2013 in Review: Ed Emery campaign contributors pay ALEC fees

(From July 2013)

Education has never been the strong suit of Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, at least not if it is public education.

His campaign contributors, however, are paying for Emery's education, according to his campaign disclosure form filed Wednesday with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Emery listed $475 for "education" being paid to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the shadowy right wing group that prepares ready-made bills for legislators on everything from public education (ALEC is a pro-voucher, anti-teacher organization) to guns (ALEC has been responsible for such cookie cutter bills as the unnecessary Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground bills that have opened the doors to frontier justice).

The payment to ALEC was made June 4, according to the report.

2013 in Review: Tim Jones, Jason Smith ALEC connections spelled out in campaign finance documents

(From February 2013)

For the most part, you won't see the wining and dining of Missouri GOP leaders by ALEC special interests spelled out in lobbying documents filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The operation is much more sophisticated than that.

The expenses, and there are plenty, are buried in finance documents filed with the Commission.

Newly-minted Eighth District Congressional candidate Jason Smith, currently House Speaker Pro Tem, paid the $475 registration fee for the Nov. 28-30 ALEC States and Nation Policy Summit in Washington, D. C. out of his campaign account, according to his 30 days after election report.