As a Congresswoman, Jo Ann Emerson received more than $75,000 in campaign contributions from the National Rural Electric Cooperatives of America. Now she gets the money and an office. The accompanying video shows her taking the reins of the lobbying organization.
She took the job only two months after being elected to a two-year term in Congress.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Sarcoxie Board member arrested for child porn worried about effect Archie Dunn's ad would have on children
Lewis, 67, alerted the Jasper County Commission to the ethical problem posed by Dunn handing out DARE t-shirts with "Archie Dunn for sheriff" on the back of them.
"It's using our children as campaign ads," Lewis was quoted in a Joplin Globe article.
Lewis was arraigned in federal court in Springfield today on a charge of sexual exploitation of minors. The information on the affidavit filed by the arresting officer can be found at this link.
Lewis' preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday in Springfield.
Court filing: Joe White, Kanakuk to use Turner Report, high priced experts to discredit sexual abuse claims
At the same time they are negotiating a settlement that could be as much as $2 million with one of Pete Newman's sex abuse victims, attorneys for Joe White and Kanakuk plan to use The Turner Report in an attempt to discredit the testimony of another.
Documents filed Thursday in U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas indicate the Kanakuk defense is to use experts to show that the Texas boy whose family is suing Kanakuk may be creating repressed memories, with some of that recreation spurred on by two articles, including the May 23, 2010, Turner Report post, "Kanakuk Scandal Has Escaped National Radar, Local Scrutiny." The post began like this:
That post, along with a laundry list of high-priced expert witnesses, were cited in a filing in which Kanakuk officials told who they planned to call as witnesses and what the nature of their testimony would be.
Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, whose fee is $500 per hour, will attack the truth of the alleged victim's recollections, according to the filing:
Dr. Loftus is one of the leading experts on the effect of repressed memory and has testified in hundreds of cases.
The Kanakuk expert witness team also includes Dr. Richard J. Shaw of the Stanford University School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. Earlier today, the court issued an order allowing Dr. Shaw to examine the alleged victim. Shaw, who is being paid $600 an hour for time spent testifying and $500 an hour for all other activities, plus expenses, will
testify that the alleged victim, John Doe I, does not suffer "from any major depressive disorder or disassociative amnesia," and that he "does not require residential or in-patient treatment."
Another witness is not a physician, though Robert E. Preston is president and CEO of "The Camp Doctor," a camp consulting firm in Virginia. Preston will be paid $200 an hour, plus $400 an hour for deposition and trial testimony. Preston will testify that Kanakuk did not err when it failed to fire Pete Newman after previous reports of inappropriate activity.
His testimony, the filing said, would show that "it was reasonable for Joe White and camp management to not fire Pete Newman after the incident in 2003."
The incident was described in the lawsuit petition:
"In or about 2003, a nude Defendant Newman was streaking through the 'kamp' property with nude minor 'kampers.' Although this conduct came to the attention of Defendants Joe T. White, Kanakuk Ministries, and/or Kanakuk, Heritage, Inc., again Newman remained on staff in easy reach of his future victims, including John Doe I."
Preston will testify there was "no evidence of gross negligence or malicious conduct by Joe White or camp management."
The filing also indicated that the witness list may include Joe White, as well as numerous other top Kanakuk officials.
In another filing earlier this month, the John Doe family opposed Kanakuk's efforts to push back the trial date from June to August, because it would interfere with Kanakuk Kamp operations and because one of Kanakuk's attorneys had planned a vacation. In the response, it was noted that the alleged victim is about to enter his senior year in high school and the delay would not be reasonable. The response also mentioned that none of Kanakuk's reasons had been brought up in a timely fashion.
In other Kanakuk news, A lawsuit brought against Kanakuk by its insurance company was dismissed earlier this month in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Kanakuk had filed a counterclaim Jan. 18 indicating that it was close to reaching a settlement in the Missouri lawsuit filed by a Pete Newman victim that was well within the boundaries set by the insurance policy, which was supposed to pay up to $1 million for one occurrence and $2 million in the aggregate.
