Missouri Democratic Party Declares Victory While Losing All Control Over Lawmaking Process

The Missouri Democratic Party is out with a statement today cheering how successful they were in the elections:

The Missouri Democratic Party rose to the challenge in the 2012 election cycle, with victory in five of six statewide races on the ballot. This electoral success shows the Party is alive and well, even when Republicans outnumbered Democrats at the polls and Mitt Romney carried the state.

Don't get me wrong; Missouri Democrats did win important contests.  They prevented Rex Sinquefield from buying the Secretary of State's office.  They put themselves in good position for the next gubernatorial contest.  They soundly thumped Ed Martin. And thank the holy heavens Claire McCaskill beat Todd Akin!

But the real problem is that Republicans won seats in the Missouri House of Representatives, and now have a veto-proof majority in both the house and senate.  So even though we have a Democratic governor, Republicans can basically pass any law they want, provided they can get their caucus to support it.  

And this flop is after a disastrous 2010 election where Democrats lost seats as well.  I just don't understand how Missouri Democrats can be so bad at losing house and senate elections in a state where Democrats can win 5 out of 6 statewide races.  Yes I realize, as the Post-Dispatch editorial board pointed out,  that the redistricting process is less-than-ideal.  But even so, it makes absolutely no sense that Republicans would control 67% of the House Seats and 70% of the Senate seats in a state where Obama wins 44% of the vote.  

Who is in charge of recruiting and training good house and senate candidates, if not the Missouri Democratic Party?  Is there any indication that they're even paying attention to this part of the political process?  Their statement of "victory" doesn't indicate that they are.  If Democrats don't want  the state completely in control of birthers like House Speaker Tim Jones, they need to start figuring out how to compete at the House and Senate level.

Update: Jeff Mazur weighs in on Twitter:

So to clarify, based on Jeff's point, the legal institution known as the Missouri Democratic Party shouldn't be blamed for the disastrous situation in the Missouri legislature, as that's not really their responsibility.  However, there's clearly disfunction in the leadership of the Missouri Democrats, which has now led to Republicans having virtually unchecked power.

Incompetent Akin Campaign Is Dialing Phone Numbers in Kansas

What's truly unique about Todd Akin among Republicans is not that he has offensive views or that he's completely clueless about science (although both of these are true).  It's that he's so amazingly bad at hiding his crazy views, and continues to act offensively when everyone knows he should be keeping his mouth shut.  Throughout the campaign, and particularly after Akin's "legitimate rape" comment, his campaign has exuded an aura of complete incompetence, and not just because of their never-ending stream of tone-deaf, offensive statements.  For example, after Akin's campaign spitefully leaked an email from the Post-Dispatch, the reporter Kevin McDermott said the following:

“I shared the top of it with the campaign in an effort to give them an opportunity to fully respond, not to allow them to hurl an incomplete story out there under my name,” McDermott wrote in an email to Roll Call. “Unfortunately, I assumed I was dealing with a professional.”

A letter to the editor in today's Kansas City Star provides further support for the idea that Akin's campaign is not being run by professionals:

Now I really have a reason to detest those automated political phone calls. I received a phone call from former Arkansas governor and current Fox News personality Mike Huckabee asking for my support for Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin.
Mr. Akin should be glad he could not hear my unladylike response. You see, I’ll never vote for Mr. Akin despite his calls to my home phone. 

I live in Kansas. 

Kathyrn Bach

Of course this is just one letter, but it certainly fits with a pattern of incompetence that permeates every single aspect of his campaign.

Three St. Louis Area Tea Party Blogs Defend Akin Against GOP Establishment

Three bloggers from that one group that used to be tea party but now has some other acronym recently published blog posts defending Todd Akin and attacking the GOP establishment that tried to push him out.

Virginia Kruta:

If Akin stays in this race, it is possible that he has been damaged enough that we could lose this seat. And that is a scary thought, especially for Missourians, who would be saddled with another six years of Claire McCaskill. But how does that compare to grassroots losing *all* seats that boast candidates who have angered the GOP? Think of Todd Akin as the canary in the coal mine - if he falls to this strategy, who is next? Every election from here on out, we will not only have to fight the left and the media, but also the pseudo-right. 

