Thursday, July 23, 2009

Lobbyists pour close to $75,000 into Blunt campaign


GOP Senate candidate Roy Blunt received at least $72,300 from lobbyists during the last quarter and that does not include the money they brought in from clients, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Blunt, who was known for his efforts in making K Street lobbying firms an integral part of the Republican establishment, may well have more contributors who are lobbyists, but only a handful are actually described as such. Others are referred to as partners in their lobbying firms, (none of which, for obvious reasons, have the word lobby in their names), many are consultants, or governmental affairs, or a combination of the two, and one had the words "information requested" in the occupation area of the form, but news articles refer to her as a lobbyist.

The Blunt campaign also had dozens of other out-of-state contributors with no occupation listed, simply "information requested."

The lobbyists represent many interests whose officials also came through with sizable donations, including American Airlines, Walt Disney, and numerous insurance, medical, and pharmaceutical companies, who would benefit from the health care proposal being pushed by the Seventh District Congressman in the video that accompanies this post.

This is not the first time Blunt has relied heavily on the kindness of lobbyists. As I noted in numerous previous Turner Report posts, Blunt's Rely on Your Beliefs PAC has relied on the beliefs and contributions of lobbyists and the special interests they represent.

Montee company tabbed to run St. Joseph fee office

A firm connected to St. Joseph lawyer James Montee has been tabbed to run the lucrative St. Joseph license fee office.

A news release issued earlier this afternoon by the Missouri Department of Revenue said St. Joseph License LLC had been selected to run the St. Joseph office following a competitive bid process.

The five offices awarded today are the latest to have their management chosen using a comprehensive bidding process that was implemented when Gov. Nixon took office on Jan. 12. The process calls for people or groups to submit detailed bids to obtain the management contracts to operate the offices. The Cassville and Chillicothe license offices both received one bid, Grandview received two bids, and Joplin and St. Joseph both received four bids.


Corporation records filed with the Missouri Secretary of State's office indicate the registered agent for Saint Joseph License LLC (you have to spell out Saint or you will not find it) is Montee, ex-husband of State Auditor Susan Montee, Saint Joseph LLC was formed Feb. 23, 2009, with the purpose of "licensing and all other legal acts permitted limited," according to the incorporation document.

Saint Joseph License LLC was formed the same day as Lee's Summit License LLC, the firm which received the contract to operate the Lee's Summit license fee office on June 2.

Montee was also involved in a successful bid earlier this month to run the Liberty fee office.

The bids have been heavily criticized by the Missouri GOP, which notes Montee has bee a big-time contributor to the Democratic party, though he did not make any cnntributions to Gov. Jay Nixon.

Rita Hunter to Globe: I've got nothing to hide

Former Jasper County Public Administrator Rita Hunter's response to the news that she is being investigated by the feds- She has "nothing to hide."

If the feds are involved, there may not be anything left to hide.

Springfield firm to run Joplin license office

Alternative Opportunities, Inc. of Springfield has been named as the new agent for the Joplin License Office, according to a news release from Gov. Jay Nixon.

The office will remain at 1110 E. Seventh St., Suite 6.

Jefferson City newspaper owner considering buying Austin American-Statesman

An article posted today on the Arkansas Business website says Wehco, owner of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Jefferson City News Tribune, is thinking about buying the Austin American-Statesman in Texas:

Hussman did not comment for the article, but the Statesman reports he and two other interested parties visited the paper and met with the newspaper's top executives. Hussman owns Wehco Media of Little Rock, which owns daily and weekly newspapers and cable companies.

The paper has been on the market for one year, according to the article. Austin investor Brian Ferguson and Weco, Texas, businessman Clifton Robinson also visited the paper, according to the report.

Feds investigating Rita Hunter

The Joplin Globe reports federal authorities have taken over the investigation of former Jasper County Public Administrator Rita Hunter.

Previous Turner Report posts on Mrs. Hunter can be found at this link.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

KOAM looking for new anchor

It looks as if Dowe Quick is going to be breaking in a new partner soon.

Quick, who has provided stability and assurnce to KOAM viewers for nearly three decades, has gone through many a co-anchor, and the latest, Erica Edwards, will reportedly leave soon.

In the advertisement placed on TV Jobs:

Main Anchor position. The markets dominant #1 News Leader has an opening for evening anchor. Candidates should have great writing skills, experience producing and 2 years reporting or anchoring experience in a competitive news environment. The ability to be a newsroom leader and effective communicator is a must. A college degree is required. Send tape to Kristi Spencer, News Director, KOAM-TV. Applicants should be received by August 7th, 2009. E-mail resumes are not accepted.

Chamber president rips Employee Free Choice Act

In these videos, Missouri Chamber of Commerce President Dan Mehan reiterates the organization's opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act. Since the compromise takes the secret ballot issue off the table, obviously that was never the reason big business opposed the act in the first place:



Hearing for accused killers of Carthage couple postponed

No official confirmation has been placed on case.net, but KZRG's Mark Kinsley tweeted a few moments ago that the scheduled hearing for Darren Winans, 21, Jasper; and Matt Laurin, 19, Springfield, has been postponed.

The two men are charged with two counts of first degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, and a single count of burglary in connection with the Oct. 11, 2008, murder of Bob and Ellen Sheldon of Carthage.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Rumor: Vote was only 4-3 to extend MSSU president's contract

The word on the street is that the Missouri Southern State University Board of Governors are not all in lockstep with the regime that produced Dr. Bruce Speck as university president.

Reportedly, when the board extended Speck's contract recently, the vote was far from unanimous. The story making the rounds is that three voted to give Speck the boot.

The votes and who voted which way are public record. The Board of Governors, like other boards in the state of Missouri are may discuss hiring, firing, promotion, or discipline in closed session, but any vote has to take place in open session.

Of course, in this day and age, when reporters automatically leave meetings when boards go into closed session, there usually is no one around when open sessions resume.

Of course, I could be wrong, perhaps a reporter did check to see if the vote was unanimous, found out it was, and that was all there was to it.

On the other hand, it is awful easy just to run the press release.

(Full disclosure: I ran the news release, too, though I received it from another source and not from the university. Of course, I am not being paid to do this either.)