Lobbyists wine and dine Ed Emery, wife during Dallas ALEC junket

Ah, the life of a Missouri State Senator.

Since Missouri is the only state that does not limit campaign contributions or lobbyists' gifts, the sky is the limit.

The lobbyists for various special interests paid $129.73 for meals and taxi fare as a favor of Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, during the annual ALEC Conference held July 30-August 1 in Dallas, Texas.

The $129.73 may not sound like much, but that's what the lobbyists spent on Ed Emery's wife Rebecca.

And the amount was likely much, much more.

Thanks to the various loopholes in Missouri's lobbyist reporting laws, some of the lobbyists listed the meals as being for the entire General Assembly, though only about a half-dozen legislators, including Speaker of the House Tim Jones, R-Eureka, Rep. John Diehl, R-Town and Country (in St. Louis County),  Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson; Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town and Country; and Sen. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, and their spouses attended the event.

In exchange for their attendance, ALEC provides the legislators with ready-made pro-business and anti-public education bills, meaning they will not have to do any work crafting legislation when they return to Jefferson City, and with the help of lobbyists whose clients will benefit from the legislation, picks up the bill for their food, drinks, hotel stays, and transportation.

The biggest expenditure listed for an individual lobbyist for Ed and Rebecca Emery was a $141.10 meal from Charles Simino representing the Missouri Telecommunications Association.

Other meals and drinks were split between lobbyists, including Susan Henderson Moore, Polsinelli PC; John R. Sondag, AT&T;  and Richard Moore, CenturyLink.

Michael Gibbons, representing Peabody Energy, footed the bill for the Emerys' taxi rides.

Though Emery's wife was not listed, the best deal for Emery had to be from Ameren. Ameren's lobbyist Tina Shannon paid a $97,28 meal for the senator July 31, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission filing, and 12 days later, Ameren came through with a $5,000 campaign contribution.

Why the love for Ed Emery?

Emery happens to be a member of the Senate's Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy, and the Environment Committee, where he deals with legislation that affects many of the special interests named above.

Emery and his wife were also undoubtedly beneficiaries of some of the money that lobbyists spent for meals that were credited to the General Assembly.

Lobbyists who split the bill for the Missouri Night celebration at the Dallas Chop House, spending more than $2,000, included Susan Henderson Moore, Gibbons, Ameristar Casino lobbyist Jorgen Schelemeier, Greg Swarens representing Hallmark Cards, Shannon and Richard Moore.