Much has been written about the amount of PAC money that was funneled into Matt Blunt's campaign for governor. Probably about the same amount has been written about the amount of people who donated to his campaign just to curry favor with his father, Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt.
Those contributions, no doubt, helped Blunt win by a razor-thin margin over State Auditor Claire McCaskill in the general election. But Blunt also had help from another source, which his crack fundraising team used to generate more than $60,000 (and possibly a lot more) to his war chest.
Close to 100 contributions were received during the 2004 calendar year from donors who are either registered lobbyists in the state of Missouri, the spouses of registered lobbyists, or who are connected with law firms which do extensive lobbying in the state.
Of that total, only two people have lobbyist listed as their occupations...and one of those is not registered with the state.
The figure does not include people who lobby the federal government, a group which a recent article in The Washington Post suggests has worked hand-in-hand with Roy Blunt to influence federal legislation. Only state lobbyists were included in this Turner Report investigation.
It should also be noted that the methods used by the Blunt campaign made a search of the donors as listed with the Missouri Ethics Commission difficult. For nearly half of his contributors, Blunt did not list an occupation as required by law. His campaign personnel also used unusual techniques in submitting their reports, such as filing any business which was incorporated under Inc., instead of the business's name in alphabetical order.
The lion's share of the lobbyist contributions, of course, came after the primary election, in which Blunt beat a group of no-name Republicans including current Newton County Jail resident Martin Lindstedt.
Once the fall campaign against McCaskill was in full swing, the Blunt forces began hitting up the same people whose job it is to influence government in favor of their companies and special interests.
In the final report filed 30 days after the November election, Blunt reported receiving:
-$250 from Dwight Fine, lobbyist for the Missouri Hospital Association, whose job was listed as that organization.
-$500 from Sharon Williams of the law firm of Shook, Hardy, and Bacon, lobbyist for Freedom of Road Riders, and the Missouri Probation and Parole Officers Association.
-$600 from Tom Atkins, lobbyist for the University of Missouri, which was listed as his workplace.
-$350 from David Bechtold, a lobbyist for Husch and Eppenberger, who is listed as a Jefferson City attorney
-$250 from Roy Cagle, Joplin, formerly a lobbyist for Enron, now a lobbyist for the Missouri Finance Institute, which is listed as his place of business.
-$150 from Health Clarkston, Jefferson City, lobbyist for the Home Builders Association and Aquila. Clarkston is listed as a self-employed consultant.
-$325 from Steven Sullivan, lobbyist for Ameren.
-$1,200 (the maximum amount) from James Deutsch, Jefferson City, lobbyist for Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys. Deustch was listed under his law firm, Blitz, Bardgett, and Deutsch
-$1,000 from Kenneth Dobbins, lobbyist for Southeast Missouri State University, which was listed as his place of employment.
-$1,200 from John Cozad, lobbyist for the Kansas City Police Department and Jackson County, whose business was listed as Cozad company.
-$1,200 from Cozad's wife, Linda Cozad, who had no occupation listed.
In documents filed eight days before the election, Blunt listed the following contributions:
-$1,200 from Steven Ahrens, lobbyist for Missouri Propane Gas Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$150 from J. Bechtold, Jefferson City, lobbyist for Husch and Eppenberger, which includes among its clients, 7-11, Bank of America, the St. Louis Cardinals, Missouri State Republican Committee, and the Missouri Health Care Association.
-$500 from Mary Becker, lobbyist for the Missouri Hospital Association. Ms. Becker is listed as a homemaker.
-$500 from Randall Boulch, lobbyist for the Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$1,200 from John Craft, lobbyist for Harrah's Casino, whose place of employment was listed as Fridkin and Rhyne LLC
-$1,200 from Craft's wife, Karen, who is listed as a homemaker.
-$1,200 from Michael Dunaway, lobbyist for the Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$150 from James Farrell, lobbyist for the city of St. Louis and St. Louis Zoo. No occupation is listed for Farrell.
-$1,250 from Charles Kruse, lobbyist for Missouri Farm Bureau, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$12,50 from Kruse's wife, Pam, listed as a farmer.
-$500 from Marc Smith, lobbyist for Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$150 from Gregory Upchurch, who works for Hursch and Eppenberger, though he is not a registered lobbyist.
-$200 from Thomas Vaughan, who also works for that law firm and who is also not listed as a lobbyist.
In the quarterly report for the third quarter, Blunt reported the following donors:
-$500 from Carla Ahrens, wife of lobbyist for the Missouri Gas Propane Association, no occupation listed.
-$300 in two $150 donations from J. David Bechtold, lobbyist for Husch & Eppenberger, listed as self-employed attorney.
-$1,200 from Lance Beshore, Joplin, lobbyist for Leggett & Platt, Carthage, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$1,200 from his wife, Sharon Cornell Beshore, listed as a homemaker.
-$1,200 from their son, Brent Beshore, listed as a Joplin student
-$1,200 from the governor's brother, Andrew Blunt, lobbyist for Ameren, Health and Management Systems, Kraft/Altria, Miller Brewing, Missouri Hospital Association, Phillip Morris, SBC, and United Parcel Service, among others. Blunt was listed by his law firm.
-$1,200 from Andrew Blunt's wife Jill.
-$1,000 from Mark Bobak, lobbyist for Anheuser-Busch, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$500 from Burton-Liese, which is former State Representative Gary Burton's lobbying firm formed with Chris Liese, which represents Isle of Capri casinos, Missouri Riverboat Gaming Association, City of Joplin, and the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents, among other clients.
