Maroc - RAWSTORY.COM - Raw Story - 22/Aug 15:09

Arkansas chicken magnate gives $100,000 to group opposing abortion, marijuana amendments

Arkansas chicken mogul Ronnie Cameron donated more than $100,000 in July to a group opposing constitutional amendments that would expand the state medical marijuana program and restore the right to abortion. Cameron, the chairman of chicken company Mountaire Farms, donated $116,500 to Family Council Action Committee 2024, the ballot question committee formed by Jerry Cox, president of the conservative Arkansas Family Council. Cameron’s donation brings his total contributions to the group to $215,740, but it wasn’t immediately clear which amendments his donation was targeting. The Arkansas Family Council turned in three separate campaign finance reports, one each for its opposition to the marijuana, abortion and education amendments that supporters hope will make the November ballot. Cameron’s donation appeared on both the marijuana and abortion finance reports. Graham Sloan, director of the Arkansas Ethics Commission, was unable to say how the donations were earmarked and the Arkansas Family Council did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The Arkansas Family Council reported total donations of $238,221 to oppose the abortion amendment and a balance of $139,229 at the end of July. The group reported total contributions of $218,715 to oppose the medical marijuana amendment and a balance of $149,377 at the end of last month in a separate finance report. The group never raised any money related to the education amendment, which did not collect enough signatures to make the ballot. The marijuana and abortion measures could still be in front of voters this fall. Arkansans for Students and Educators, a group funded by billionaires Jim Walton and Jeff Yass among others, sent $100,000 to Stronger Arkansas, a ballot question committee associated with Gov. Sarah Sanders. Stronger Arkansas was formed earlier this year by Sanders campaign manager Chris Caldwell and other Sanders associates to oppose the medical marijuana, abortion and education amendments. In April, the group sent $100,000 to Arkansans for Students and Educators, which was also formed by Caldwell. At the end of July, Arkansans for Students and Educators reported total contributions of $988,000 and a balance of $179,803. Arkansas for Students and Educators raised eyebrows for its acceptance of $250,000 from Yass, one of the leading investors of ByteDance LTD, which owns TikTok. On Sanders’ first day in office, she banned TikTok on state-issued devices and from government networks. Sanders’ executive order on the matter said ByteDance had “significant ties to the Chinese Communist Party.” Stronger Arkansas’ only contribution last month was the $100,000 from Arkansans for Students and Educators. Stronger Arkansas reported a cumulative fundraising total of $475,000 and a balance of $60,033 at the end of July. Cameron also donated $250,000 to Stronger Arkansas in March. Arkansans for Limited Government, the sponsor of the abortion amendment, reported raising $306,314 last month. Arkansans for Patient Access, the sponsor of the medical marijuana amendment, reported raising $290,610 last month, bringing its total contributions to $1,941,570. The group reported a balance of $402,733. Nearly all of the group’s donations last month were from companies in the Arkansas medical marijuana industry, including Good Day Farm Arkansas, which made the largest donation at $75,000. Protect Arkansas Kids, a group formed in July by a national marijuana opposition group, reported raising $10,000. Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which formed the committee, was active in the campaign to defeat an adult-use marijuana amendment in Arkansas in 2022. Local Voters in Charge, the sponsor of an amendment concerning Arkansas casinos, reported raising $300,000 last month, all from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The group has raised a total of $5,600,000, with all but $100 coming from the Choctaw Nation. The committee reported a balance of $1,195,158 at the end of July. Investing in Arkansas, a group opposed to the casino amendment, reported no donations last month. The group has raised a total of $775,000 and reported a balance of $31,334 at the end of July. All of the group’s donations have come from Cherokee Nation Businesses of Catoosa, Oklahoma. Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee formed earlier this month to oppose the casino amendment and did not have any July fundraising to report. This story first appeared in the Arkansas Times and is republished here by permission. Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com. Follow Arkansas Advocate on Facebook and X.