If we continue to support Todd Akin, we have the ability to hit the national establishment where it hurts. Sadly, many who claim to be fighters have already fallen prey to the narrative. There may not be enough of us left to cripple the establishment this time around, and every time we fail they get stronger.

So wait for Todd Akin's response. And if he intends to fight, I say we fight with him.

Blogodidact:

Yet political players far and wide now wish to overturn the legitimate winner of a primary election; party players and powers that be, wish to disenfranchise all republican voters of Missouri, in order for these power players to put who they would like to see him replaced with. These are the same people who didn't want Akin to run for the Senate, the same people who didn't support him during the election, the same people who did their best to undermine him in order to get a less conservative candidate to run... And yet, after the people of Missouri, who knowingly voted for the more conservative candidate - are very likely going to have their votes overturned, by party players who didn't approve of their votes to begin with.

On the pretext of a politically sensitive gaffe, the candidate nominated in a statewide election, is potentially going to be removed from the race, and replaced by someone the GOP would have preferred to have been (s)elected in the first place.

Ennenbach:

While supporters in both John Brunner’s and Sarah Steelman’s camp gnared their teeth at the opportunity to snag the seat, should Akin vacate, those dreams were quickly dashed by the time they finally finished reading through Missouri’s Sore Loser Law....

It is clear that the people voted, and Akin’s primary win should be upheld. It is also clear that the Missouri Establishment GOP was quick to stand next to the progressive extremists in throwing Akin under the bus, over and over again. 

Guess that's the last time the GOP establishment will ever try "gnaring" their teeth. 

Todd Akin's Horrible Rape Comments Are Part of A Pattern

In case you somehow missed it, Todd Akin made unbelievably ignorant and misogynistic comments on the Jaco Report, claiming that women who are the victims of "legitimate rape," won't get pregnant:

(crazy comments start around the 4 minute mark)


Akin's quote:

“First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare,” Akin told KTVI-TV in an interview posted Sunday. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

This isn't a simple one-time mistake based on talking to a couple nutty "doctors."  This is part of an incredibly disturbing pattern from Akin when it comes to rape.  Some of the lowlights from Talking Points Memo:

Akin is perhaps the boldest among a crop of conservative 2012 nominees who could hamperGOP efforts to take back the Senate in the fall. Akin has called for an end to the school-lunch program and a total ban on the morning-after pill [even in cases of rape].

His claim about “legitimate” types of rape is not completely foreign to the current Republican Congress, however. In 2011, the House GOP was forced to drop language from a bill that would have limited federal help to pay for an abortion to only victims of “forcible rape.” Akin was a co-sponsor on the bill.

Nor is this Akin’s first time suggesting some types of rape are more worthy of protections than others. As a state legislator, Akin voted in 1991 for an anti-marital-rape law, but only after questioning whether it might be misused “in a real messy divorce as a tool and a legal weapon to beat up on the husband,” according to a May 1 article that year in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

A Right To Life Without A Right To Eat

Todd Akin somehow thinks that no one has a right to food, even though they have a right to life: 

And shame on you, Mr. or Ms. Commie, for thinking otherwise.

Todd Akin Teaches Poor Kids A Lesson By Not Allowing Them To Eat

Hearts starve as well as bodies.  But Todd Akin doesn't care about either.  That oughta teach those poor kids for being born poor.  Bet they won't try that again.

Today In Crazy Things Todd Akin Actually Believes

Todd Akin thinks student loans are part of a "stage 3 cancer of socialism:"


Students loans are not like cancer.  They're not even like a hangnail, or a headache. They have been a godsend to millions of people, and are a crucial component of keeping the United States economy going forward in the modern age.  But then, Todd Akin doesn't really seem to be of the modern age, does he?

Photo via the Post-Dispatch.

h/t Politico.

Todd Akin's Sketchy Ties

Christian Supremacists and militias.

Momentum!

Question: if you are an organization created by a multimillionaire for the sole purpose of doing that multimillionaire's bidding, does it really count as "momentum" when that guy gives you more money? Apparently it does according the the Let Voters Decide "coalition", who received a donation from Rex Sinquefield, the only guy in the state who actually believes it'd be a good idea to gut state government and shift the tax burden to the poor and middle class by eliminating income tax and shifting exclusively to a sales tax. Check out this hilarious headline from the "coalition" referring to Rex's new donations of $1.2 million dollars:


In light of this genius idea, I've decided to start off every day with some extra "momentum" by giving myself $20. Look out world! I've got momentum!

