KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As soon as the Missouri Supreme Court announced Amendment 3 should be on November’s ballot, opponents to the question sent statements and social media posts criticizing the question as being funded by out-of-state interests.
Amendment 3 asks voters whether they want to restore abortion rights in Missouri, which currently has a near-total ban on abortion.
"Amendment 3 is a deceptive effort by out-of-state interests," Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe wrote in a post on X.
The Missouri Republican Party released a statement with similar allegations.
"This amendment, bankrolled by radical out-of-state interest groups, is a direct assault on Missouri families and the values we hold dear," the party said in a statement Tuesday. "We must not let out-of-state interests hijack our Constitution."
Even before Tuesday, Misouri Sen. Bill Eigel, a Republican, criticized the initiative petition.
He posted a video on X in April saying, "A lot of powerful, well-funded, special interests who don’t share our respect for life, for the sanctity of life, are coming into Missouri right now."
When KSHB 41 News reached out to leaders, they pointed to donations coming from out of state to fund Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the pro-abortion rights group running the campaign to place Amendment 3 on the ballot.
Lately, the attention has been on a $3.5 million donation Sixteen Thirty Fund gave the group on Aug. 29.
The groups is a politically active organization which supports "progressive" initiatives. It has a history of supporting abortion rights movements.
"A political action committee can get a little gray on where some of the stuff is," said Geoff Gerling, a democratic strategist who’s served as treasurer on multiple campaigns. "There’s not necessarily a limit on how much money you can give to a political action committee. There are limits on what you give to a campaign or candidate’s committee."
He reviewed campaign finance reports from Missourians for Constitutional Freedom and saw several donations from both Missourians and people outside the state. And that didn’t surprise him.
"You’re always going to get out-of-state money in competitive races," Gerling said. "Just because it’s out-of-state doesn’t mean that it’s bad. It’s just the way our political system works."
Gerling pointed out both Republicans and Democrats accept donations from out-of-state contributors.
“Missouri is not unique to that," Gerling said. "Every state has to deal with this. I trust the voters to make decisions based on policy."
Rachel Sweet, the campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement that eight out of 10 online donors to the campaign are from Missouri.
Sweet added her group collected signatures from more than 380,000 Missourians in their effort to get the question on the ballot.
"The reality is that this movement is powered by everyday Missourians. This weekend alone, over 2,300 Missourians contributed to our campaign, with an average donation of just $50," Sweet said. "These signatures and donations are driven by the passion and energy of local people who know what’s at stake for their rights and their families."
Missouri voters will decide on Nov. 5 whether to restore abortion rights in the state.
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