Peter Kinder's latest report with the Missouri Ethics Commission did not provide the same kind of fireworks the first one did. There are no families giving $300,000 to the lieutenant governor like the Humphreys family of Joplin did on the first day of our post-contribution limits era.
However, it is always interesting to see a $10,000 contribution from someone listed as a "homemaker."
Kinder received $31,250, according to the report filed Monday, including $10,000 from Joann Erlbacher. He also received $16,250 from TDG Cash Management, St. Louis, and $5,000 from Drury Properties, Cape Girardeau.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Palin's daughter is not news
Nothing has been more irritating during the 2008 election cycle than listening to fanatics from the right and left working as hard as they can to spread lies about their opposition.
We have seen the ever-present libelous e-mails saying Barack Obama is a Muslim, or the ones saying he is not respecting the American flag, and this past weekend we saw the far-left spreading rumors that Sarah Palin's last pregnancy was faked to cover up her daughter having an out-of-wedlock child.
Over the weekend, Mrs. Palin announced that her daughter was five months pregnant and the sharks began attacking immediately, and this time it was not just the far left blogs and rumor mongers. The story became a cause celebre with the media, as well.
THERE IS NO STORY!
When we have soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, American jobs being shipped overseas, problems with health care, the misguided No Child Left Behind law, and the price of gasoline is nearing four dollars a gallon, Sarah Palin's daughter's pregnancy is a non-story and an unwelcome distraction in the news.
I have heard some of the media pundits claim it is news because Mrs. Palin is in favor of abstinence-based education. That is a stretch and one being offered simply to allow the story to continue. Just because she favors abstinence-based education and her daughter is pregnant does not make Mrs. Palin a hypocrite. These things happen to families all of the time. It only smacks of hypocrisy if she publicly favors the teaching of abstinence, then persuades her daughter to have sex with her boyfriend. I don't care how deep the media digs (and apparently they don't plan to let this one go), they are not going to uncover anything like that.
It appears that our national media, after missing the boat for a year on a real political sex scandal, the one involving John Edwards, is going to jump all over a non-existent one. In this historic election, isn't there any way we can bring the coverage back to the issues?
We have seen the ever-present libelous e-mails saying Barack Obama is a Muslim, or the ones saying he is not respecting the American flag, and this past weekend we saw the far-left spreading rumors that Sarah Palin's last pregnancy was faked to cover up her daughter having an out-of-wedlock child.
Over the weekend, Mrs. Palin announced that her daughter was five months pregnant and the sharks began attacking immediately, and this time it was not just the far left blogs and rumor mongers. The story became a cause celebre with the media, as well.
THERE IS NO STORY!
When we have soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, American jobs being shipped overseas, problems with health care, the misguided No Child Left Behind law, and the price of gasoline is nearing four dollars a gallon, Sarah Palin's daughter's pregnancy is a non-story and an unwelcome distraction in the news.
I have heard some of the media pundits claim it is news because Mrs. Palin is in favor of abstinence-based education. That is a stretch and one being offered simply to allow the story to continue. Just because she favors abstinence-based education and her daughter is pregnant does not make Mrs. Palin a hypocrite. These things happen to families all of the time. It only smacks of hypocrisy if she publicly favors the teaching of abstinence, then persuades her daughter to have sex with her boyfriend. I don't care how deep the media digs (and apparently they don't plan to let this one go), they are not going to uncover anything like that.
It appears that our national media, after missing the boat for a year on a real political sex scandal, the one involving John Edwards, is going to jump all over a non-existent one. In this historic election, isn't there any way we can bring the coverage back to the issues?
Turner Report will live blog GOP convention tonight
I will live blog the Republican National Convention tonight, so look for updates throughout the evening, mixed in with Missouri politics, the St. Louis Cardinals, and whatever else grabs my attention.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Emery tops area representatives in July lobbyists' gifts
Rep. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, received more lobbyists' gifts, $292.53 worth, in July, than any representative in the Joplin area, according to documents posted today on the Missouri Ethics Commission website.
Emery, the chairman of the House Special Utilities Committee, received $142.53 in meals, food, and beverage, from John Kristan Jones, SprintNextel; and $125.62 combined in meals provided by Doug Galloway, Embarg, Charles Simino, Embarg, and Mary Scruggs, Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives.
So far this year, Emery has received $1,198.99 in lobbyists' gifts, already topping his total for 2007.
Ron Richard, R-Joplin, picked up $195.35 in gifts in July, including $89.23 for meals from Richard Brownlee, Travelers Company & Subsidiaries; and $93.72 from Greg Johnston, Holcim, Inc. Richard's gift total for 2008 is $1,933.20.
Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, received one gift, $78 in sports tickets from St. Louis lobbyist John Bardgett, who, as usual, lists his lobbying firm as the interest he is representing. Ms. Ruestman has received $629.63 for the year.
Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City, also had only one gift, $135 for continuing legal education from Catherine Barrie, lobbyist for the Missouri Bar. Stevenson's 2008 total is $928.15.
