Ethics Committee Chairman takes more than $4,000 in lobbyists' gifts

2008 was a banner year for Rep. Steve Tilley, R-Perryville.

The majority floor leader, who also serves as Ethics Commitee chairman, received $4,190.08 worth of lobbyists' gifts during the year, including $1,059.15 in December, according to documents posted earlier this evening on the Missouri Ethics Commission website.

Some of that total was noted in the Jan. 17 Turner Report:

Missouri Ethics Commission documents indicate House Majority Floor Leader Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, brought in the new year with a little help from his friend- Ameristar Casinos lobbyist Jorgen Schlemeier.

Schlemeier paid $1,742.28, $580.76 apiece in "lodging, meals, and entertainment" for Tilley, Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau; and former Speaker of the House Rod Jetton to celebrate the ringing out of the old and the ringing in of the new at Ameristar Casino in Kansas City, the Gamble and Schlemeier client that footed the bill for the excursion, according to the Ethics Commission documents

.

Tilley started and ended December with big gifts from lobbyists. Ethics Commission records show that on Dec. 3, Anheuser-Busch lobbyist Ted Powers provided Tilley with $417 worth of tickets to Sea World.

Earlier Turner Report postings about Rep. Tilley's gifts from lobbyists and campaign contributions can be found at this link.