On February 17, 2025, Americans for Public Trust Executive Director Caitlin Sutherland testified before the Missouri Senate Committee on Local Government and Elections in support of Senate Bill 152, which would ban foreign nationals from directly or indirectly contributing to ballot measure campaigns. Sutherland highlighted that Missouri had seen $13 million in foreign tied money from the Sixteen Thirty Fund backed by Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss. Included in that money was $4.6 million funneled into the campaign to enshrine abortion rights into Missouri’s constitution.
On Foreign Dark Money Being Spent in Missouri…
“I thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of Senate Bill 152 to ban foreign nationals from directly or indirectly contributing to ballot measure campaigns. This legislation is crucial to enact, especially since Missouri has seen $13 million in foreign-tied spending influencing your state ballot measures, and I applaud Senator Brown for taking action. While Missouri and federal law already prohibit foreign nationals from influencing elections, the laws are not strong enough. This leaves many loopholes in place that foreign nationals can exploit and still have their money flow into politics. Without strengthening these statutes, foreign money can and is flowing into your state.”
On Hansjörg Wyss’ Grants to Liberal Dark Money Groups…
“Just last Friday, important tax records were released that show a Swiss billionaire named Hansjörg Wyss funneled nearly $59 million in grants in a single year to liberal dark money groups, including an eight-figure donation to a Washington, D.C.-based group called the Sixteen Thirty Fund. Mr. Wyss is not a U.S. citizen, but as Senator Brown said, it is his goal to ‘(re)interpret the American Constitution in the light of progressive politics.’ According to the New York Times, Mr. Wyss’ ‘political activism is channeled through a daisy chain of opaque organizations that mask the ultimate recipients of his money.’ One of those opaque organizations, the Sixteen Thirty Fund, is the largest beneficiary of Mr. Wyss’ money, which now totals $280 million over many years. After receiving his foreign cash, Sixteen Thirty Fund has turned around and poured $130 million into ballot issue campaigns in 25 states, including Missouri.”
On Sixteen Thirty Fund Supported Ballot Initiatives in Missouri…
“The Sixteen Thirty Fund and their foreign money has been bankrolling ballot measures in the Show Me State for years. In 2018, they contributed $4.8 million to a campaign to raise the state’s minimum wage, making them the single largest donor. Just last year, when another initiative to raise the state’s minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave made the ballot, Sixteen Thirty Fund was again the number one donor to the campaign – contributing $3.6 million to the effort. Also last year, they dumped over $4.6 million into the campaign to enshrine abortion rights in your state’s constitution, making them the number one donor to that group as well. That’s a grand total of $13 million in foreign-backed spending to influence your state’s policies and constitution.”