Online records indicate the Missouri lawsuit, which was moved on a change of venue form Taney County to Christian County, is still ongoing.
Documents filed Thursday in U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas indicate the Kanakuk defense is to use experts to show that the Texas boy whose family is suing Kanakuk may be creating repressed memories, with some of that recreation spurred on by two articles, including the May 23, 2010, Turner Report post, "Kanakuk Scandal Has Escaped National Radar, Local Scrutiny." The post began like this:
Imagine the reaction of the national news media if a public school teacher had a long history of having sex with students, claiming victims in several states.And what if, after the authorities finally caught on to this predator, school officials did not do anything for months to let parents know that this man had been teaching their children, and those children may very well be his victims.
Add a few salacious details into the mix, such as hot tub incidents and naked Truth or Dare and the story would be a staple on all of the cable news programs and every media outlet from the New York Times to the National Enquirer.
If such a thing happened, the nation would be outraged and rightfully so; headline-hungry legislators would jump on the opportunity to take advantage of the situation, filing bills to stop the “epidemic” (and yes, they would call it an epidemic) of sexual predators in the classroom.
After all, public schools, if you believe those who are seeking to destroy them, are a cesspool.
But when the situation happens with the director of a Christian youth sports camp, run by a man connected to the politically powerful Focus on the Family organization, the cry for reform is non-existent.
For the past several months, I have written about Pete Newman, former director of Branson, Missouri-based Kanakuk Kamps, who pleaded guilty April 30 to two counts of statutory sodomy in the first degree, three counts of statutory sodomy in the second degree, and three counts of enticement of a child. All of the crimes involved underage boys.
Newman has also been charged in Colorado with sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust.
That post, along with a laundry list of high-priced expert witnesses, were cited in a filing in which Kanakuk officials told who they planned to call as witnesses and what the nature of their testimony would be.
Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, whose fee is $500 per hour, will attack the truth of the alleged victim's recollections, according to the filing:
Dr. Loftus is one of the leading experts on the effect of repressed memory and has testified in hundreds of cases.
The Kanakuk expert witness team also includes Dr. Richard J. Shaw of the Stanford University School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. Earlier today, the court issued an order allowing Dr. Shaw to examine the alleged victim. Shaw, who is being paid $600 an hour for time spent testifying and $500 an hour for all other activities, plus expenses, will
testify that the alleged victim, John Doe I, does not suffer "from any major depressive disorder or disassociative amnesia," and that he "does not require residential or in-patient treatment."
Another witness is not a physician, though Robert E. Preston is president and CEO of "The Camp Doctor," a camp consulting firm in Virginia. Preston will be paid $200 an hour, plus $400 an hour for deposition and trial testimony. Preston will testify that Kanakuk did not err when it failed to fire Pete Newman after previous reports of inappropriate activity.
His testimony, the filing said, would show that "it was reasonable for Joe White and camp management to not fire Pete Newman after the incident in 2003."
The incident was described in the lawsuit petition:
"In or about 2003, a nude Defendant Newman was streaking through the 'kamp' property with nude minor 'kampers.' Although this conduct came to the attention of Defendants Joe T. White, Kanakuk Ministries, and/or Kanakuk, Heritage, Inc., again Newman remained on staff in easy reach of his future victims, including John Doe I."
Preston will testify there was "no evidence of gross negligence or malicious conduct by Joe White or camp management."
The filing also indicated that the witness list may include Joe White, as well as numerous other top Kanakuk officials.
In another filing earlier this month, the John Doe family opposed Kanakuk's efforts to push back the trial date from June to August, because it would interfere with Kanakuk Kamp operations and because one of Kanakuk's attorneys had planned a vacation. In the response, it was noted that the alleged victim is about to enter his senior year in high school and the delay would not be reasonable. The response also mentioned that none of Kanakuk's reasons had been brought up in a timely fashion.