Kevin Wilson R-Neosho, also received an $89.23 meal from Brownlee representing Travelers Company & Subsidiaries. Wilson has received $491.48 in gifts, the smallest total among Joplin-area representatives.
Only one area representative, Steve Hunter, R-Joplin, did not report any lobbyists' gifts in July, but Hunter still is the leader for 2008 with $2,269.94.
Utility interests wine and dine Missouri legislators at Chicago conference
Documents posted today on the Missouri Ethics Commission website show the big utility interests wined and dined six Missouri legislators and three spouses during the ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) Conference July 30 in Chicago.
Mary Scruggs, lobbyist for the Missouri Association of Electric Cooperatives, paid $279 for $31 meals for Rep. Cynthia Davis, R-O'Fallon, Rep. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, and Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst, R-Manchester, plus Sen. John Griesheimer, R-Washington, Rep. Joe Smith, R-St. Charles, Rep. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, and their wives.
The same nine received $30.95 meals the same day from Doug Galloway, lobbyist for Embarq, whose other lobbyist, Charles Simino. reported spending $32.72 apiece for meals for Ms. Davis, Emery, and Scharnhorst, and $65.44 for Griesheimer, Smith, and Parson, indicating the wives also had their meals paid for.
Also buying meals for the six legislators was lobbyist John Sondag, representing AT&T, who reported spending $30.95 a meal for the six, and bought an additional $50 meal for Griesheimer the following day. Griesheimer is a member of the Senate Griesheimer is a member of the Commerce, Energy, and the Environment Committee.
Emery is the chairman of the Special Committee on Utilities, which also counts Parson and Smith among its members.
***
The ALEC Conference was not the only time that the utilities' interests were putting out the dollars for state legislators. Ethics Commission documents indicate John Kristan Jones, lobbyist for Sprint Nextel, shelled out $2,141.30 on one day, July 11, to pay for meals and drinks for the entire Senate Commerce, Energy and the Environment Committee, and for six representatives, including five members of Emery's Special Utilities Committee, as well as a sixth representative.
The Ethics Commission documents show Emery, Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, Trent Skaggs, D-Kansas City, and Mike Talboy, D-Kansas City, each received $142.53 meals. All except Talboy are members of the Special Utilities Committee. The other two legislators, Gina Walsh, D-St. Louis, and Billy Pat Wright, R-Dexter, each received $321.53 meals.
Mary Scruggs, lobbyist for the Missouri Association of Electric Cooperatives, paid $279 for $31 meals for Rep. Cynthia Davis, R-O'Fallon, Rep. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, and Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst, R-Manchester, plus Sen. John Griesheimer, R-Washington, Rep. Joe Smith, R-St. Charles, Rep. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, and their wives.
The same nine received $30.95 meals the same day from Doug Galloway, lobbyist for Embarq, whose other lobbyist, Charles Simino. reported spending $32.72 apiece for meals for Ms. Davis, Emery, and Scharnhorst, and $65.44 for Griesheimer, Smith, and Parson, indicating the wives also had their meals paid for.
Also buying meals for the six legislators was lobbyist John Sondag, representing AT&T, who reported spending $30.95 a meal for the six, and bought an additional $50 meal for Griesheimer the following day. Griesheimer is a member of the Senate Griesheimer is a member of the Commerce, Energy, and the Environment Committee.
Emery is the chairman of the Special Committee on Utilities, which also counts Parson and Smith among its members.
***
The ALEC Conference was not the only time that the utilities' interests were putting out the dollars for state legislators. Ethics Commission documents indicate John Kristan Jones, lobbyist for Sprint Nextel, shelled out $2,141.30 on one day, July 11, to pay for meals and drinks for the entire Senate Commerce, Energy and the Environment Committee, and for six representatives, including five members of Emery's Special Utilities Committee, as well as a sixth representative.
The Ethics Commission documents show Emery, Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, Trent Skaggs, D-Kansas City, and Mike Talboy, D-Kansas City, each received $142.53 meals. All except Talboy are members of the Special Utilities Committee. The other two legislators, Gina Walsh, D-St. Louis, and Billy Pat Wright, R-Dexter, each received $321.53 meals.
Humphreys family nearing half million contributed in post-limits era
The Humphreys family of TAMKO in Joplin has now contributed at least $450,000 to statewide GOP candidates in the four days since campaign contribution limits became a thing of the past in Missouri.
Documents filed today with the Missouri Ethics Commission indicate EthelMae Humphreys, David Humphreys, and Sarah Atkins Humphreys each contributed $50,000 to Michael Gibbons, Republican candidate for attorney general.
The three Humphreys family members kicked in $100,000 apiece for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's re-election campaign Thursday, according to an Ethics Commission filing.
EthelMae Humphreys, the head of the family, is a board member of retired billionaire Rex Sinquefield's Show-Me Institute.
