Sunday, February 06, 2011

Talboy tops 2010 Turner Report Hall of Shame

It started off with cuff links and a Blackberry case in January and ended with hotel accommodations and Kansas City Chiefs tickets in December.

During the 12 months of 2010, Rep. Mike Talboy, D-Kansas City, collected $8,523.41 worth of gifts to hold on to his title as number one on The Turner Report Hall of Shame for the Missouri House of Representatives.

The 10 members of the Hall of Shame, seven Democrats and three Republicans, accepted more than $60,000 worth of gifts.

Sadly, even though Talboy once again topped the list, his total was much improved from 2009, when he took $16,227.97 worth of gifts, giving him a two-year total of $24,750.38.

Joining the Kansas City Democrat in the Hall of Shame, in order:

2. Timothy Jones, R-Eureka, $7,218.97

3. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, $6,151.15

4. Steve Webb, D-Florrisant, $5,385.03

5. Mike Colona, D-St. Louis, $5,230.82

6. Kate Meiners, D-Kansas City, $4,870.55

7. Shalonn Curls, D-Kansas City, $4,833.19

8. Dwight Scharnhorst, R-St. Louis, $4,780.55

9. Paul Levota, D-Independence, $4,514.83

10. Michael Spreng, D-Florrisant, $4,211.86

Twenty-one other legislators accepted between $2,000 and $4,211.86 in gifts, while 40 others took between $1,000 and $2,000.

Those figures do not include gifts accepted by wives, children, staff members, and by committees on which the legislators serve.

It wasn't always the lobbyists who plied Talboy with gifts, according to Missouri Ethics Commission documents. On Feb. 23, $240.32 in beverages from Ameristar Casino lobbyist Jorgen Schlemeier, while on March 13, he solicited $124.10 worth of  soft drinks from Schlemeier's partner, William Gamble, representing the Missouri Beverage Association for a "fundraiser," according to the Ethics Commission documents. AtTalboy's request, Gamble also provided $372 worth of tickets on April 1.

Other 2010 highlights for Talboy:

-$25 worth of cufflinks and a Blackberry case from Charles Simino, Missouri Cable Telecommunications Association on Jan. 26

-$216, Big 12 Tournament tickets, John Kristan Jones, Sprint Nextel, March 10

-$700, two Big 12 Tournament tickets, Brian Grace, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, March 12

-$304.96, meals, food, and beverage, Samuel Licklider, Missouri Association of Realtors, March 18

-$53, Kansas City Royals tickets, Fred Dreiling, Fred Dreiling LLC

-$187.84, meals, food, beverage, William Gamble, Missouri Beverage Association, May 5

-$107.69, meal, Rodney Gray, Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City, May 11

-$423.90 for tickets, lodging, and meals at the Indianapolis 500 from Missouri Primary Care Association lobbyists Joseph Pierle and Daniel O'Neill, May 30-31

-$1,500 for four tickets to Jazzoo, William Bates, Friends of the Zoo

-$352.44, continuing education seminar, lodging, Sara Schuett, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys

-$200- baseball game, Denise Hasty, Associated General Contractors, July 15

-$108, baseball tickets, John Kristan Jones, Sprint Nextel, Aug. 21

-$235, Chiefs tickets, John Kristan Jones, Sprint Nextel, Sept. 13

-$114.61, meal, Doug Galloway, CenturyLink. The Ethics Commision documents indicate another $114.61 for a meal for Mrs. Talboy, Sept. 30

-$198.87, hotel accommodations, John Bardgett, John Bardgett & Associates, Dec. 4

-$108.62, Chiefs tickets, Fred Dreiling, Burns & McDonnell Engineering, Dec. 5

The Ethics Commission documents listed 127 times Talboy received gifts from lobbyists during 2010.

In upcoming posts, information will be provided about other members of the Turner Report Hall of Shame.

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