Editor:
Apparently, the American value of “innocent until proven guilty” is out the window in Platte County. A citizen’s complaint against me, alleging that I violated Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) rules, is being used as a political tool and a sad attempt at mudslinging. I have never knowingly accepted a donation under a fictitious name or someone else’s name.
There are folks wondering about where I am getting support for my campaign. My answer is the people of Platte County. My largest single contribution to date is $2,000, with an average contribution of just a little less than $100. My opponent, on the other hand, has taken not one, but two separate $25,000 donations, one of which hides its donors behind layers of political action committees, aka PACs. My campaign is bare-bones with a shoestring budget; the same can’t be said about my opponent.
What we are seeing unfold before us right now is the same old playbook used by the Republican Party: make a complaint, make a big deal about the complaint and not even wait for a resolution. This case is before the MEC right now and by the time this letter is published, it may have already been publicized. I look forward to letting the MEC do its job.
I didn’t enter this race to play political games — I got into this race to improve the lives of the residents of Platte County by creating a county that is affordable to live in while still having top-notch infrastructure, like roads and bridges. I promise to fight for the rights of Platte County residents, including the right to privacy and the right to make their own decisions about which developments come to their community. That is what I will continue to do and if Platte County voters decide to place their trust in me to become their next presiding commissioner, I promise to wake up every morning with one simple question on my mind: “How can I make life better for every resident of Platte County?”
Mary McKenna
Democratic Candidate, Platte County Presiding Commissioner