Gibbons received a total of $170,000 today, including $5,000 from Midwest Petroleum Co., St. Louis; $10,000 from Onder, Shelton, O'Leary and Peterson, LLC, and $5,000 from KCS Rail Pac, Kansas City.
So far, Gibbons has reported $218,000 in $5,000-plus contributions. His general election opponent Democrat Chris Koster, has not reported any.
Documents filed today with the Missouri Ethics Commission indicate EthelMae Humphreys, David Humphreys, and Sarah Atkins Humphreys each contributed $50,000 to Michael Gibbons, Republican candidate for attorney general.
The three Humphreys family members kicked in $100,000 apiece for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's re-election campaign Thursday, according to an Ethics Commission filing.
EthelMae Humphreys, the head of the family, is a board member of retired billionaire Rex Sinquefield's Show-Me Institute.
Gibbons received a total of $170,000 today, including $5,000 from Midwest Petroleum Co., St. Louis; $10,000 from Onder, Shelton, O'Leary and Peterson, LLC, and $5,000 from KCS Rail Pac, Kansas City.
So far, Gibbons has reported $218,000 in $5,000-plus contributions. His general election opponent Democrat Chris Koster, has not reported any.
Add $35,000 to Nixon account
Attorney General Jay Nixon added at least $35,000 to his campaign account Saturday, according to documents filed today with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Nixon received a $25,000 contribution from Richard G. Miller, CEO of Miller's Professional Imaging, Pittsburg, Kan., and $10,000 from the 82nd District Legislative Committee, St. Louis.
Nixon received a $25,000 contribution from Richard G. Miller, CEO of Miller's Professional Imaging, Pittsburg, Kan., and $10,000 from the 82nd District Legislative Committee, St. Louis.
Kansas City businessman contributes $14,400 to Nixon
Kansas City businessman Richard Galamba of Galamet, Inc., contributed $14,400 to Jay Nixon's gubernatorial campaign Friday, according to documents filed Sunday with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
That makes at least $255,400 contributed to the Nixon campaign that day, the Ethics Commission documents indicate. The remainder of the contributions were noted Sunday in The Turner Report.
That makes at least $255,400 contributed to the Nixon campaign that day, the Ethics Commission documents indicate. The remainder of the contributions were noted Sunday in The Turner Report.
Cooper concerts tour continues with Willie Nelson
Rep. Shannon Cooper, R-Clinton, seems determined to have lobbyists pay his way to every available concert before term limits end his time in Jefferson City in January.
Documents posted today on the Missouri Ethics Commission website show University of Missouri lobbyist Erin Elliott provided Cooper with $300 worth of Willie Nelson tickets for the country legend's July 22 performance at Jesse Auditorium. In all, Cooper received $413.76 worth of lobbyists' gifts, lifting him over the $5,000 mark for 2008 .
The Willie Nelson concert is the latest in a long list of lobbyist-financed entertainment for Cooper. In the April 24 Turner Report, it was noted that Ameristar Casino lobbyists paid for Cooper to see Jimmy Buffett live.
From the Feb. 10, 2007, Turner Report:
By all accounts, the performance given by country music legend George Jones June 10, 2007, at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City was a rousing success and Rep. Shannon Cooper, R-Clinton, had eight tickets to that event, worth $440, courtesy of lobbyist Betsy Morgan.
Though Missouri Ethics Commission documents show that Ms. Morgan's clients who footed the bill for the tickets were the Missouri Beverage Association and the Missouri Railroad Association.
Another of Ms. Morgan's clients, which was not mentioned on the disclosure form, is Ameristar Casinos.
From the Oct. 6, 2007, Turner Report:
May 9 was a big night for freebies for Shannon Cooper. He accepted five Kenny Chesney tickets worth $345 from Stephen Knorr, University of Missouri lobbyist, and $343 in travel and lodging from Ameristar Casinos lobbyist Jorgen Schlemeier, though Schlemeier only attributed a part of the cost to Ameristar, since it was the last day of the legislative session, it appears Cooper did quite a bit of celebrating.
Cooper also received a ticket to a Gordon Lightfoot concert, worth $50 from James R. Moody, representing Carlson Gardner of Springfield.
Cooper's gifts also included Missouri wine, valued at $15, from lobbyist William Shoehigh, representing United Health Care.
Cooper also took a cruise provided by Ameristar Casinos lobbyist Sarah Topp during the National Conference of State Legislators in August.
Another $48,450 for Hulshof
It's not quite the $1.1 million plus he raked in on the first day of the post-limits era, but Kenny Hulshof raked in another $48,450 on Aug. 30, according to documents filed today on the Missouri Ethics Commission website.
KCS Rail State PAC had the top contribution, $25,000, followed by the Platte County Republican Central Committee with $13,450, and Silver Dollar City head honcho Peter Herschend with $10,000.
KCS Rail State PAC had the top contribution, $25,000, followed by the Platte County Republican Central Committee with $13,450, and Silver Dollar City head honcho Peter Herschend with $10,000.
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