Indictment claims charity money went to Missouri politicians
JEFFERSON CITY — Officials at a Missouri nonprofit organization accused of bribing Arkansas lawmakers also illegally used the charity’s money to funnel campaign contributions to Missouri politicians, according to a federal indictment.
Three former Republican Missouri lawmakers confirmed Friday to The Associated Press that they had participated in fundraisers and received campaign donations from people affiliated with the Springfield-based nonprofit Alternative Opportunities Inc., a provider of mental health and substance abuse services that has since merged with Preferred Family Healthcare Inc.
But former state Sen. Ryan Silvey, former state Sen. Bob Dixon and former state Rep. Ward Franz each said they didn’t know the nonprofit’s resources may have been used for the political fundraising, as alleged in the federal indictment released Thursday.
None of the Missouri lawmakers are accused of wrongdoing in the indictment, which targets former nonprofit executives Tom and Bontiea Goss and former Arkansas state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, who is the nephew of Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. The Gosses and Hutchinson have pleaded not guilty.
https://www.columbiatribune.com/news/20190412/indictment-claims-charity-money-went-to-missouri-politicians