Top Republican official responds to new allegations

Missouri Republican Party Chairman, John Hancock is under fire again for making negative remarks about former State Auditor Tom Schweich. On Friday Hancock provided ABC 17 News a detailed statement about the new allegations from a top Republican donor.

Thursday evening, David Humphreys, CEO of a company from Joplin released a signed affidavit swearing Hancock tried to suggest that Schweich was Jewish when he actually wasn’t, and that would be a negative quality during his race for governor.

Hancock later issued this to ABC 17 News: “I met with David Humphreys on two occasions – September 12 and November 24. As I have consistently stated, it is possible that I mentioned what I believed to be Tom Schweich’s religion, but if I did so, it would have been at our earlier meeting and it certainly was not in a derogatory manner. I absolutely did not make that mistake at our November meeting because I had learned otherwise 10 days previously.”

On Friday Hancock was told a St. Louis radio station he is doing some “soul searching” after all of the allegations and wants to do what’s best for the party, his family and his business.

The affidavit said on November 24, Hancock was in Humphreys’ office discussing fundraising for the Republican party. Humphreys signed an affidavit Thursday claiming he heard Hancock make negative remarks about Schweich during the course of the meeting.

Humphreys said quote, “The meaning and tone I took from Mr. Hancock was clear: He (Tom Schweich) is Jewish– in case you didn’t know- that being Jewish is a negative attribute for Tom Schweich’s gubernatorial race.”

After the meeting was over, Humphreys told another associate he didn’t want to give any money to Hancock for any reason.