In other Kanakuk news, A lawsuit brought against Kanakuk by its insurance company was dismissed earlier this month in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Kanakuk had filed a counterclaim Jan. 18 indicating that it was close to reaching a settlement in the Missouri lawsuit filed by a Pete Newman victim that was well within the boundaries set by the insurance policy, which was supposed to pay up to $1 million for one occurrence and $2 million in the aggregate.
Online records indicate the Missouri lawsuit, which was moved on a change of venue form Taney County to Christian County, is still ongoing.
Feds arrest Sarcoxie School Board member on child pornography charge
The case against Lewis is spelled out in an affidavit from Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force member Charles Root. The affidavit is printed below:
1. I am a Task Force Officer (TFO) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), assigned to the office of the Joplin Field Office of the FBI, Joplin, Missouri. As part of the Affiant’s daily duties as an FBI TFO, the Affiant investigates criminal violations of federal law relating to child exploitation including violations pertaining to the illegal production, receipt, and possession of child pornography (18 USC 2252(a)(2) and 2252(a)(4)(B)) and other federal statutes involving child exploitation. The Affiant has received training in the area of child exploitation and child pornography investigations, enticement, inducement of minors and has had the opportunity to observe and review numerous examples of child pornography in all forms of media, including computer media. The Affiant has been employed with the Joplin Police Department since 2004 and has been a sworn law enforcement officer since 1994. The Affiant is assigned to the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
2. The statements contained in this affidavit are based on information the Affiant learned through personal knowledge, investigative reports from other Investigators familiar with this investigation, and conversations with Investigators familiar with this investigation and who are formally trained and experienced in conducting investigations involving child exploitation.
3. On October 4th, 2012, Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Trooper D/DCC Sgt. Jamie Musche initiated an investigation at the request of the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office regarding a Sarcoxie School Board member, identified as John R. Lewis, exposing himself to a Sarcoxie High School Student while they worked at his residence located at 4360 Dandelion, Sarcoxie, Jasper County, Missouri. The information regarding Lewis exposing himself was forwarded to the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office after a school official overheard a conversation between Sarcoxie High School male students. The school official later talked to one of the students who confirmed he was present at Lewis’ residence when Lewis exposed his penis in close proximity to another students face.
4. After taking the initial complaint on Lewis, Sgt. Musche interviewed two (2) of the male Sarcoxie High School students that were present at the time Lewis allegedly exposed his penis. Both males were 16 years old at the time Lewis exposed his penis. Both students disclosed to Sgt. Musche about an incident that occurred in the late spring of 2012 when they were working for Lewis at his farm outside of Sarcoxie, Missouri. Both students disclosed that after swimming in the creek with Lewis, he stood up in an all terrain vehicle, in which one of the students was seated next to him, when he pulled down his underwear exposing his penis just a few feet from the face of the student seated in the front seat of the all terrain vehicle. The students disclosed conversations Lewis had with them about masturbating and how he would touch them on the buttocks when they were working.
5. On December 5th, 2012, MSHP Trooper Sgt. Brad Bearden, Troop D Criminal Unit, and Sgt. Musche contacted Lewis at his residence located at 4360 Dandelion, Sarcoxie, Missouri. Lewis allowed both Investigators to enter his residence to speak to him. They sat with Lewis at his kitchen table and explained to him the nature of their contact with him. Sgt. Musche advised Lewis he was not in custody and was not under arrest. During the interview, Lewis denied exposing his penis in close proximity to any Sarcoxie High School student that worked at his residence. At the conclusion of the interview Sgt. Musche asked Lewis for his consent to search his computers for any images of child pornography. Lewis stated he had images on his computer he did not want to be made public. Lewis stated he had 2 computers in his residence, a desktop and a laptop. When Lewis mentioned the desktop he pointed to a nearby office that was visible.
Sgt. Musche also observed a laptop computer on the kitchen bar. Lewis stated he had downloaded images of naked children from a nudist website to his desktop computer. Lewis refused to give consent to Sgt. Bearden and Sgt. Musche to search the computers.
