How to Stop ESG in Missouri
Thanks to Governor Kehoe and Conservatives in the legislature, Missouri has become a national leader in the fight against DEI.
Still, we have a long way to go to eliminate so-called Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies in finance.
ESG is the name that Left-wingers gave to their push to leverage finance for their political goals.
How do Left-wingers use ESG? And how do we stop them?
Pensions
States like Missouri maintain pension funds for government employees. These funds, like MOSERS, have billions of dollars in assets.
ESG fund managers sign contracts with pension funds and use state pension dollars to fund their Left-wing priorities.
Missouri should follow the lead of states like Ohio and Florida in requiring state pension funds to invest solely to make money for its investors, not to achieve political or social goals.
The State Pension Fiduciary Duty Act should be a priority for the next legislative session.
Boycott Ban
ESG money managers love boycotts.
ESG funds support gun control, so they lock out firearm companies.
ESG funds support Radical climate action, so they lock out fossil fuels.
ESG funds support mass illegal immigration, so they lock out anyone involved in immigration detention.
If these companies want to boycott American industry, Missouri should boycott them.
Texas, Kentucky, and Arkansas all passed anti-boycott legislation.
It’s time for Missouri to follow suit and pass the Eliminate Economic Boycotts Act.
Agriculture
Missouri’s largest industry is under attack from ESG money managers.
The ESG cartel seeks to impose emissions requirements on family farms.
If they don’t comply, they are shut out of bank financing completely.
That’s an existential threat.
Missouri should defend them and pass the Farmer Protection Act immediately.
Conclusion
Missouri is falling behind other Republican-trifecta states when it comes to restricting ESG.
The 2026 legislative session is an ideal opportunity to catch up.
ESG has no place in Missouri.
Andy Bakker
Executive Director
Liberty Alliance USA