Hunter loses lobbyist gift title, no recount expected

He gave it a valiant effort but when the final count came at the end of the 2005 calendar year, Steve Hunter R-Joplin, after leading almost the entire year, dropped to third in most gifts received from lobbyist.
Most likely, he still won the title, since he receives outside income from Associated Industries of Missouri, a lobbyist firm, but Missouri Ethics Commission documents do not list that as a gift received from a lobbyist.
Nonetheless, Hunter remains firmly in place on the Missouri House of Representatives' Hall of Shame list. Those making the list are:

1. Mike Sutherland, R-Warrenton- Sutherland catapulted from 19th in June to the number one slot with $3,529.62, receiving more than $2,500 in gifts during the last six months of the year. Sutherland, who is chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, picked up an incredible $1,825.54 of that on Aug. 16, courtesy of William E. Shoehigh, lobbyist for Microsoft, including $421.77 for meals, food and beverage, and the reset for travel, with three separate instances listed for that one day.

2.Shannon Cooper, R-Clinton, chairman of the Rules Committee. The consistent Cooper was also at number two in June and finished with $3,454.43.

3. Steve Hunter's final take was $3,120.21.

4. Springfield Republican Mark Wright improved from sixth to fourth with $2,542.31.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

5. Connie Johnson, D-St. Louis, minority whip, $2,360.75

6. Bob Behnen, R-Kirksville, $2,240.42

7. Joe Smith, R-St. Charles, $2,232.86

8. Steve Hobbs, R-Mexico, $2,227.87

9. Rick Johnson, D-High Ridge $2,167.87

10. Michael Spreng, D-Florissant, $2,144.10.

Two other area legislators cracked the top 20, with Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City, ranking 15th $2,030.29, and Ron Richard, R-Joplin, finishing 20th at $1,694.14.

Ed Emery, Lamar, ended up 33rd with $1,216.87; Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, was 67th at $592.94; and Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, finished 109th with $254.27.

More information will be featured in upcoming posts.