JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 A 50度灰视频 County councilman running for the Missouri Senate says he shouldn鈥檛 have used his official county email to ask a utility lobbyist how to collect a contribution days before a campaign fundraising deadline.
Councilman Mark Harder, a Republican serving the 7th District in west 50度灰视频 County, asked 鈥淗ow do I pick up my check?鈥 to a lobbyist for Missouri American Water on Sept. 27, according to an email obtained by the Post-Dispatch.
鈥淚 need to turn it in by Friday. Let me know,鈥 Harder added. Ultimately, a $500 check from the Mo Am Water PAC went to Harder鈥檚 campaign account two days after the Sept. 30 fundraising deadline, records show.
State law prohibits local government employees from using public funds to support 鈥渢he nomination or election of any candidate for public office.鈥
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Harder said in an interview that the email was 鈥渏ust an oversight on my part鈥 and that in other instances, he either doesn鈥檛 respond or directs the person to another email address.
鈥淭hat happened by accident. I didn鈥檛 realize what email she had sent it on, because I get so many emails,鈥 Harder said.
Harder鈥檚 email came in response to an email the lobbyist sent to Harder鈥檚 county email account. 鈥淚t was good seeing you at your campaign event the other day,鈥 Summer Richardson, lobbyist for the water utility company, said to Harder.
Richardson鈥檚 statement came in response to an earlier message in which Harder said 鈥渃ount me in鈥 in an email with the subject line 鈥渢our.鈥
Harder, elected to his third term on the council in 2022, faces former Wildwood Mayor Jim Bowlin and former state Rep. David Gregory of Chesterfield in the Aug. 6 primary.
Democrat Joe Pereles is also running for the open 15th Senate District. The district takes in municipalities such as Wildwood, Chesterfield, Ellisville, Town and Country, Manchester and Ballwin.
Sen. Andrew Koenig currently represents the district; he鈥檚 one of six candidates .