State auditor candidate has open-door policy for lobbyists

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last week that State Senator Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, a candidate for state auditor, declared bankruptcy in 1998.
An examination of Missouri Ethics Commission records indicates that Ms. Coleman also has a friendly relationship with lobbyists. During 2005, she has accepted more gifts from lobbyists than all but one senator, Majority Whip David Klindt, R-Bethany.
She has received gifts totaling $3,395.55, according to the Ethics Commission documents, including $912 for entertainment (for a total of four occasions) and $977.38 overall from John Bardgett, lobbyist for John Bardgett & Associates.
Other items on Ms. Coleman's list include $200 for entertainment from John Sondag of Southwestern Bell on Feb. 5, $124.27 for meals, food and beverage from Steven Carroll, lobbyist for the St. Louis City School Board, $161.11 for Kent Gaines, lobbyist for the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District, Monsanto, and the Kansas City Chiefs, among others, on March 16, an additional $357.40, including $170 for entertainment and $187.40 for meals, food and beverage from Sondag on April 2, and $235.22 for travel from Richard Doherty, lobbyist for Harrah's Casino on Aug. 23.