The Roy Blunt campaign says it isn't fazed by yesterday's news that Blunt was a "Top Congressional Partier" in 2009. Try not to laugh when reading this sentence in a story about the designation by The Beacon's Jo Mannies:
Blunt's campaign says his packed public schedule illustrates that he's [...]
From our family to yours, Happy Festivus.
May your feats be strong, and your grievances be aired.
[...]
Tonight, Tony Laszacs of Dixon is expected announce his intention to create the "Moderate Conservative Party of Missouri" and run for U.S. Senate in 2010. Laszacs lives in Dixon, has a military background and says he's running to provide a "third choice that can represent the [...]
The Standard & Poor's rating service gave Missouri the highest credit rating possible – AAA – for its general obligation debt.
Senate Republicans agreed to end their health care filibuster early Christmas Eve morning, allowing for a vote on the package at 8 a.m.
This is a dumb question.
[...]
I was a bit surprised to read this tweet from the official Roy Blunt Twitter feed this afternoon:
Charlie Cook, the respected independent, non-partisan analyst predicts our campaign will win: [bit.ly]
Wow, I thought to myself. Charlie Cook is 'predicting' a win for Roy Blunt, [...]
ThinkProgress' Wonk Room has put together a powerful visual comparison between an "America with [health care] reform" and an "America without reform." Here's just a part of the image – click here or click on the image to see the full thing:
' [...]Yesterday, the AARP applauded the Senate for moving health care reform with the following statement:
“This morning, the Senate voted to move forward with debate on health care reforms that will begin to bring needed relief to millions of Americans struggling with high costs and insurance company discrimination. The [...]
The Sunlight Foundation is looking back on the first year of operation for their new Political Party Time initiative, and announced today that Roy Blunt is one of their "Top Congressional Partiers" for 2009.
Blunt had the fourth-most parties in their database this year, which the [...]
The Post-Dispatch reflects today on the dismissal of professional misconduct complaints filed against Scott Eckersley by former Governor Matt Blunt's chief counsel, and on Ed Martin's role in the saga. The final two paragraphs of today's editorial:
All of this cost state taxpayers some $1.3 million in [...]
Sen. Claire McCaskill continues to focus oversight of contracts in Iraq.
Rep. Gary Dusenberg (R-Blue Springs) says that since campaign contribution limits were removed in Missouri, things have "gotten out of hand." In addition, he says, "A lot of people who advocated transparency, I don't think they meant that."
Under' [...]
I don't really understand why these people are being so mean to Glenn Beck. As the extremely wise Blaine Luetkemeyer said a few months ago, everything you hear from Beck "must be true because nobody's refuting it."
And remember: If you like Glenn Beck, you'll love Ed Martin!
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A stroll [...]
Of all the falsehoods and distortions in the political discourse this year, one stood out from the rest.
"Death panels."
The "death panels" phrase was created by Sarah Palin, but has its roots in the coordinated campaign to scare voters with the idea [...]
Sharpen your pencils, Tenth Amendment scholars!
Sen. Jim Lembke is speaking next month to the Constitutional Conservative Alliance's "National Sovereignty Symposium" in Omaha. The Constitutional Conservative Alliance says it "strive[s] to advance all constitutional rights and privileges ratified by our founding fathers in 1789," and appears to' [...]
Jim Lee, who first wrote about Roy Blunt's controversial taxpayer-financed mail piece last week on his BusPlunge blog, follows up today in the News-Leader's 'Roses & Thorns' section:
A THORN: To Roy Blunt for abusing his congressional franking privileges by sending a public document labeled official business [...]
Senate Majority Leader Kevin Engler [R-Farmington] also is bracing for trouble. Eight of the 10 senators term-limited in 2010 are Republicans. Of the 10 additional senators term-limited in 2012, seven of them also are Republicans.
"Over half my majority is term-limited, and most of them aren't' [...]
Early this morning (01:08 AM), Senate Democrats and independents approved a procedural cloture motion by a 60-40 vote. Senators voted while seated at their desks, a rarely-used practice implemented only for historic votes.
There are two more procedural votes scheduled on the bill this week, and the final vote is [...]
Ed Martin Misusing SaveAB.com Email List & Website To Promote Congressional Bid
Martin has relaunched the SaveAB.com website, and last week emailed "about 40,000" SaveAB.com petition signers to tell them about his latest adventure -- his campaign for Congress.
