Nixon Applauds and Accepts Missouri Education Roundtable's Call on Candidates to Reject Contributions from Rex Sinquefield

Attorney General Rejects Sinquefield's Money and Pro-Voucher Agenda

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today applauded the Missouri Education Roundtable for calling on all candidates to reject contributions from pro-voucher advocate and millionaire Rex Sinquefield or any of his 100 Political Action Committees.  Attorney General Nixon has never accepted money from Mr. Sinquefield or his PACs and today pledged never to do so in the future.

Last month, the Education Roundtable issued a press release calling on candidates to reject contributions from Rex Sinquefield's Political Action Committee.  Read the Education Roundtable release here.

In a letter sent today to the Education Roundtable, Attorney General Nixon wrote:

"I am proud to respond to your courageous call on all candidates for Missouri public office to reject contributions from millionaire Rex Sinquefield.  I have never accepted money from Mr. Sinquefield or any of his Political Action Committees, and I certainly never will.  Mr. Sinquefield's pro-voucher agenda undermines our public school system and as a product of Missouri's public schools, I believe we must strengthen our school system, not weaken it. 
"Not only do I strongly oppose Mr. Sinquefield's anti-public school agenda, I also oppose the manner in which he's chosen to advance that agenda.  Instead of competing with the merits of his ideas, Mr. Sinquefeld has chosen to circumvent the spirit of the campaign finance system by establishing 100 PACs that all have the same objective: funneling contributions to candidates who support a pro-voucher agenda."

Read the Nixon's full letter below:

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November 27, 2007

Missouri Education Roundtable
Chairman Robin Krause
401 E. Wimer Street
Knob Noster, MO  65336-1444

Dear Chairperson Krause and Members of the Missouri Education Roundtable:

I am proud to respond to your courageous call on all candidates for Missouri public office to reject contributions from millionaire Rex Sinquefield.  I have never accepted money from Mr. Sinquefield or any of his Political Action Committees, and I certainly never will.  Mr. Sinquefield's pro-voucher agenda undermines our public school system and as a product of Missouri's public schools, I believe we must strengthen our school system, not weaken it. 
Not only do I strongly oppose Mr. Sinquefield's anti-public school agenda, I also oppose the manner he's chosen to advance that agenda.  Instead of competing with the merits of his ideas, Mr. Sinquefeld has chosen to circumvent the spirit of the campaign finance system by establishing 100 PACs that all have the same objective: funneling contributions to candidates who support a pro-voucher agenda.

As you know, I have a strong record of standing with you in support of Missouri's public school system.

Along with you and your members, I fought to defeat the voucher provisions of House Bill 808 earlier this year -- provisions that Gov. Blunt and Lt. Gov. Kinder lobbied for personally in the House Chamber.  Those provisions failed because a majority of the legislators in Missouri -- like the majority of Missourians -- understand that vouchers will weaken our public schools and hurt our children.  But last year's voucher battle wasn't the first time Gov. Blunt stood with Rex Sinquefield, and after accepting more than $100,000 from Sinquefield in this race already, it's fair to assume it won't be the last. 

I have deep roots in the Missouri public school system. My mother was a teacher and President of our local school board, and my wife, Georganne, was a public teacher as well. Her father, Hubert Wheeler, served as Missouri's first Education Commissioner.  From kindergarten through law school, I proudly attended Missouri's public schools. I am a true believer that a quality education is the key to achieving the American Dream.  That's an opportunity every child in our state deserves.

The next election will be critical to the future of Missouri's public schools.  Thank you for your involvement and for holding candidates accountable who align themselves with pro-voucher, anti-public school special interests.

I am proud to stand with you in support of our public school system.

Sincerely,

Jay Nixon
Attorney General