6. Based on the above information, the Investigators secured the residence and Sgt. Bearden obtained a search warrant to search Lewis’s residence including the computers and all electronic storage devices. During a subsequent search Sgt. Musche located an additional desktop computer in a basement bedroom along with multiple electronic storage devices. He seized all computers and electronic storage devices located inside the residence.
7. After seizing the items, Sgt. Musche submitted them to the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force (SMCCTF) for analysis. Detective Larry Roller of the SMCCTF examined the seized electronic evidence. Detective Roller reviewed 19 multimedia files that he labeled as child pornography due to the activity depicted. Detective Roller also located 113 still images of suspected child pornography. The multimedia files and still images primarily depicted male children, with the youngest child being approximately 5 years of age, engaged in the display of genitalia, masturbation, oral sex, and anal intercourse.
8. During Sgt. Bearden and Sgt. Musche’s contact with John Lewis at his residence, he became adversarial and was found to have a very large weapons collection.
Missouri Bills: Photo ID to Vote, Signed Laundry List to Buy Guns
The goal of these proposals is to protect the sanctity and integrity of the election process, not to restrict anyone from voting. Acceptable forms of identification under these measures include: non-expired Missouri driver’s or non-driver’s license; a document issued by the federal or state government that contains the individual’s name, signature, photograph and expiration date; or a photo ID issued by the National Guard, US Armed Forces or US Department of Veterans Affairs. There are also provisions in the statutes that would help Missourians who might not have or be able to afford an ID obtain a proper form of identification. Even still, a voter can cast a provisional ballot should they not have the required identification – allowing everyone to partake in the democratic process while safeguarding against voter fraud.
All of this despite the fact that there have been no cases of voter fraud in the Show-Me State since 1936.
Rep. Leara is the same legislator who sponsored a bill that would make it a felony to file gun control legislation. When it comes to guns, Leara thinks differently.
He is one of 17 representatives listed as co-sponsors to a bill filed by Rep. Mark Parkinson, R-St. Charles, which specifies what identification gun dealers must accept, whether they are selling handguns or assault rifles.
HB 640, filed Tuesday, includes the following:
1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a federally licensed firearms dealer shall, consistent with the laws of this state, conduct a federal background check and sell a firearm to any person who has presented one of the following forms of identification to such dealer:
(1) Identification issued by the federal government, state of Missouri, or a local election authority;
(2) Identification issued by a Missouri institution of higher education, whether public or private, including a university, college, vocational and technical school;
(3) A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that contains the name and address of the individual;
(4) A driver’s license or state identification card issued by another state; or
(5) An attestation from two or more federally licensed firearms dealers that they know the individual.
Let me see if I have this right. If you want to exercise your constitutional right to vote, representatives Leara, Parkinson, and the rest of the co-sponsors, including Rep. Mike Kelley, R-Lamar, Rep. Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage, and Rep. Charlie Davis, R-Webb City, from the Joplin area, demand a specific government-issued photo voter ID.
If you want to buy a gun, you don't have to have a photograph, just something with your name on it.
There have been no problems with voter fraud in the state of Missouri, so we are making it more difficult for a quarter of a million people to cast a ballot. At the same time, if Rep. Parkinson's legislation passes, any felon, person with a mental illness, or heaven help us, even a terrorist, can show their name and walk away with enough firepower to level a city block...or another elementary school like Sandy Hook.
As the rest of the country tries to deal in a meaningful fashion with the aftermath of the murders at that Connecticut school, the Republican legislators in the state of Missouri continue to try to appeal to the survivalists and those who believe that guns are the answer to all of society's ills.
If some of the bills filed in this state are passed we will no longer have to follow federal gun laws, it will be illegal to file any type of legislation trying to deal with gun violence, and anyone who has a laundry list with a penciled-in name of a government agency on top will qualify to buy an assault rifle and a few thousand rounds of ammunition.