The latest SurveyUSA poll shows a bit of rebound in Governor Jay Nixon's approval ratings. In the company's most recent survey, conducted 12/11-12/13, 49% of respondents approved of his work as governor, and 42% said they disapproved. In late November, Nixon's SurveyUSA numbers stood at 44%-46%.
600 Adults All [...]The Rachel Maddow Show's report on Wednesday's "PrayerCast" to oppose health care reform legislation, which featured Rep. Todd Akin.
[...]
Lt. Governor Peter Kinder says the Missouri Housing Development Commission's plan to provide tax breaks for homebuyers is a "half-baked proposal" that amounts to "welfare."
Rich AuBuchon, Kinder's Chief of Staff, says the entire program is a "waste of money."
Kinder spokesman Gary McElyea echoed comments [...]
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and his Deputy weren't interested in supporting property tax breaks for new homeowners at this morning's MHDC meeting, but they did find time to tweet about far more important matters.
As of 12:45pm, Kinder has not found the time to tweet an explanation for' [...]
Americans United for Change is not impressed with the GOP's attempted filibuster of war spending legislation.
[...]
At this morning's Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) meeting, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder cast the only vote against a proposal to pay the first year of property taxes for working families making less than $98,000 a year who purchase a new or existing Missouri home [...]
An enterprising web developer has created an amusing "Keepin' It Real With Michael Steele" website, playing off the amusing photos Steele recently took with RNC interns. Here for instance, is Steele with the cast of Jersey Shore.
I'm struggling to wrap my head around the hypocrisy exhibited in this gambit by Kit Bond and his GOP colleagues:
Senate Republicans said Thursday that they would try to filibuster a massive Pentagon bill that funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an unusual move that several' [...]
Apart from the fine print that reads, "This mailing was prepared published and mailed at taxpayer expense," it's hard to the tell the difference between the messages in Congressman Roy Blunt's most recent taxpayer-financed mailer and the Roy Blunt for Senate campaign's defensive attacks [...]
The Post-Dispatch: "If the GOP doesn't want to be branded the "Party of Stupid," it could stand to nominate more people who can speak eloquently on complicated policy matters."
' [...]The Post-Dispatch has a long editorial about ethics reform legislation and recent transgressions by state legislators of both parties. The whole thing is worth the read, but these final two paragraphs need to be highlighted.
All of these [minor 2010 ethics reform proposals] would be nice, but they clearly [...]
It appears that Rep. Jason Brown will not run against Rep. Rob Schaaf in the 34th Senate District GOP primary.
KY3's Dave Catanese and Sen. McCaskill's communications chief Adrianne Marsh are moving on to new adventures.
Senator McCaskill’s contracting oversight committee is questioning the extensive use of contractors in [...]
Via Legislature.com, I see that Rod Jetton has earned a "70" on their fake 'Indignity Index.' If I'm reading their chart correctly, Jetton's alleged behavior is far more tacky than Alberto Gonzales saying the Bush Administration shouldn't have tried to purge US Attorneys because Democrats controlled the Senate, but' [...]
According to Rasmussen's recent poll, "sixty-three percent (63%) approve of the job Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is doing and forty-seven percent (47%) say the same about the president."
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h/t Show Me Progress
[...]
A new Rasmussen telephone survey of 500 likely voters shows some slippage in Roy Blunt's performance against Robin Carnahan in a hypothetical general election contest, though the difference between the candidates is still within the margin of error (+/- 4.5%).
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey [...]
Rep. Todd Akin contributed to a Family Research Council Action PAC "prayercast" last night, an webcast to pray for God's intercession in stopping health care legislation in the Senate. Ses. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) also participated. [...]
Gov. Nixon laid out his first major initiative for the coming legislative session: a designated state income stream to "to attract and retain high-tech scientific and research jobs in Missouri."
The state's high risk pool is too expensive to be a real option for more than 16,000 Missourians.
Sen. Kit Bond doesn't like the idea of allowing the EPA to regulate greenhouse gasses, and supports a resolution by Sen. Lisa Murkowksi (R-AK) to stop the EPA from using the Clean Air Act to rein in emissions.
In fact, Bond hates a recent ruling allowing' [...]
KMBC has the scoop: Ike Skelton is running for reelection. Who knew?
[...]UPDATE: Sen. Purgason emailed me to say that he was unable to attend the meeting because his Ozark Wings business kept him busy at home. "As in most businesses, the Christmas season is very important and my business and family livlihood comes before smoozing with lobbyists and politicans," he wrote.