Akin and Martin Consultant: "Sleazy Is In The Eyes Of The Beholder"

As reported by several outlets, Todd Akin's campaign has recently hired the architect of the sleazy swift boat attacks on war hero John Kerry, Chris LaCivita. The Post-Dispatch reports the following comment from Civita:

Sleazy is in the eyes of the beholder.

Good rule of thumb: whenever someone tells you that "sleazy is in the eye of the beholder," there's probably a good chance that person is sleazy.

And, never one to settle for being out-sleazed, Ed Martin has apparently hired LaCivita as well.

h/t Fired Up Missouri

Civil Rights Groups Sue Missouri Officials Over “Deceptive and Misleading” Voter ID Ballot Initiative

First-Ever Challenge to a Photo ID Constitutional Amendment Filed on Behalf of the Elderly, People with Disabilities, Racial Minorities, and Students Who Face Loss of Voting Rights

Press Release:

Thursday, July 7, 2011

ST. LOUIS, MO -- Advancement Project, the Fair Elections Legal Network (FELN), the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri and the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri today announced a legal challenge to a ballot proposal to amend the state constitution’s voting requirements, saying that the ballots language misleads voters and if passed will restrict the voting rights of Missourians, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and students, among others.

The ballot initiative, SJR2, slated to be placed on the ballot for November 2012, was passed by the legislature in May in an attempt to circumvent the Missouri Supreme Court’s 2006 ruling that restrictive photo ID voting laws are unconstitutional.

“I cannot imagine anything more cynical and shameful than using the voting process itself to trick voters into giving up their rights,” said Denise Lieberman, senior attorney for Advancement Project, a civil rights organization that works to eliminate barriers to voting and has been fighting photo ID laws across the country. “Just as the Missouri Supreme Court rejected Missouri’s photo ID law as a ‘heavy and substantial burden’ on voting rights, the court should reject this deceptive initiative. It does not make clear to voters that they will be giving up a fundamental right.”

The lawsuit – the first-ever challenge to a constitutional amendment on photo ID laws and the first lawsuit in the nation filed challenging the rash of photo ID proposals introduced in states across the country this year– was filed on Wednesday and names eight Missouri voters as plaintiffs. Among them are:

* Two elderly women – 90 and 86 – who no longer drive and would have great physical and financial difficulty in obtaining the proper ID documents;

* A 43-year-old former musician who performed with Parliament Funkadelic, now stricken with multiple sclerosis and confined to a wheelchair, whose ID has expired and for whom obtaining new state identification would be both physically and financially difficult;

* A 43-year-old woman on disability due to a severe accident for whom obtaining new state identification would be a physical and financial hardship;

* A 35-year-old naturalized citizen who has had difficulty renewing her driver’s license after encountering problems when presenting her Russian birth certificate;

* A former school board member who won’t be able to renew her ID because the name on her birth certificate is not the name under which she is registered to vote and whose hand tremor could result in rejection at the polls if her signature does not match up; and

* A local college student and a recent graduate, whose out-of-state and student IDs, currently accepted for voting, could no longer be valid if the ballot initiative succeeds.

These individuals represent the many thousands of Missouri voters who could lose their right to vote under the restrictive photo ID proposal, according to Tony Rothert, Legal Director of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri. “We should ensure that every eligible voter is allowed to vote, not construct barriers that prevent registered voters from having their ballots counted,” he said.

Robert Brandon, president of the Fair Elections Legal Network, a non-partisan network of election attorneys, added: “The Missouri Legislature claims the proposed amendment would ‘protect’ voters, but in reality, it would weaken the constitutional protections of the right to vote. Missourians deserve a ballot title that fairly and honestly summarizes what they are being asked to vote on.”

Over 230,000 Missouri registered voters do not have a current Missouri driver’s license. African Americans, seniors, people with disabilities, the working poor, and students are twice as likely to lack such ID. Further, the cost of implementing the legislature’s photo ID proposal would run well over $20 million, according to recent estimates – a price tag the people of Missouri can ill afford in the midst of an ongoing economic crisis. The Missouri initiative was among stringent photo ID proposals introduced in legislatures in more than 30 states in 2011, according to a recent Advancement Project Report, “What’s Wrong With This Picture.” Companion legislation that would have implemented strict photo ID requirements in Missouri was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon on June 17.

