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Despite Condemning The Candidate, The NRSC Funneled Money To Akin

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-St. Louis) announces he will challenge Sen. Claire McCaskill for her seat in 2012 on May 17, 2011. Akin's campaign named a new consultant to their team today, Chris LaCivita.
(UPI/Bill Greenblatt)
U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-St. Louis) announces he will challenge Sen. Claire McCaskill for her seat in 2012 on May 17, 2011.

Updated at 2:02 with McCaskill's finances.

In spite of repeated assurances that they wouldn't support Congressman Todd Akin's senate bid after his damning comments regarding "legitimate rape," the National Republican Senatorial Committee funneled $756,000 into Akin's campaign during the days before the election.

Following Akin's comments, high ranking Republicans divorced themselves from the disgraced candidate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called it a gargantuan mistake, and said that Akin had no future.

But it appears there was a change of heart.

According to the most recent campaign finance reports, the NRSC gave $360,000 to the Missouri Republican Party on Nov. 1. The next day, the NRSC followed it up with another $400,000.

The finance reports also show that the Missouri Republican Party used that money to pay a firm called Strategic Media Placement to support Akin's bid. What's more, the $756,000 the Missouri Republican Party spent was listed as a "coordinated expenditure" with the NRSC.

It ended up being all for naught, as Akin lost the race to Democrat Claire McCaskill by over 15 points. But McCaskill went into debt in order to do so. The Associated Press is reporting that "the McCaskill campaign spent nearly $19.3 million... and has a debt of $238,000. (McCaskill campaign manager) Marsh said the campaign has outstanding invoices for ad production."

The NRSC has yet to make a statement on the issue.

Here is the Missouri Republican Party's expenditure filing for the $756,000:

Mo. Republican Party FEC Filing for Akin

And, if you're feeling particularly masochistic on this Friday, here's a link to the entire 111 page filing.

Follow Chris McDaniel on Twitter@csmcdaniel

  • See more stories on politics and policy from St. Louis Public Radio, the St. Louis Beacon and Nine Network of Public Media at BeyondNovember.org.