Greater Kansas City Chamber PAC, Awash With Cash, Forms New PACs to “Buy” Kansas Elections
The Greater Kansas City (Missouri) Chamber of Commerce PAC is awash in cash, with $788,295 in the bank at the end of the Jan 10, 2008 reporting period. A recent Meadowlark article, Political Money Rankings of 228 Kansas PACs, reported that the Missouri GKC Chamber PAC was #1 in Kansas with money raised in 2007, #1 in money spent in 2007, and #1 with money in the bank.
To understand just how much money the Greater Kansas City Chamber PAC has, let’s compare their #1 ranking with the#2 ranked PACs. The Chamber raised a staggering $1,057,733 as #1, while the #2 PAC, the Kansas National Education Association PAC (KNEA PAC) raised only $214,792. The Chamber spent $467,041 in 2007 as the #1 PAC, while the #2 PAC, Dr. Tiller’s ProKanDo PAC, spent $205,590. The Chamber has $788,295 in the bank as the #1 PAC, while the #2 PAC, again the KNEA PAC, has $244,709 in the bank. [See Fig. 1 below.]
The Missouri GKC Chamber PAC’s $788,295 in the bank is more than the next four largest Kansas PACs combined: $244,709 KNEA PAC + $176,350 YRC Worldwide PAC + $173,012 Senate Republican Leadership PAC + $133,569 Kansas Contractors Association PAC = $727,640. Adding the money in the bank for the #6 PAC, $99,549 for Kansans for Lifesaving Cures PAC, would then exceed the political money resources of the Chamber’s PAC.
The Summary of Contributions and Expenditures of Kansas Political Action Committees (PACs) published in March shows this summary from the Chambers Jan 2008 report:
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce PAC Comments. Statement of Organization and some reports show name as “BizPac” but usually PAC is called “Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce PAC”. Money spent on both Kansas and Missouri politics.
Large Contributors: James E and Virginia G Stowers, KCMO, $900,000; Robin Carnahan for Missouri, Rolla, $24,925; Hallmark Cards, KCMO, $10,000; DST Systems, KCMO, $10,000; Cereal Food Processors, Shawnee Mission, $10,000; Shook, Hard & Bacon LLP, $10,000; Lockton Companies, KCMO, $10,000; Burns &McDonnell, KCMO, $10,000; Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, KCMO, $5000; JE Dunn Construction, KCMO, $5000; KC Southern, KCMO, $5000; H&R Block, KCMO, $5000; Top Innovations, KCMO, $5000; YRC Worldwide, Overland Park, $5000; Embarq, Overland Park, $5000; Blue Cross Blue Shield, KCMO, $5000; Bray Cave LLP, KCMO, $5000;
Large Expenditures to Kansas recipients: Senate Republican Leadership Committee, Topeka, $25,000; Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, Topeka, $2000; Kansas for a Democratic House, $2000; Democratic Governors Association, Washington, DC, $23,725 (Sebelius was former chair).
The Chamber’s PAC can already give the maximum amount to all candidates they want to and have plenty of money left. So how can they get more money to “their” candidates? The list of 2008 PACs from the Kansas Governmental Ethics page, shows recently the Chamber established two new PACs:
- Higher Education Fund of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
- Life Sciences Fund of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Statements of Organization filed for these PACs show Bill Hall is chair of the Chamber’s Higher Ed PAC, with Ruth Ann Sandifar the Treasurer, while David Welte is chair of the Chamber’s Life Sciences PAC, with Christine Murray serving as Treasurer. Hall, Mission Hills, is the president of the Hall Family Foundation. Welte, Kansas City, MO, is the corporate secretary of the non-profit Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures according to their 2006 IRS 990, which can be viewed at GuideStar. Welte’s 501(c)3 non-profit group reported $1.2 million in gross receipts, and $1.4 million in total expenses in their recent IRS 990. [See Fig. 2 below]
IRS 8871 forms filed for the Higher Ed Fund and Life Sciences Fund show these two PACs share most of their officers:
|
Greater Kansas City |
Higher Ed Fund |
Life Sciences Fund |
| Christine Murray | Assistant Treasurer | Treasurer and Director |
| Kristi Smith Wyatt | Director | Director |
| William Taylor | Director | - |
| Peter S. Levi | Director | Director |
| Ruth Ann Sandifar | Treasurer and Director | Assistant Treasurer |
| Irvin Belzer | Secretary and Director | Secretary and Director |
| William Hall | Chairman and Director | - |
| David Welte | - | Chairman and Director |
[Kristi S Wyatt was the Secretary and Director of the Bistate Arts and Sports Committee, and Peter S Levi was the Chair and Treasurer of the Bistate Arts and Sports Committee. The group changed its name to “Think Big” and spent $2.8 million trying to impose a bistate tax on the Kansas City region.]
Kansas Law says “there are no limitations on contributions made to a Political Action Committee,” which allows the Greater Kansas City Chamber PAC to transfer any amount of money to their new PACs. These three PACs can then give maximum contributions to the candidates of their choice, and spend money on independent contributions in support of their candidates.
In recent years the Greater Kansas City Chamber showed its left-leaning tendencies by being one of the major contributors shared by the Kansas Democratic Party and the liberal Kansas Traditional Republican Majority PAC. The Chamber appears poised to attempt to block the election of all conservatives in Kansas in 2008.
The sneaky tactics used by the Chamber’s PAC in recent elections are troubling. In 2006 the Chamber’s PAC was one of three contributors to a secret Kansas non-profit used to knock out certain State Reps in Kansas. (See: “Progress Kansas” a PAC-in-a-Box in Olathe? A Mysterious “Non-Profit” Postal Box Sending Hit Pieces Against Certain State Rep Candidates and Who’s behind the “Progress Kansas” Receiving $25,000 from Liberal Missouri Group? Why was address conveniently left out of Missouri report?) Unfortunately, the integrity of Kansas elections is less important to the IRS than “Privacy Rights” of groups abusing non-profit laws.
How many more PACs will the Missouri Greater Kansas City Chamber create in Kansas? How many non-profit groups will receive Chamber money to affect Kansas elections in a stealth way? Unfortunately, the Chamber’s money will affect many elections in Kansas and most voters will be left in the dark about their political influence and money.
Figure 1. Greater Kansas City Chamber PAC Summary, Jan 10, 2008
Figure 2. IRS 990 for Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures Non-Profit
