Assistant U. S. Attorney: Cooper trip will not happen

Rudi Keller of the Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian has more information on the story first reported Wednesday night on The Turner Report concerning former Rep. Nathan Cooper's request to have his passport returned so he can make a two-week business junket to the Philippines.
Assistant U. S. Attorney James Crowe says the trip is not going to take place and Cooper's lawyer agrees with that assessment:

Crowe said Schwartz had mistaken his stance following a discussion of numerous issues related to the case. Crowe said he wasn't sure about the nature of the trip. "My sense is he was going to do some immigration business."

Keller also came up with this gem- Cooper's business partner was not even aware of the trip:

In the motion filed with the court, Cooper described his proposed voyage as a business trip on behalf of Business Improvement Solutions LLC, a company he created in April. Cooper's connection with the company was not mentioned in the court filing. Cooper's partner in the company said he wasn't aware Cooper was planning the trip.

"He organized the company for us a few months ago," said Ronald Randen of Gideon, Mo. "It never really got started. It was just in a dormant mode."

Any trip would have been at Cooper's expense, Randen said. "There is no money in the company till."

Despite the lack of funds, the company, which on its Web site lists its address as 1917 William St. -- the same address as Cooper's law firm -- Business Improvement Solutions made a $420 contribution to Cooper's re-election campaign July 16. The address listed for the contribution was Randen's home.

"That money we just put in" to make the donation, Randen said.

Randen said he's known Cooper for about six years. In 2006, Randen's wife, Donna Randen, contributed $650 to Cooper's re-election.

Cooper apparently is traveling while awaiting his Oct. 19 sentencing. The Arch City Chronicle Web site reported Wednesday that Cooper was in New Orleans over the weekend attending a Council of State Governments forum.