Attorney general candidate criticizes Ethics Commission ruling

I was beginning to wonder if anyone had noticed.

The ruling earlier this week by the Missouri Ethics Commission that 11 candidates, including Speaker-in-waiting Ron Richard, R-Joplin, were granted hardship status by the Missouri Ethics Commission allowing them to hold on to excess contributions they received during the first seven months of 2007, has not been covered by any of the traditional media as far as I can tell.

The idea that 10 legislators and the mayor of St. Charles went behind closed doors to beg to keep the extra money is bad enough, but for the media to ignore the development once their begging paid off is inexcusable.

Perhaps it won't be ignored now that attorney general candidate Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, has ripped the decision. The following news release was issued by the Harris campaign:

Representative Jeff Harris, a Democratic candidate for Attorney General, today issued a statement harshly criticizing the Missouri Ethics Commission ruling, allowing ten Republican House candidates to keep $312,000 in over-the-limit contributions that were ruled unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court.

Harris’ statement follows:

“Once again, we’ve seen Missourians’ interest in public integrity take a back seat to political gamesmanship and the special interests. The Ethics Commission was set up to serve as a public watchdog, but time and time again, it has stood by and watched as politicians and deep-pocketed special interests exploit and skirt campaign finance laws to their advantage. It’s time for this to change. Voters have an absolute right to know where the money in our political system comes from – who is giving to who, and what they expect in return.

“As Missouri’s next Attorney General, I will work with the Ethics Commission to help them tighten the reins on inappropriate activity, but I will also press the commission to do more. I will assign attorneys from the Attorney General’s Office to monitor complaints, to provide input and insight, and to file charges wherever they apply. I also will not hesitate to use my bully pulpit as Attorney General to criticize inaction and wrongheaded decisions by the commission.

“I want to be clear that I am not criticizing the many fine people who work at the Ethics Commission and work hard every day. But Missourians need a strong watchdog who is not afraid to bark or even bite when politicians and special interests violate the public trust. If the Ethics Commission won’t act on its own, then, as Attorney General, I will.”

The Missouri Ethics Commission’s decision was issued on Tuesday. Among those granted hardship by the commission was Representative Ron Richard (R-Joplin) who is expected to be the next Speaker of the House, if Republicans maintain control of the House in November. Richard used the $82,981.39 in over-limit contributions that he received to make contributions to fellow members, helping him secure support for his potential leadership post. Harris noted that Sen. Tom Dempsey’s (R-St. Peters) hardship was not incorrect because his over-limit contributions were raised during a special election that occurred before the Supreme Court's ruling last summer.