SouthernWorldwide.com – A complaint has been filed alleging that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation violated Missouri’s new election law by accepting foreign funds and then donating them to a political committee. This situation comes as a significant test for the state’s legislation aimed at preventing foreign money from influencing political processes.
The Switzerland-based Oak Foundation provided the ACLU Foundation with a $2 million grant. This funding was designated as unrestricted and was intended to be used over a two-year period, commencing in 2025. This information is according to a financial disclosure statement.
Subsequently, in early 2026, campaign finance records revealed that the ACLU Foundation donated $500,000 to Stop the Ban. Stop the Ban is identified as a political committee actively working to oppose a ballot measure in Missouri. This measure, if passed, would enact a ban on most abortion procedures within the state.
Missouri is among a group of states, predominantly led by Republican lawmakers, that enacted laws in 2025. These laws are specifically designed to prevent foreign funds from entering the domestic political arena. The impetus for this legislative push reportedly stemmed from earlier reports indicating that funds linked to Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss had found their way to a prominent nonprofit organization aligned with Democratic interests.
This nonprofit was reportedly spending substantial amounts of money with the objective of influencing state ballot referendums. The trend highlights a broader concern about foreign influence in U.S. elections.
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A federal court’s ruling in 2025 shed light on a similar campaign finance law in Kansas. This law, which bears resemblance to Missouri’s foreign influence legislation, stipulates that organizations receiving funding from foreign nationals are prohibited from donating to domestic nonprofits. These domestic nonprofits, in turn, are also barred from contributing to political committees. The court noted that this prohibition exists even when the direct financial link between foreign nationals and domestic nonprofits is “one step removed.”
The Oak Foundation’s primary source of funding is attributed to the wealth accumulated by British billionaire Alan Parker. His family members continue to hold positions on the foundation’s board of trustees, underscoring a continued familial connection to its operations and financial decisions.
Americans for Public Trust (APT), a watchdog group, has put forth the argument that the ACLU Foundation’s donation to Stop the Ban, occurring shortly after the receipt of funds from the Oak Foundation, constitutes a breach of Missouri’s Foreign Influence in Ballot Measures Act. This act officially became law in August 2025, establishing new regulations for campaign finance.
In its complaint, APT stated, “The ACLU Foundation has become a bastion of foreign money, unceremoniously opening its coffers to millions in Swiss-based funding, and, subsequently, to an unknowable degree of influence that comes along with it.” The group further elaborated, “At a minimum, the ACLU Foundation and Stop the Ban demonstrate reckless disregard for the newly enacted requirements of the Act, and, at worst, they demonstrate willful evasion of a law designed to keep foreign money out of Missouri politics.”
The ballot measure that Stop the Ban is opposing is a proposed constitutional amendment. Missouri voters are slated to decide its fate. If approved, this amendment would effectively repeal the state’s 2024 abortion-rights amendment. It would also grant state lawmakers the authority to impose restrictions on abortion access.
The proposed amendment, to be voted on during the 2026 election, would ban most abortions. However, it does include specific exceptions. These exceptions are for cases of rape and incest occurring under 12 weeks of gestation, medical emergencies, and fetal anomalies. Additionally, the measure would prohibit gender transition procedures for minors.
Stop the Ban has positioned itself as the principal committee actively campaigning against this ballot measure. Its efforts are focused on mobilizing opposition to the proposed amendment.
Under the existing laws in Missouri, organizations that intend to donate to political committees, such as Stop the Ban, are legally obligated to provide an attestation. This attestation confirms that, in the four years preceding their contribution, they received less than $10,000 from “prohibited sources.”
Missouri law defines “prohibited sources” broadly. This definition encompasses “contributions from or expenditures by a foreign national made with the intent to use such funds to influence an election on a ballot measure.” This definition is central to the current complaint.
Stop the Ban, in a similar vein, was also required by state law to formally attest that it had not “directly or indirectly” received any financial support from a foreign national during its fundraising period. This requirement is designed to ensure transparency and prevent foreign interference.
Beyond the funding received from the Oak Foundation, reports indicate that the ACLU has also been the recipient of millions of dollars in donations. These donations have reportedly come from philanthropic organizations with known ties to the aforementioned Swiss billionaire, Hansjörg Wyss. This suggests a pattern of foreign funding reaching various U.S. advocacy groups.
In response to these allegations, Americans for Public Trust (APT) has formally requested that Missouri’s attorney general initiate an investigation. The aim of this investigation would be to thoroughly probe “whether, and to what extent, the ACLU Foundation and Stop the Ban may have evaded Missouri’s Foreign Influence in Ballot Measures Act.” The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications for campaign finance regulations in the state.
