A progressive advocacy organization launched a new initiative today that aims to “reclaim” the concept of freedom by calling out the hypocritical politicians who use the word — and then vote its opposite.
Progress Missouri says its “Missouri Freedom Project” is an effort to chronicle the actions of politicians whose votes and actions stand in opposition to their speeches.
“We’re trying to reclaim the word freedom from people who don’t seem to know the meaning,” says Liz McCune, executive director of Progress Missouri.
Currently the project’s website features eight right-wing politicians whose actions have chipped away reproductive freedoms, workers rights, voters rights and public education.
These politicians include state Senators Andrew Koenig (R-Ballwin), Bill Eigel (R- St. Charles), Holly Thompson Rehder (R-Bollinger), Rick Brattin (R-Bates) and Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Jefferson County), as well as state Representatives Brad Hudson (R-Cape Fair Stone), Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) and Doug Richey (R-Excelsior Springs).
House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) is singled out in the organization’s “extremism spotlight,” that points out his advocacy for banning gender affirming care for transgender youth, how he spent $60,000 in taxpayer dollars to renovate his office to include a “liquor pantry” and how he allegedly obstructed an investigation by the Missouri House Ethics Committee.
According to a press release by Progress Missouri, the site will be updated regularly and maintained with up-to-date research on specific legislators as new information is made available.
In addition to the project’s new website, Progress Missouri is purchasing Google search ads so the site will be highlighted when someone searches for freedom.
“All too often, politicians use the word ‘Freedom’ as a tagline in their speeches, or as a concept in their slick, well produced ads, but then you look at their record and realize they cast votes or take stances that actually take AWAY the freedoms of hardworking Missourians who are just trying to keep their head down and provide for their families,” McCune says in a press release. “I think every Missourian, regardless of their party affiliation, should be concerned when a politician uses the word freedom out of one side of the mouth and then casts votes against our freedoms with the other. This is an effort to give all Missourians an opportunity to educate themselves around the REAL record these politicians have.”
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