Missouri ethics panel dismisses complaint involving REpublican state senator

Missouri ethics panel dismisses complaint involving Republican state senator

by Jason Hancock, Missouri Independent
July 29, 2025

An ethics complaint alleging a GOP state senator from Grain Valley was using his church as a political action committee has been formally dismissed. 

The Missouri Ethics Commission determined the allegations against New Covenant Ministries and state Sen. Joe Nicola were unfounded, dismissing them at a meeting earlier this month. 

Brad Ketcher, a Democrat attorney from St. Louis who filed the complaint, said he was “disappointed in the outcome, but respect the commission’s decision.”

In an email to The Independent, Nicola said he appreciated the commission’s “thorough review” which found no violation had occurred. 

“I take seriously my responsibility to follow both the letter and the spirit of the law,” Nicola said, “and I’m grateful this matter has been resolved appropriately.”

The complaint alleged the church, where Nicola serves as president and pastor, should have registered as a political action committee because it raised money to boost Nicola’s campaign for state Senate last year. 

The church donated to Truth and Light PAC, which was established to support Nicola’s candidacy. The PAC reported contributions received from New Covenant Ministries rather than from the individual contributors. 

The complaint alleged that in doing so, New Covenant Ministries attempted to conceal the source of the contributors. Finally, the complaint alleged if contributions were accepted at church in the collection plate it is likely there were also violations of cash contribution statutes.

Nicola told The Independent earlier this year that Ketcher’s complaint was “ridiculous.”

“My church made donations to a PAC,” Nicola said, but added he doesn’t believe it was a violation of campaign finance law because his church isn’t a registered nonprofit.

The commission seemed to agree. 

“The investigation found that New Covenant Ministries did not accept contributions,” the ethics commission wrote in its ruling. “Rather, it accepted donations, which became the church’s personal funds, and the church’s financial board then decided how that money would be spent.”

There was no proof, the commission determined, that donations were earmarked to support Nicola or that the donations were given after solicitations to support his campaign. 

“Because New Covenant Ministries is not a committee, it had no obligation to register with the (Missouri Ethics Commission) or disclose the source of its donations,” the ruling stated. 

Ketcher’s complaint was originally dismissed in April because the commission was unable to meet due to the lack of a quorum. Gov. Mike Kehoe had not filled open seats on the board, leaving it unable to take action on any complaints.

He refiled the complaint soon after, and this month the governor finally filled enough seats for the commission to convene. 

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].