This is not the Second Amendment in action. This is madness.
Billy Long: Raise my pay
If the sequestration takes place March 1, federal workers will see their pay cut, but not members of Congress, something that doesn't seem to bother Seventh District Congressman Billy Long at all in the accompanying CNN video.
Asked if he should have to take a pay cut in his $174,000 salary, Long tells a CNN reporter, "I don't think so. Raise our pay."
He then says it would just be "a miniscule amount."
Asked if he should have to take a pay cut in his $174,000 salary, Long tells a CNN reporter, "I don't think so. Raise our pay."
He then says it would just be "a miniscule amount."
5:41 tops Amazon list of Joplin Tornado books
1. 5:41: Stories from the Joplin Tornado, Randy Turner and John Hacker, 214,638
2. Joplin 5:41, Kansas City Star, 391,810
3. 32 Minutes in May, Joplin Globe, 409,383
4. When the Sirens Were Silent, Mike Smith, 446,342
5. 5/22: Stories of Survival, Stories of Faith, Scott Hettinger, 709,217
6. Singing Over Me, Danielle Stammer, 764,938
7. Miracle of the Human Spirit, Mark Rohr, 1,064,413
8. Spirit of Hope: The Year After the Joplin Tornado, Randy Turner, John Hacker, 1,222,360
9. When the Storm Passes, Julie Jett, 1,545,861
10. Joplin Tornado House of Hope, Tim Bartow, 2,463,530
11. EF5 at 5:35, Kathryn Sandlin 3,647,274
12. Mayday in Joplin, Donald Clugston, 3,758,512
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Girl Power: The Case for Women in Politics
President Obama highlighted in his State of the Union address last week the growing need for American high schools to create science, technology and math-driven classes. However, while it is true that these industries have a high demand for jobs, there is another important category of education which tends to be overlooked: Student government programs -- particularly ones aimed towards young women -- have been forgotten for far too long. Not only would these programs empower young girls with the opportunity to learn about government, but they would also solve the undeniable gender gap in American politics.
The 113th Congress, which intervened this year, included a record-breaking number of women. Despite the reason for celebration, there is hardly much equity in our country's political processes. Women only make up 18.1 percent of the 535 members of Congress, and as of last year, the United States placed 91st in worldwide rankings of women in national legislature.
At face value, the involvement of women in government may seem like a non-issue. Our secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, has the highest approval rating than any other official in the Obama administration. Former first female speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is still the leader of the Democratic minority. However, the persistent gap in American politics dramatically affects the volume of women's voices. Issues such as reproductive rights and equal pay played important factors in the political discussions of the recent presidential election, yet studies find that men dominate media coverage rather than women over all these topics. For example, in front page articles concerning abortion or birth control during the 2012 election, men were more four to seven times more likely to be cited than women. Stories discussing women's rights fare slightly better, as 31 percent of quotes were cited by women, whereas 52 percent from males. While these numbers may be indicative of a lack of women across all specialized fields, like in health care and science, it is clear that the voices of women are still not well-represented and balanced.
One of the main reasons why there is a persistent gender gap in politics is simply because women are not encouraged to participate as often as men are. A study conducted by the Women and Politics Institute found that women are just as likely to respond favorably to a suggestion of a candidacy, but they are less likely to receive it on all local, state, and federal levels of office. The study went on to say that men are 25 percent more likely to believe they possess political traits such as a "thick sin, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a willingness to take risks." In sum, the study indicates women have less political ambition, not because they are less likely to win against men but because of their negative self-assessments and lack of encouragement.
An easy fix to this problem is pushing young women, starting in middle or high school and beyond, to actively participate in leadership. Unfortunately, there is even a gender gap in student government. Take, for example, the American Legion's Boys and Girls State. This is a student government program held in almost every state, which gives both female and male students each a week to intensively study government and run in mock elections. For Missouri Boys/Girls State, my high school typically picks seven boys in the upcoming senior class to attend, whereas there is only enough money to take three girls.
