Kinder has been magnet for pro-voucher cash

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's dramatic statement on KMOX earlier this afternoon saying "The debate is over on whether parents want more choices. They want them."

Perhaps Kinder is right, but not in the way that he is talking about. Time after time, Missourians have made it clear they do not want public money going into private education. Of course, Kinder's campaign coffers have continuously been filled with cash from those who support educational vouchers.

As I noted in the Sept. 2, 2008 Turner Report:

The never-say-die pro-voucher contingent pumped at least $338,500 into Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's re-election campaign, according to the 30-day-after-the-election report filed today with the Missouri Ethics Commission. That total was more than half of the money Kinder reported receiving during the reporting period.

In addition to the previously reported $300,000 contributed by the Humphreys family of TAMKO in Joplin, Kinder received $38,500 from numerous committees formed by retired billionaire Rex Sinquefield, all of which came after Aug. 28 when campaign contribution limits were removed, but did not have to be reported within 48 hours because all were below the $5,000 48-hour reporting threshold.

The $38,500 did not prove to be the final amount Kinder received from Sinquefield's committees. From the Oct. 4, 2008, Turner Report:

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder has received $873,322.72 in oversized contributions since limits were removed Aug. 28 and on two separate occasions raised more in one day than his Democratic opponent, Dr. Sam Page, has collected during the entire five-week period.

One of those days was Thursday, when a 48-hour report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission showed Kinder receiving $312,172.72. Dr. Page has collected $302,500 overall.

The 48-hour report shows Kinder received $86,500 from one of billionaire educational voucher supporter Rex Sinquefield's political action committees, Your School, Your Choice, $75,000 from the Missouri State Republican Committee, $50,000 from the Republican State Leadership Committee, Arlington, Va.; and $25,000 apiece from Marilyn Fox, homemaker, St. Louis; and Drury Development, St. Louis.

For all of the propaganda Kinder, Sinquefield, and other pro-voucher forces have thrust on Missourians, people in this state are still smart enough to realize that only a handful of public schools are failing and the only people who are benefiting from opening the doors for private schools to receive public money (without public oversight) are special interests and the politicians who accept their money.