The lawsuit asks the court to block the initiative from appearing on the November 2012 ballot because it “deceives and misleads voters about what the amendment would and would not do and thus is neither true nor impartial, but instead likely to create prejudice in favor of the proposed measure.”

The case is Aziz et al. v. Mayer et al., Case no. 11AC-CC00439, filed in Cole County Circuit Court and pending before Judge Patricia S. Joyce. The lawsuit names as defendants Senator Robert N. Mayer, Representative Steven Tilley, Senator Bill Stouffer, and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

The lawsuit is online at: http://www.advancementproject.org/sites/default/files/Petition%20-%20FINAL.pdf.

The attorneys in the case are Tony Rothert and Grant Doty of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri, Douglas Bonney of the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, Denise Lieberman of Advancement Project, and Ben Hovland of the Fair Elections Legal Network.

For further information, please go to:

www.aclu-em.org

http://www.aclukswmo.org/

www.advancementproject.org

www.fairelectionsnetwork.com

h/t to Eileen Evans for the pointer.

Auditor’s Office Serving Peter Kinder, Not Taxpayers (Press Release)

Press release from the Missouri Democratic Party:

Jefferson City, Mo.—As details about the State Auditor’s review of Lt. Governor Peter Kinder continue to emerge, more questions arise about the veracity and integrity of a review conducted by Kinder’s political allies. For months, the Missouri Democratic Party has called on Kinder to release his schedules and for an independent, third-party audit to determine how much Kinder used taxpayer funds to finance his extravagant lifestyle.

“It’s clear that the Auditor is more concerned about protecting Peter Kinder’s reputation than truly determining how much taxpayer money Kinder spent over the last seven years while gallivanting around town,” said Caitlin Legacki, Missouri Democratic Party spokeswoman. “Until Kinder releases his schedule and an independent, third-party audit is conducted, Missourians have no way of knowing what Kinder’s really been up to.”

The more we learn about the Auditor’s “review” of Kinder’s misuse of taxpayer funds, the clearer it becomes that a independent audit is needed here. The Auditor’s Office bends over backwards to let Kinder off the hook, offering little clarity on whether Kinder properly reimbursed the taxpayers for financing his political and personal activities.

Auditor Conveniently Redefines Role to Give Kinder A Free Pass

Auditor's Office: Not Our Job to Question Whether Events Are Political Or Official. At a press conference releasing the results of the "review," deputy auditor Harry Otto told reporters that: "It is not within our purview to make a judgment call on what is and what is not state business for a statewide elected official." [Press Conference, 7/6/11]

Reality: Earlier This Year, Schweich Said Rapid Response Team Would Address Precisely This Type of Waste. As reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch just five months ago, Schweich said he will designate a "rapid response team" to jump in immediately when credible, serious allegations surface about waste or corruption. As an example, he cited the possibility of a state employee doing political work on state time. [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 2/17/11]

Auditor’s Office Turns Blind Eye to Kinder Charging Taxpayers for Expensive Meals While At Personal/Political Activities

Auditor’s Office: "We Do Not Dispute" Kinder's Assumption That Meal Costs Would be Offset By "Excessive Reimbursement" of Lodging Costs. While the audit report admits that the review did not determine whether "the amounts paid for meals were appropriate" and "cannot conclude with certainty" that Kinder has fully reimbursed inappropriate meal costs, Otto closes the report with the following outrageous statement: "However, you have assumed that any possible reimbursement calculation of potentially questionable meals (meals total $10,893.13) would more than be offset by your excessive reimbursement of in-state lodging. The findings of our report do not dispute this assumption." [Audit Report, 7/6/11]

Reality: Taxpayers Have No Way of Knowing Whether Kinder's Payment Was "Excessive" or Would Cover Inappropriate Meal Costs. The fact remains that because of Kinder's office's continued refusal to release his public schedule and the auditor's outrageous willingness to give him the benefit of the doubt, taxpayers still have no way of knowing how much of their hard-earned money Kinder spent wining and dining himself across the state. Otto's acknowledgement that the report "cannot conclude with certainty that you have fully reimbursed the state" stands in direct conflict with the deputy auditor's unwillingness to "dispute [Kinder's] assumption." [Audit Report, 7/6/11]

