Hunter gets by with a little help from her husband's friends

It's only a county position, but Jasper County Public Administrator Rita Hunter has been able to raise a considerable amount of money for her reelection...thanks to colleagues of her husband, Rep. Steve Hunter.

Mrs. Hunter's disclosure form, filed earlier tonight with the Missouri Ethics Commission shows contributions from six representatives and one senator, including $675 contributions from Speaker of the House Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, and Budget Committee Chairman Allen Icet, R-Wildwood. She also received $675 from Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, who served two terms with Hunter in the House from 2001 to 2005.

Other legislators giving to Mrs. Hunter were: Ed Emery, R-Lamar, $250; Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City, $650; Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, $500; and one entry listed as C. S. Cooper, which has the same post office box as Rep. Shannon Cooper, R-Blairstown.

The legislative contributions amount to $3,525 out of the $8,350 Mrs. Hunter received. The disclosure form shows she received $14,350 in contributions, but she returned $3,000 contributions from two legislative district committees.

This is not the first time Mrs. Hunter's county campaign has benefited from her husband's legislative connections. As I noted in the March 18, 2006, Turner Report, Mrs. Hunter received contributions from 20 legislators during her four-way Republican primary in 2004:

A close examination of Missouri Ethics Commission records indicates her husband lined up 20 state representatives to contribute $2,700. Those contributing were: Hunter $575; Bob Behnen, Kirksville, $100; Bryan Stevenson, Webb City, $100; John Quinn, Chillicothe, $100; Tom Dempsey, St. Charles, $100; Ed Emery, Lamar, $50; Rex Rector, Harrisonville, $100; Charles Schlottach, Owensville, $100; Shannon Cooper, Blairstown, $200; Jerry Bough, Nixa, $100; Speaker of the House Rod Jetton, Marble Hill, $250; Robert Mayer, Dexter, $100; Bill Deeken, Jefferson City, $100; Brian Munzlinger, Williamston, $100; Larry Gene Taylor, Shell Knob,$100; Robert Schaaf, St. Joseph, $25; Carl Bearden, St. Charles, $100; Ron Richard, Joplin, $200; Blaine Leutkemeyer, St. Elizabeth, $100; Marilyn Ruestman, Joplin, $100.
Of those representatives, only one, Stevenson, donated to any of Ms. Hunter's opponents.