I'm not sure' [...]
Implicit in the debate about whether legislators should end their practice of accepting meals and gifts from lobbyists are the assumptions that (1) it gives lobbyists unfair access to legislators (2) lawmakers could be tempted to return the favor with an official action of some kind.
I think these [...]
Lobbyists routinely buy catered meals for lawmakers who meet during the lunch hour in committees.
"We're going to lose a large part of our' [...]
I see that Rep. Jo Ann Emerson is excited about the "extremely beneficial" funding for projects in the 8th District included in a recent budget bill, and happy to praise herself for her hard work on behalf of her constituents.
Washington County and the Mineral Area Drug Task [...]
Lt. Governor Peter Kinder posted a letter to Sen. McCaskill today on his campaign blog demanding an "explanation" for her support of health care legislation to expand access to affordable health care for Missourians. Predictably, Kinder's letter is light on the facts:
The plan being proposed by [...]
Via MPNblog.com, I see that Vicky Hartzler thinks climate change and global warming is just one great big "hoax."
Given the importance of military issues and voters in the 4th District, maybe Hartlzer can explain why Pentagon planners now officially consider global warming a threat to [...]
Gov. Nixon launched Training for Tomorrow, a $12 million initiative to educate Missourians in high-tech fields and get them working in growing industries.
Rep. Steve Hobbs (R-Mexico) will run for Audrain County presiding commissioner, and not the state senate against Sen. Wes Shoemyer (D-Clarence).
Treasurer Zweifel announced that the [...]
I chuckled a bit to myself upon reading this tidbit in Jerry Berger's latest column:
GOP's Mo. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder pointed out that he'll run for governor and chuckled, "As President Obama goes, hopefully he's helped our team a lot."
Praying for a cataclysmic Obama implosion is [...]
The Hotline has an interesting story today about the negative impact of NRSC support for Senate candidates in contested primaries. The NRSC has set up joint fundraising accounts with candidates across the country, including Rep. Roy Blunt. Internal critics say these accounts "show clear favoritism for one candidate over [...]
The Missouri Highway Patrol says it's conducting an "active investigation" of assault allegations against former Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton.
The Kansas City Star and Prime Buzz filed a Sunshine Law request with the agency Dec. 3 asking for all documents related to allegations against Jetton.
The custodian of [...]
The Turner Report has the scoop on Majority Leader Steve Tilley's ethics reform legislation to be officially announced today. As outlined by Turner, Tilley says he wants to stop:
Lobbyist gifts and meals for legislatures Political consulting while serving in the legislature Becoming a lobbyist within 180 days of leaving' [...]Cynthia Davis says Thomas Schweich should have filed as a Democrat in the State Auditor's race.
Speaker Ron Richard and House Republicans hinted at an incentive package to keep a Ford plant in Claycomo, northeast of Kansas City.
Majority Leader Steve Tilley is expected to offer his own ethics bill [...]
Reps. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City) and Tim Flook (R-Liberty) met with the press at the Capitol this morning to talk about their bipartisan ethics reform bill, intended to limit the use of political committees to obscure campaign donation trails. Their multi-part proposal makes it a felony to "transfer funds through [...]
Earlier today, Cynthia Davis said, "I plan on being a candidate in 2010, but not for Missouri State Auditor." Inquiring minds want to know: what is she running for?
US Senate – to my knowledge, Davis has not endorsed Roy Blunt or Chuck Purgason Congress – she lives in [...]
Rep. Cynthia Davis is no longer running for State Auditor, as she's told the Missouri Ethics Commission. Instead, she's endorsing House Budget Chair Allen Icet over the insufficiently conservative (in her mind) Thomas Schweich. KY3's Dave Catanese has the details:
"I don't understand how Republican voters could support' [...]
State Sen. Chuck Purgason doesn't appear to be letting up in his criticism of Rep. Roy Blunt's leadership as GOP Whip and Leader from 2003-2008. Speaking Friday on 97.1 FM Talk's "Allman in the Morning" program, Purgason reiterated his concerns with Republican deficit spending and Blunt's unapologetic defense of' [...]
Friday, David Lieb of The Associated Press reported on Ed Martin's use of the SaveAB.com website and email database to direct people to his congressional campaign website.
In 2008, Martin created the "SaveAB.com for America" website and nonprofit corporation to oppose the sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev. That effort [...]
Sikeston Incident Report Contains More Gruesome Details of Rod Jetton's Alleged Assault
First reported here, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety Crime/Incident Report detailed gruesome allegations.
