Josh Goodman is a former staff writer for GOVERNING..
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Missouri Demands Salary Silence
A candidate for lieutenant governor in Missouri says he might not accept the office's full salary if elected. You can call that an act of generosity or a political gimmick. But the State of Missouri may call it a crime. From the Associated Press:
Michael E. Carter, an attorney from St. Charles, made the pledge on his campaign website.
"If the effectively part-time office of Missouri Lt. Governor cannot be given a more meaningful purpose -- justifying the salary received -- then I will give no less than $10,000.00 back to the state treasury or charity," he wrote.
It's against state elections law to promise to take a lower salary or pledge a portion of a public official's paycheck to charity to attract votes. The penalty is one year in jail or a fine of less than $2,500.
...
Carter said he thinks the state law is unconstitutional because it puts restrictions on political speech by limiting candidates' ability to speak candidly about what they would do while in office.
(Hat tip: Election Law Blog)
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