By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill says Republicans are looking the other way when large food companies hire illegal immigrants.
The Missouri Democrat says there has been a major decline in recent years in sanctions against companies that hire illegal immigrants.
And she says part of the reason is that her Republican opponent is in the pocket of large agribusiness interests.
"The number one senator for that industry in this cycle has received more money from corporate agriculture than any other senator in the country [and that] is our own senator Jim Talent."
But Talent spokesman Rich Chrismer says McCaskill is just upset that she didn't get a piece of the pie.
"What Claire McCaskill has announced today is not about the issue of immigration," Chrismer said. "We already know she supports amnesty. This is about Claire McCaskill targeting companies that refuse to give her campaign contributions."
McCaskill says she did not solicit contributions from Tyson directly. But she says Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas did send a fax to Tyson on her behalf.