Cynthia Davis Says Her New Legislation Can Cut The Missouri Divorce Rate "In Half"
Is there anything Cynthia can't fix?
I don't disagree with the thrust of this editorial in the Post-Dispatch about Republican fearmongering in the health care debate.
What campfires are to spooky ghost stories, Congressional Republicans have become to frightening, fabricated urban legends about health care reform. Death panels! Rationing! Medicare cuts!
But at the same time, I don't understand [...]
Former State Rep. Brian Yates (R-Lee's Summit) isn't holding back in his criticism of his former colleagues in the House of Representatives. The Star's Steve Kraske spoke with Yates, who is "convinced, but cannot prove, that laws were broken, particularly when it comes to swapping votes for' [...]
Columbia Daily Tribune publisher Hank Waters:
The former House speaker had incurred a lot of criticism for serving as a political consultant to other members of the General Assembly, taking money from them at the same time he was in a position to affect the outcome of [...]
In October, Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder's office expected the full economic impact study for the Tour of Missouri to be released by late October/early November.
Kinder presented topline data about the Tour on October 1, but the full report – with city by city spectator estimates, etc. – is not' [...]
Two years ago today, Sen. Kit Bond told PNS' Gwen Ifill that waterboarding isn't exactly torture – it's actually a lot "like swimming."
"There are different ways of doing it. It's like swimming...uh, freestyle, backstroke."
[...]
No, I'm not kidding.
Orly Taitz posted the language for a "Motion for Clarification" on her website yesterday pertaining to the birther lawsuit she filed in federal court with Reps. Tim Jones (R-Eureka) and Cynthia Davis (R-O'Fallon). Apparently, Taitz and her plaintiffs aren't totally sure if their case' [...]
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) spoke earlier this week at a Center for American Progress Action Fund event about the obstruction tactics employed by Congressional Republicans, and their lack of interest in real proposals or governing. "Republicans have chosen slogans and symbolism over substantive proposals," Hoyer said.
The Star's Steve Kraske reports that embattled House Majority Leader Steve Tilley will propose a "sweeping ethics package" this year.
Tilley proposed a sweeping ethics package that would ban all gifts to lawmakers. The law would also ban lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists and [...]
When Cole County Judge Patricia Joyce evaluated the Missouri Roundtable for Life's allegations of conspiracy and constitutional violations by Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Attorney General Chris Koster and State Auditor Susan Montee, she ruled that their allegations were "without merit and rise to the level of being frivolous."
That,' [...]
I'm shocked – just shocked – that Karl Rove thinks Roy Blunt is a "stellar" candidate and is financially backing him. Aren't you?
Blunt was an early supporter of George W. Bush's first presidential bid, joining Rove on the campaign's "exploratory committee" in May 1999.
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This story provides a good a [...]
Republican House members said they spent little time discussing former Speaker Rod Jetton's assault charges and the resulting damage to the GOP.
The Office of Administration will rebid contracts to operate 10 fee offices previously awarded to Alternative Opportunities Inc. Officials with OA and the Dept. of Revenue discovered the company [...]
This is unbelievable:
The Missouri Roundtable for Life has sued Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and Auditor Susan Montee in federal court, alleging the two have illegally changed the wording on several of the group's initiative petitions and provided improper cost estimates as well.
You may remember [...]
Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-We Living In the Same Universe) is dreaming big.
In her latest column (via Randy Turner), Davis claims that her "Marriage Matters in Missouri Bill" (HB 1234) has "the potential of cutting the divorce rate in half in our state" by reducing [...]
The Star has just published an anonymous Dear Colleagues letter -- "presumably a Republican state rep," reporter Steve Kraske writes -- demanding that the House GOP caucus find new leaders not named Rod Jetton or Steve Tilley. It begins:
To My Colleagues, (I am withholding my name today so you read [...]
I may be wrong, but I doubt former Republican State Rep. Brian Yates would tweet and change his Twitter profile photo like this if he was still in office (Yates resigned on November 30).
[...]
Rep. Ellen Brandom (R-Sikeston) plans to reintroduce legislation this session that would direct the Department of Social Services to set up a drug-testing program for participants in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The tests would apply only to people for whom the Department decides there [...]
Rep. Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph) talks about looking for a new fundraiser in The News-Press
Dr. Schaaf said he was aware of people in Mr. Jetton’s firm that were starting their own company, but that he was considering other firms as well.
