Flamethrower ad by gubernatorial candidate Bill Eigel

ST. LOUIS (First Alert 4) – First Alert 4 is fact-checking Missouri gubernatorial candidate Bill Eigel’s flamethrower ad.

CLAIM: “Illegal immigrants get handouts from taxpayers, that’s a disgrace”

It’s true that some benefits are available to people in Missouri regardless of their immigration status. For example, the WIC program, which helps low-income women with children up to age 5 receive nutritious food and other benefits, is available to anyone who meets certain income requirements.

However, the US points out that illegal immigrants or people who have not entered the US legally, such as with a work visa, asylum or refugee status, are not eligible for most major government assistance programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare and welfare, as the National Law Immigration Center explains.

EXPECTATIONS: “Transgender scum in our schools”

The ad, paid for by the Believe in Life and Liberty PAC, shows State Senator Eigel burning boxes labeled “Woke Gender Ideology,” “Transgender Trash in Schools,” and “Porn Books in Schools.” These ideas reflect what Florida and other red states have done in recent years.

Earlier this year, education officials and civil rights advocates in Florida agreed to allow students and teachers to freely discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, as long as it is not part of the lesson. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the agreement “a major victory.”

CLAIM: “I will burn this until the last day”

Transgender care has been a target of Republican politicians in Missouri in recent years. Several bills have been introduced that would impact the transgender community and even criminalize educators who assist children in gender transition, but none of them have passed.

When it comes to getting rid of what Eigel calls “porn books in school,” Missouri is already one of the leading states in banning books, according to a recent report from Pen America. In the 2022-23 school year, 330 books were banned. These books reportedly covered violence and sexual assault, issues of race and racism, and represented LGBTQ+ Identities.

CLAIM: “Communist China is secretly buying up land in Missouri. I’m going to burn that down too”

China’s ownership of farmland in Missouri is a hot topic among all of the top Republican candidates for governor.

Last year, Eigel introduced Senate Bill 9, which would prevent foreign companies from purchasing farmland in the state. It also banned foreign companies from purchasing property in Missouri, but exempted existing foreign companies that already owned property in the state. The bill did not make it through committee.

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