Sunday, August 02, 2009

Richard tops area legislators in lobbyists' gifts

For the second straight month, Speaker of the House Ron Richard, R-Joplin, topped all Joplin-area legislators combined in the total of lobbyists' gifts received.

As noted in the Aug. 1 Turner Report, Richard received $457.78 worth of gifts in June,and $1,986.33 for the first six months of 2009, according to documents posted Saturday on the Missouri Ethics Commission website.

The other five Joplin-area representatives. Ed Emery, R-Lamar; Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage; Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin; Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City; and Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, received $159.30 in gifts, broken down as follows:

Flanigan- $1.27 meal at Dude's Donuts from Michael J. Haynes, AT&T

Stevenson- $148 to travel and lodging from Sara Schuett, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys

Wilson- $9.36 for breakfast from Calvin Call, Missouri Insurance Coalition

Neither Ed Emery nor Marilyn Ruestman accepted any gifts in June.

For the year, trailing Richard's $1,986.33 are Stevenson with $1,204.86; Ruestman $659.70, Wilson $494.47; Flanigan $475.84; and Emery $231.56.

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