“It’s not an insurmountable problem,” he said of finding a [...]
Gov. Nixon detailed legislation to overhaul the way Missouri deals with drunken-driving cases by eliminating loopholes that block prosecutions and ensuring that all DWI offenses are accurately recorded and tracked.
Judge Richard Callahan’s nomination as U.S. attorney is slated for hearing Thursday.
Kit Bond and Claire McCaskill are co-sponsors of [...]
A Sikeston Department of Public Safety Crime/Incident Report -- obtained today via a Sunshine request -- details gruesome allegations against Rod Jetton not previously reported.
An excerpt from the narrative portion of the report is below the break. The victim's name has been redacted.
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ON 11/17/2009, AT 2341 HOURS, I [...]
In August, the Directors of Redstate.com endorsed Roy Blunt over Chuck Purgason despite "many" disagreements -- "generally fiscal and earmarks related" – because they were with Blunt "in the fight for freedom." (Read their full endorsement here). The endorsement raised some eyebrows at the time, coming two [...]
Well, this is depressing. It's probably even more depressing for Congressmen with a long, documented track record of unethical behavior.
For the first time in Gallup's annual Honesty and Ethics of Professions poll, a majority of Americans -- 55% -- say the honesty and ethical standards of "members of [...]
This blog post from Missourinet's Steve Walsh seems like a bit of a cheap shot (emphasis added):
In our never-ending effort to highlight examples of symbolism over substance ... we bring you what had been scheduled as Planned Parenthood's "Stop Stupak!" bus tour.
But the "Stop Stupak!" tour never gained much [...]
I don't live or work in the 7th District to know if Billy Long is "clearly the most visible candidate" running for Congress there, but this line from the KY3 "7th District Power Rankings" does not make sense:
The auctioneer is also clearly the most visible candidate in the field,' [...]
A "gang of 10" progressive and conservative Democratic Senators reached a tentative deal health care compromise last night. They're waiting on a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office – here's an early outline of the deal.
' [...]Rep. Sue Allen: "I don’t know how my name got on [Jetton's client] list. He wasn't consulting with my campaign."
Rep. Shane Shoeller: Last night, Schoeller said, "If the allegations are true, he will have no place in my campaign...The allegations are serious and I'm taking it seriously." [...]
The Missouri Supreme Court said the state’s overburdened public defender system went too far by rejecting certain categories [...]
Just in case you were wondering about the importance of Gary Forsee's letter to Republican efforts to undermine federal energy legislation, this should clear it up for you:
Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt, a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, today [December 8] backed University of Missouri President Gary D.' [...]
It's a Tuesday, which means it's a great day for Roy Blunt to collect big checks from DC lobbyists and PACs.
Blunt's campaign is hosting cocktails and dinner tonight at Ruth's Chris Steak House in downtown Washington tonight – PACs need to bring at least a $2,400 check,' [...]
I really don't understand this argument from UM System President Gary Forsee (also articulated last week by Rep. Chris Kelly):
[Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry] Waxman’s rebuttal was "in some ways" beside the point, Forsee said Monday. His letter was intended to convey the' [...]
Last week, the Thomas Schweich campaign announced endorsements from five state senators, including Sen. Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City).
There appears to be a small problem with that announcement: Scott says he never actually agreed to endorse Schweich, and he supports Rep. Allen Icet in the GOP [...]
Congressional Quarterly reported today (subscription required) that Rep. Ike Skelton will play an important role in the Congressional debate on Afghanistan.
As President Obama seeks to sell his escalation of the Afghanistan War to a skeptical Congress, House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton will almost surely emerge as [...]
Apparently other things happened before 3:30 today.
The biggest climate meeting in history, with 15,000 participants from 192 nations, opened in Copenhagen today.
Senator Jason Crowell
Senator Luann Ridgeway
Majority Floor Leader Steve Tilley
Senator Rob Mayer
Majority Whip Brian Nieves
Rep. Sue Allen
Rep. Tim Jones
Rep. Shelley Keeney
Rep. Rob Schaaf
Rep. Shane Schoeller
Rep. Rick Stream
Rep. Dwight Scharnhors
Rep. Don Ruzicka
Mattie Ransom for Liberty School Board
Jeff Moore for Liberty City Council [...] 
UPDATE: Via the Southeast Missourian, a scanned copy of the probable cause statement may be found here. It's not for the faint of heart.
The affidavit attached to the probable cause statement alleges Jetton went to the home of the victim [...]
