Charges apparently dropped against Smith, Aull in Isle of Capri case

Misdemeanor charges against Sen. Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis, and Rep. Joseph Aull, D-Marshall, in connection with a July 31, 2007, lobbyist-financed junket to the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville, have apparently been dropped.

Case.net no longer shows any charges pending against Smith, Aull, or lobbyist Lynne Schlosser, who were charged after Aull, at Ms. Schlosser's behest, provided his identification to Smith so Smith could gamble. Trials for Smith and Ms. Schlosser had been set for this summer in Cooper County, while Aull's trial had been scheduled for this summer in Pettis County on a change of venue.

The following information about the junket was featured in the Sept. 25, 2007, Turner Report, posted the day the two legislators and Ms. Schlosser were indicted:

Smith, Aull, Aull's wife Candee, Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, and Rep. Judy Baker, D-Columbia, were having a night out on the town at the expense of a lobbyist representing a special interest with a stake in numerous bills that will come before the legislature during the 2008 session.

Shortly after Smith's arrest, I noted in the Aug. 6 Turner Report that Smith had been a big-time recipient of casino industry contributions, many carefully laundered through other committees:

An examination of Missouri Ethics Commission records shows Smith received $2,600 which can be directly traced to casinos during 2006, as well as $5,400 from casino lobbyists or their clients.
Another $4,800 appears to have come from Ameristar Casinos after being legally laundered through a Democratic party committee. On Aug. 12, 2006, the 94th House District Democratic Committee received a $5,000 contribution from Ameristar Casinos. Three days later, the committee gave $4,800 to Smith. Oddly, Smith's own committee disclosure form says the 94th Committee contribution came Aug. 11...the day before the committee received the Ameristar Casinos contribution.
Other casino or casino-related contributions for Smith include:

-30 days after general election 2006- Harrah's Operating $650, Isle of Capri Casinos $650
-Eight days before the election 2006- $500 contributions from Missouri Dental PAC, Missouri Pharmacy PAC, and Missouri Association of Nurse Anesthetists, all clients of Ameristar Casinos' lobbying firm Gamble & Schlemeier
-October 2006- John Bardgett and Associates, lobbying firm for Pinnacle Entertainment and numerous other clients, $650; Penn National Gaming $650
-30 days after primary- Two $650 contributions from Missouri Pharmacy PAC and $650 from MORESPAC, clients of Gamble and Schlemeier, $650 from Bardgett, $650 from Bardgett's lobbying firm
-94th House District, $4,800

Chris Liese, a former state representative from St. Louis, and now a lobbyist for Isle of Capri spent $910 wining and dining the legislators and Mrs. Aull on July 31, according to Missouri Ethics Commission documents. A total of $130 was spent on "meals, food, and beverage" for each person, the documents indicate.