Such lack of imbalance persists even further in college. The Washington Post reported at the top 50 colleges ranked by U.S. News & World Report, less than a third of presidents are women, even with women outperforming men on key measures of college success. Sadly, colleges around the D.C. area were even more likely to under-represent women, as they nation's capital tends to attract the most politically minded students (you guessed it -- males). At Washington-area American University, 72 percent of student government was male, despite the fact that 62 percent of students are female.
It's apparent that the national trends trickle down in almost all areas of student government. Women feel out of place in every area of politics, whether student-run or on the federal level, because of their self-perceptions. We must make it a priority to empower young girls, starting in middle or high school, with the idea that they have just as much of a place in leadership as their male counterparts, in politics and beyond. Too many young girls see student government as a "boys club" instead of as a chance to speak out about issues that matter to them.
Teaching government to all students is important, but to specifically limit the chances for women to become leaders erodes the very tenets of democracy this country was founded upon. If our schools prioritize ending the political gender gap, we will have a chance to not only spread knowledge, but also create a governing body that is truly representative of all its people.
Travel advisory: Road conditions much improved
(From the Missouri Department of Transportation)
| Travel Advisory: Thursday-Friday, Feb. 21-22 |
| Road conditions on major streets and highways much improved |
Weather Conditions: Heavy precipitation has moved out of southwest Missouri. However, freezing drizzle is a possibility overnight Thursday into early Friday morning, Feb. 21-22. Temperatures will remain near the freezing mark with lots of moisture in the air.
Travel Conditions: Major routes, including I-44, I-49, Route 54, Route 65 and Route 60, are becoming mostly clear but still wet by late afternoon and early evening. Lesser-traveled routes may be ice and slush covered. Road Clearing: Once major routes are in a mostly clear condition this evening, MoDOT crews will move to the lesser-traveled routes. Continuing to work overnight, crews will plow the secondary roads and treat curves, hills and intersections with a salt-gravel mix improve traction. Workers also will monitor conditions on major streets and highways and apply salt where needed. Icy Weather Driving Tips: * Buckle up. * Adjust your speed to conditions. * Stay at least 100 feet behind a truck plowing/salting the road. * Keep your windshield and other windows clear to help you see. * Be alert for road conditions that may change as you drive. * Do NOT drive over downed utility lines. Assume every downed line is a fully-charged electric line. * Don't tailgate. * Focus on driving and avoid distractions. * Allow for extra travel time if you must travel. |
Updated winter travel advisory issued
(From the Missouri Department of Transportation)
| MoDOT/Southwest: Winter Travel Advisory for Mid-Day Thursday, February 21 |
| Weather/Road conditions improving from west to east across southwest Missouri. |
Weather Conditions: Light freezing rain, sleet and snow is tapering off from west to east across Southwest Missouri. However, there is still moisture in the air and temperatures are below freezing. Freezing drizzle is forecasted for late this afternoon into the evening hours. Wind gusts of up to 30 mph are occurring at times.
Travel Conditions: Conditions on I-44 and Route 60 in the Joplin/Neosho areas are improving. However, most major routes throughout much of the Missouri remain partly to mostly covered with a mixture of ice and slush.
Road Clearing: MoDOT crews will continue to focus road-clearing efforts on the major routes. Once major routes are in good condition, crews will move to lesser traveled routes. Crews will treat curves, hills and intersections on lesser traveled routes with a mixture of gravel and salt to improve traction.
Icy Weather Driving Tips:
* Buckle up.
* Adjust your speed to conditions.
* Stay at least 100 feet behind a truck plowing/salting the road.
* Keep your windshield and other windows clear to help you see.
* Be alert for road conditions that may change as you drive.
* Do NOT drive over downed utility lines. Assume every downed line is a fully-charged electric line.
* Don't tailgate.
* Focus on driving and avoid distractions.
* Allow for extra travel time if you must travel.
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