-$1,200 from the law firm of Armstrong Teasdale, which serves as the lobbying firm for a laundry list of clients, including Ameren, St. Louis University, and First Health Systems.
-$1,000 from Harvey Tettlebaum of Husch & Eppenberger, who is not a registered lobbyist.
-$500 from Robert W. Wilson, Jefferson City, a lobbyist for Brokers Insurance and Guaranty Land Title Insurance. Tettlebaum is listed as a governmental consultant.
-$1,200 from Brent Evans, lobbyist for Missouri Hospital Association, who is the only person listed on Blunt's campaign contribution list who is actually referred to as a lobbyist and who is registered with the state.
-$1,200 from Tony Feather, a Sarcoxie native who was once former Attorney General Bill Webster's right-hand man. Feather is a lobbyist for Advocates for School Choice and the Alliance for School Choice. He is listed with his business, Feather, Hodges, Larson and Synhorst.
-$1,200 from Kenneth Heineman of Husch & Eppenberger, who is not a registered lobbyist
-$500 from James Moody, lobbyist for the Coalition to Fund Excellent Schools, President Casinos, and Family Health. Moody's firm, Moody & Associates as listed for his employment.
In his filing 30 days after the August primary election, Blunt listed the following donors:
-$250 from Chris Anderson, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not listed as a lobbyist.
-$1,000 from John Bealick, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not listed as a lobbyist.
-$350 from Ann Buckley, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not listed as a lobbyist
-$1,000 from Frank Buerge, lobbyist for the City of Harrisonville, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$1,000 from Clark Cole, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not listed as a lobbyist
-$1,200 from Sherry Doctorian, lobbyist for St. Louis University, whose firm, Armstrong Teasdale is listed as her employer.
-$1,200 from David Martin, lobbyist for Empire District Electric Company, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$450 from Schreimann, Rackers, Francka, and Blunt- the law firm and lobbying firm which has the governor's brother, Andrew Blunt, among its partners.
-$500 from Stephen Jones, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not listed as a lobbyist
-$500 from Paul Kovacs, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not listed as a lobbyist.
-$500 from Kent Lowry, lobbyist for the Prosecuting Attorneys and Circuit Attorneys Retirement System, Doe Run Company, and the Williams Companies, among others. He was listed under his place of employment, Armstrong Teasdale.
-$500 from Edwin Noel, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$500 from Noel's wife Nancy
-$500 from Jay Summerville, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$500 from Thomas Vaughn, Husch & Eppenberger, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$250 from John Vering, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$1,200 from James Virtel, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$675 from Joseph VonKaenel, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist.
-An additional $325 from VonKaenel to make it a round $1,000
Only one person connected with lobbyists, Roger Walker of Armstrong Teasdale made a contribution, $150 during the filing eight days before the primary election.
In the July quarterly report, Blunt reported the following donations:
-$500 from Clark Cole of Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$25 from Tony Feather (see above)
-$250 from Dwight Fine, lobbyist for Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$25 from James Virtel of Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$25 from Andrew Blunt (see above)
-$1,175 from Andrew Blunt( see above)
-$1,200 from Jill Blunt, Andrew Blunt's wife
-$500 from Sherry Doctorian, lobbyist, (see above)
-$250 from Richard Wiles, lobbyist for Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$750 from Schreimann, Rackers, Francka, and Blunt, law and lobbying firm which has the governor's brother, Andrew Blunt, among its partners.
-$100 from Kelly Gillespie, lobbyist for Missouri Chamber of Commerce, which is listed as her place of employment
-$612.50 from Kenneth Heineman of Husch & Eppenberger, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$250 from Bruce Hillis, lobbyist for Americare Systems, Inc., and Missouri First, who is listed as a self-employed consultant.
-An additional $250 from Hillis
-$975 from Rhonda Ludwig, wife of Dale Ludwig, lobbyist for the Missouri Soybean Association. She is listed under her place of employment, Learfield Communications.
-$1,200 from Daniel Mehan, lobbyist for Missouri Chamber of Commerce, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$500 from Chris Rackers of the law and lobbying firm of Hendren & Andrae, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$500 from Duane Schreimann, formerly of Hendren & Andrae, now with the firm of Schreimann, Rackers, Francka, and Blunt, and who was also recently appointed to the State Board of Education.
-$612.50 from Gerald Sill, lobbyist for Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
In the first report of 2004, the January quarterly report, Blunt listed the following donors:
-$250 from Randall Boulch, lobbyist for the Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$250 from Ann Buckley, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$250 from Clark Cole, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$1,175.90 from Jean Feather, wife of Tony Feather, lobbyist for Advocates for School Choice and the Alliance for School Choice. Mrs. Feather is listed under her workplace, Collier, Gardner, Feather PC
-$500 from Edwin Noel, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$250 from Jay Summerville, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$500 from Joseph VonKaenel, Armstrong Teasdale, who is not registered as a lobbyist
-$500 from Rhonda Ludwig, wife of Dale Ludwig, lobbyist for the Missouri Soybean Association. She is listed under her place of employment, Learfield Communications.
-$589.50 from Gerald Sill, lobbyist for the Missouri Hospital Association, which is listed as his place of employment.
-$250 from Brent Hemphill, lobbyist for Argosy Gaming Company, AT&T, Kansas City Chiefs, Microsoft, Missouri Propane Gas Association, and Missouri Soybean Association. No occupation is listed for Hemphill.
-$200 from Gary Burton, lobbyist for Isle of Capri casinos, City of Joplin, the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents, and Missouri Riverboat Gaming. Burton's occupation as listed as "State of Missouri."