Stricter controls on PACs possible after Star report

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)   Missouri lawmakers may place stricter controls on spending by political action committees in the wake of a news report about a PAC funded by a former speaker of the Missouri House.

The Kansas City Star reported that former Speaker Tim Jones, a Republican who left the House in 2014, transferred about $650,000 raised from campaign contributors into a PAC called Leadership for America. Jones is the sole donor.

While the PAC donated around $18,000 to charities and $10,000 to GOP candidates this year, the Star reported that it also spent heavily on golf outings, travel, liquor, cigars and other expenses, potentially violating the prohibition against using campaign money for personal business.

Jones used Twitter to dismiss questions surrounding his PAC, calling The Star report a “defamatory hit job.”

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