Lawyers contribute more than $11,000 in Jasper County judge race

The details escape me, but several years ago, the Joplin Globe combed through the election financial disclosure forms for an investigative piece on the number of Jasper County lawyers who were contributing to a campaign in which an incumbent judge was receiving a primary challenge.

The articles quoted experts, including lawyers, who decried the practice of lawyers giving money to the campaigns of judges, who are supposed to remain impartial in the cases that are brought before them.

And all of this occurred back before our legislature defied the will of Missouri voters and removed all campaign contribution limits.

The evidence of that change can be seen in the campaign finance documents for the Jasper County Division 2 race.

Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney Dean Dankelson and Judge Stephen Carlton received $11,200 from lawyers or people working at local law firms, with Dankelson receiving $7,450 and Carlton $3,750.

Dankelson received the largest contributions, $2,000 from both the Glades Law Firm and Stilley Law, LLC. He also received $750 from Norman Rouse, who has worked for him in the prosecuting attorney's office.

Carlton's largest contributions were $500 from Phillip Foster, an attorney from Camden, Arkansas, and not surprisingly, $400 from Morrison, Webster, and Carlton.

Dankelson received $2,850 in contributions after the election, including the $2,000 from the Glades Law Firm, which was received August 23, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission records, $250 apiece from Charles Sticklen, Bishop and Hayes, and R. Daryl Edwards, and $100 from Bruce Secrist.

Out of Dankelson's $7,450, $6,400 came from Jasper County attorneys.

Carlton received $2,500 out of his $3,750 from Jasper County attorneys.

Carlton raised $25,147.30 during the election period and spent $24,538.39.

Dankelson raised $38,800 and spent $37,857.72.

The candidates' contributions from lawyers or law firms are listed below:

DANKELSON CONTRIBUTORS

 $100 Bruce Secrist

$250 Charles Sticklen

$250 Bishop and Hayes

$250 R. Deryl Edwards

$2,000 Glades Law Firm

$250 Kurt Benecke, Joplin

$250 William Peterson, Joplin

$100 Amy Fite, Christian County attorney

$100 Matthew Adrian, Joplin

$250 Jacob Skouby, Newton County prosecuting attorney

$500 McCulloch for Prosecutor Committee, St. Louis County

$2,000 Stilley Law LLC

$750 Norman Rouse

$250 Graves Garrett LLC, Kansas City

$100 Jon Bhend

CARLTON CONTRIBUTIONS

$400 Morrison, Webster, and Carlton

$100 Bruce Secrist

$125 Edward Hershewe, Joplin

$100 Nicole Carlton, Carlton and Williams

$200 William Lasley, Carthage

$500 Phillip Foster, Camden, Arkansas

$250 Eugene Bramblett, Camden, Arkansas

$250 Mark Davis, Little Rock, Arkansas

$250 Patti Julian, North Little Rock, Arkansas

$100 Ron Mitchell, Joplin

$300 Sarah Reeder, Joplin

$100 Walter Williams, Joplin

$350 Karl Blanchard, Joplin

$300 Tracey Martin, Joplin

$300 Tina Longnecker, Joplin