Vin de Set is just one example. In June 2009, Kinder spent two nights at the Chase, charging taxpayers for his hotel stays as well as two lunches at Plaza Frontenac and a $55 dinner at Vin de Set, the rooftop restaurant on Chouteau Avenue that serves southern French cuisine. Kinder's official schedule for those two days in St. Louis lists an appearance on KMOX and a concert and VIP reception for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 4/3/11]

Kinder Never Repaid Taxpayers for Costs to Take Him To/From Political and Personal Activities:

Auditor’s Office: Because Kinder Recently Stopped Getting Mileage Reimburements, They Don't Need to be Reviewed. According to the audito report, Kinder "subsequently ceased claiming mileage reimbursement and no mileage claims have been paid to you since May 2009. Therefore mileage reimbursements were not addressed for the purposes of this review." [Audit Report, 7/6/11]

Reality: Kinder Has Received More Than $12,000 in Mileage Reimbursements Since 2006. Despite the audit report's evasions, the fact remains that Peter Kinder has received more than $12,000 for in-state mileage reimbursements since 2006, and more than $8,000 in 2008 alone. Just because Kinder no longer seeks mileage reimbursements, Kinder shouldn't be let off the hook -- particularly given his evident disregard for ethics rules and sloppy record-keeping. [Missouri Accountability Portal, Accessed 7/6/11]

No Scrutiny Was Given to Kinder’s Schedule (public records) And It’s Being Kept From The Press and Public: 



Auditor’s Office: Kinder's Sloppy Record-Keeping Means We Don't Have to Perform a Thorough Audit. According to the report, Kinder's "documentation was not always complete or accurate as to the specifics of your scheduled events"... "Therefore we did not attempt to compare in-state lodging costs paid to you with activities or events scheduled on your calendar." [Audit Report, 7/6/11]

Reality: Auditor Has An Obligation to Ensure Taxpayers Are Made Whole -- Period. This audit practically provides a blueprint for any public officeholder seeking to live the high life on the taxpayers dime: just make sure your public schedule is unreliable, sloppy, and "cumbersome" to review, and the state auditor will simply give you the benefit of the doubt. In fact, Kinder himself repeatedly claimed that he kept detailed records delineating political from official events, and told the press in April that he could account for each event he attended. [Audit Report, 7/6/11; Kinder Press Conference, 4/5/11]

Blast From The Past: Akin Joked About Democrats Being Lynched

Joan Walsh of Salon reminded me on Twitter today of a nasty incident from Todd Akin's past, which seems very much in line with his recent hateful comments about liberals. Via Fired Up, here's Rachel Maddow's coverage of Todd Akin joking about Democratic politicians being lynched (comments about Akin start at the 4:33 mark):

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Joking about lynching Democratic politicians. Saying that the "core of liberalism" is a "hatred for God." Saying that "seculars" want to "snuff out the light of freedom." America is a country that should and occasionally does celebrate informed, reasonable discussions between people with different ideologies. A hateful extremist like Akin who demonizes his political opponents should not be allowed anywhere near the U.S. Congress, let alone the Senate.

Despite What His Spokesperson Says, Todd Akin Has Previously Made Similar Attacks On Liberals' Religious Beliefs

Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin has been getting slammed by religious leaders for making the following offensive comments:

I think NBC has a long record of being very liberal and at the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God. And so they’ve had a long history of not being at all favorable toward many of things that have been such a blessing to our country.

Akin's spokesperson claimed that these remarks were "off-the-cuff" and that Akin didn't have sufficient time to explain his allegedly less-offensive point:

Akin Communications Director Steve Taylor said the point Akin was trying to make was that there is a basic difference between the tenets of liberalism and conservatism. Conservatives believe rights are granted by God and it is the responsibility of government to aid in protecting them, Taylor said.

“Liberals believe rights are granted by government,” he said. “Congressman Akin believes those two concepts define the basic debate between the two ideologies.”

