Richard contributes more than $50,000 to HRCC

Rep. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, has an excellent start on ingratiating himself with potential voters for Speaker of the House.
An examination of Missouri Ethics Commission documents from 2006 and 2007 show Richard has contributed $52,000 to the House Republican Campaign Committee during the two years, including $25,000 on March 6.
Considering that the first installment, $5,000, came on May 31, 2006, that means the $52,000 was contributed in just a little over eight months.
Richard also contributed $1,000 on Aug. 24 and $21,000, in increments of $10,000, $10,000, and $1,000 on Nov. 1.
As I noted in the May 30 Turner Report, Richard, with new treasurer Nick Myers, a Joplin CPA, collected $48,000 during the first quarter of 2007, $45,000 of which came during a January fundraiser in Jefferson City. Twenty five thousand of that total went to the House campaign committee.
If the speaker race was decided only by contributions to the Republicans' House campaign war chest, and undoubtedly that will play a role, Richard would win hands down. Ethics Commission documents show his chief rival, House Budget Committee Chairman Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, contributed $9,000 on July 7, 2006.