As he readies to launch a likely campaign for governor in 2016, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat, has a problem on his hands.
On Wednesday, the New York Times published a report critical of Koster’s coziness with and financial support from companies with which his office was involved in negotiations. The report detailed the dealings of Koster’s office with companies like Pfeizer and 5-Hour Energy, both of which share a law firm that has contributed more than $13,000 to his campaign.
House Speaker Tim Jones, a Republican mulling a bid for attorney general in 2016, called the findings of the report to be an “egregious violation of the public’s trust.”
“I am deeply disturbed by the multiple examples of apparent pay-to-play schemes,” he said, “and am currently examining the options we have as a legislative body to further investigate these allegations and ensure that Attorney General Koster is held accountable for his actions.”
The report opens with the tale of Missouri’s exit from a suit involving 5-Hour Energy. “At the opulent Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in California,” the report states, a lawyer with the Dickstein law firm working for 5-Hour Energy targeted Koster, who was there meeting with other members of the Democratic Attorneys General Association. By the end of the weekend, Koster — who had a relationship with the Dickstein law firm from its work for companies like Pfizer and AT&T – had decided to pull out of the investigation.
Koster’s campaign has also taken $20,000 from Pfeizer, and even more if the money the company has contributed to the DAGA is factored. In a case involving Pfeizer, Koster’s office did not enter into another multi-state investigation targeting the company accusing it of illegally marketed two of its drugs. Koster told the paper “it was an accident” his office missed a deadline and was forced to instead negotiate separately.
In an interview with the New York Times, Koster – who has accepted more than $1.4 million from the group – said he wished they “did not exist,” but was not apologetic for accepting the money. He told the paper the donations “had no effect on his actions.”
A spokesman for Koster did no respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.