MO chamber tabs Veritas for PAC development

The leader of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes a Springfield-based public relations firm can take the chamber’s political action committee to the next fiscal level.

Daniel Mehan, Missouri chamber president and CEO, said with the political experience, connections and dedicated time of Veritas Public Relations and its owner Miles Ross, funding for the Missouri Chamber PAC could jump to about $500,000 per two-year election cycle from $50,000 to $100,000 now.

Those funds would be used primarily to back candidates who support the chamber’s annual business priorities.

“We have always wanted to institutionalize our political fundraising. Typically, our government affairs staff will finish the legislative session, and then they shift – especially in an election year – to do a little fundraising for our PAC, so we can support those candidates who are worthy,” Mehan said. “We have always wanted to make that a year-round operation and with Miles and his team, we are able to do that.”

The political experience of Veritas owner Ross includes work as campaign coordinator for Sen. Roy Blunt’s 2002 U.S. congressional re-election campaign and Blunt’s successful 2010 U.S. Senate campaign.

Ross said he is selective in the type of clients he’ll work for and he’s excited to be working for the chamber, which represents nearly 3,000 employers statewide.

“The chamber decided it wanted to take some steps to increase the strength of its PAC and raise more money, so we started talking,” Ross said.

“What we’re doing with them (involves) a long-range plan to strengthen them and make Missouri more business friendly.”

Ross said Veritas would work on retainer, earning a percentage of the funds it raises for the PAC. Both he and chamber officials declined to disclose terms of the deal.

Veritas is a full-service public relations firm specializing in governmental client-partners, associations and both not-for-profit and public sector communications. Ross said the company has three full-time employees, and three part-time employees who work out of two offices in Springfield and St. Louis.

In March, Ross was named a Springfield Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, recognized for his work in the political arena. In the Springfield area, Ross has worked successful campaigns for state representatives Lincoln Hough, Kevin Austin and Lynn Morris, and he said other local public relations’ clients include Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield and Justice Jewelers.

Mehan said Ross’ political credentials would help the chamber grow its PAC and give teeth to its lobbying efforts.

“This investment in our PAC allows Missouri employers to have a strong voice,” Mehan said. “You are seeing the impact it can make already on what we’ve done with House Bill 253 and the campaign to override that veto.”

He said Veritas was not hired to raise money for advertising relating to the state veto session, which begins Sept. 11, but rather as part of a long-term push to strengthen the PAC.

The chamber PAC was bolstered recently with a $200,000 donation from conservative lobbyist and activist Rex Sinquefield to drive support for a veto override of HB 253. The chamber supports a reduction of the income tax rate in Missouri to 5.5 percent from 6 percent, which lawmakers passed earlier this year under Senate Substitute House Bill 253 – before Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed the bill.

While Mehan said the PAC is primarily designed to support political candidates who fight for the chamber’s legislative priorities, it also could fund marketing campaigns that promote the chamber’s positions.

With next year being an election year, the time to kick off the chamber’s PAC-boosting efforts is now, Mehan said. “There is no time like the present to get this started,” he said.

Mehan stressed that while Ross has notable conservative credentials, the chamber’s priorities, and those who support them, belong to no single political affiliation.

“We have our own ratings. You can see those on our website. They are like a batting average. On those priority issues that come up during a legislative session, and coming up in a couple of weeks in the veto session, we will rate on them. We will support those people who support our agenda. It is that simple,” Mehan said. “You have to earn our support, and we are not afraid to support Democrats, either.”

In the Springfield area, ratings in 2012 ranged from 43 percent from Rep. Melissa Leach, R-Springfield, to 100 percent for Rep. Thomas Long, R-Battlefield. Chamber spokeswoman Karen Buschmann said 2013 ratings would not be released until after the veto session. State representatives and senators are rated based on issues including economic development, education, workforce development and taxation. Last year, Springfield Democrat Charlie Norr defeated Leach after securing an endorsement from the chamber following Leach’s poor rating.