
