Missouri politicians delay reporting party contributions

ST. LOUIS — Missouri politicians are taking their time before reporting $5,000 political contributions.

State law requires political campaigns to report contributions of more than $5,000 within 48 hours. The provision was added when lawmakers removed limits on political giving.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday that about 80 percent of those who received contributions of exactly $5,000 this year didn't report it within 48 hours.

Through the first three quarters of 2009, there have been 593 campaign donations of $5,000, but only 123 of them have been disclosed within 48 hours.

There doesn't appear to be any pattern among those who quickly report $5,000 contributions.