A response from the campaign said the Koster team was in close consultation with the Ethics Commission and found nothing illegal in its actions.
"The campaign committee has always acted in close consultation with the MEC at every juncture," spokesman Danny Kanner said Tuesday.
As one MPN reader pointed out, that vague statement likely has an underlying meaning.
Prior to his election as a State Senator, Koster worked in the law offices of Tim Dollar, a firm specializing in malpractice and accidents. One of Koster's co-workers was attorney Michael Kilgore, a former Jackson County Asst. Prosecuting Attorney, who was appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt to the Missouri Ethics Commission in 2006 for a four-year term ending in 2010.
Some have speculated that Koster's "connection" to the Ethics Commission is Kilgore.
This blog features observations from Randy Turner, a former teacher, newspaper reporter and editor. Send news items or comments to rturner229@hotmail.com
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Blog connects Koster machinations to Blunt Ethics Commission appointee
Missouri Political News Service, which broke the story three months ago about attorney general candidate Chris Koster's money-laundering operation, has hit with another shocker- that Koster is likely circumventing state campaign finance laws with the assistance of a man recently appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt to the Ethics Commission:
This it a total smoke screen. Campaign finance is a difficult subject to understand. What is TOTALLY LEGAL is very complicated to understand. This story uses some very colorful descriptions to insinuate that the law has been broken. That being said, the story does not even alledge that the law has been broken. Because, (drum roll please) everyone that understands campaign finance, understands that NO LAWS HAVE BEEN BROKEN, NONE.
ReplyDeleteNIXON did NOT break any laws when he raised money through these EXACT SAME methods, STEELMAN did NOT break any laws when she raised money through these EXACT SAME methods, HULSHOF did NOT break any laws when he raised money through these EXACT SAME methods. AND YOU KNOW WHAT...KOSTER did NOT break any laws when he raised money through these methods.
This is Jeff Harris convicing a reporter that something occured here when nothing did. What is amazing is that a respected AP reporter took the bait AND only focused the story on Koster.
People need to recognize that if Harris and Donnelly only attack Koster (ignoring Nixon, Steelman, Hulsof and so many others) this is pure politics. Another Harris/Donnelly attack.
Nixon, Steelman, Hulsoff etc... ALL RAISE MONEY IN THE EXACT SAME WAY. IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL.
This is a total smoke screen by Harris to attack Koster because Koster is out front.
Nice to see you spamming this comment here, too.
ReplyDeleteAs I pointed out at Blog CCP, this is not the same as Nixon's fundraising. Koster created an entity, directed his donors to it with the promise that their money would be directed back to him, and made it happen.