Akin’s comments were off the cuff, Taylor said, and with more time to articulate his point he could have “provided a more artful answer.” But he wasn’t talking about anyone’s individual relationship with God, Taylor said, only the “defining principles of two political ideologies.”

Unfortunately for Akin, however, Gloria at ForwardSTL has unearthed some screen shots from Akin's 2010 website that show that, when he had all the time in the world to articulate his position, he said much the same thing:

True Conservatives believe that their Creator granted them certain unalienable rights, and this freedom has its origin in the heart of the citizens. This conviction works from the bottom up, moving from self-government to family-government to church-government and eventually to civil-government. Liberals instinctively seek to make civil government their god, and force everyone else to become their slaves through big government takeovers. They wish to control what you own, but also what you think.

In other words, even with all of the time in the world to craft his message, Akin still clearly is claiming that liberalism is in opposition to belief in God.

Washington Post: Nixon is Tough to Beat

Aaron Blake at the Washington Post states that Governor Jay Nixon will be "tough to beat" in 2012:

5. Missouri (Democratic-controlled, 2012): Nixon’s solid response to the tornado in Joplin, Mo., last month solidified the picture of a popular incumbent who will be tough to beat. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (R), meanwhile, has stumbled out of the gate. About the only thing that suggests Kinder has a chance is the presidential race. (Obama lost the state in 2008 and isn’t likely to win in 2012.) But as we discussed above, that may not be worth much. If Lynch retires in New Hampshire, this one may fall off the list soon. (Previous ranking: 4.

Between this and redistricting of the state legislature, I wonder if there's hope for having a more sane political situation (at the state level) in 2013.

Schweich Attends Fundraiser for the Guy He Should Be Investigating

New press release from the Missouri Democratic Party that makes a pretty strong argument about the inappropriateness of Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich attending a fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder while his office is supposed to be investigating Kinder:

Jefferson City, Mo.—State Auditor Tom Schweich attended a fundraiser for Peter Kinder in Chesterfield last night, despite the fact Schweich's office is in the middle of a highly-publicized investigation of Peter Kinder’s inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars.

Schweich’s attendance at the fundraiser further underscores Schweich’s conflict of interest with Peter Kinder and the need for an independent, third party investigation of Kinder’s travel.

“Tom Schweich has made it clear that he’s a politician first, State Auditor second and has compromised any ability for his office to conduct a real investigation as to how much taxpayer money Peter Kinder wasted,” said Caitlin Legacki, Missouri Democratic Party spokeswoman. “Schweich needs to appoint a third-party, independent auditor to conduct an appropriate investigation of how much taxpayer money Peter Kinder wasted to facilitate his lavish lifestyle.”

Three things to look for when Schweich’s office releases their “review” of Peter Kinder’s misuse of tax dollars:

• Since the auditor’s office has said they’d have access to Kinder’s schedules, will those schedules be made public? To date, Kinder has refused to make his schedules available to the press and public.
• Did the auditor’s office examine the costs of the meals of Kinder’s personal and political travels for which he charged taxpayers?
• Did the auditor’s office examine the costs of Kinder's travel to attend personal and political events for which he charged taxpayers?

State Auditor Tom Schweich -- and his staff -- have serious conflicts-of-interest when it comes to Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder.

• Deputy Auditor Harry Otto, a Schweich Appointee, Contributed to Kinder. In 2004, now-Deputy Auditor Harry Otto contributed $200 to Peter Kinder's debt committee. Schweich appointed Otto to the position of Deputy Auditor by in January 2011. Otto has also contributed generously to former Gov. Matt Blunt, State Sen. Brad Lager, and the Missouri GOP. [Missouri Ethics Commission; AP, 1/13/11]
• Kinder Emceed Schweich Fundraiser Before Billing Taxpayers for a Night at the Chase. In 2009, Kinder was the master of ceremonies at a fundraiser for Schweich fundraiser, after which he billed taxpayers for a night at the Chase Park Plaza. [St. Louis Beacon, 10/5/09; Kinder Hotel Receipt]

• Kinder Helped Persuade Schweich Not To Run For Senate & Contributed More Than $200,000 to His Auditor Campaign. The lieutenant governor kicked in a whopping $220,000 for Schweich’s 2010 campaign for state auditor. In fact, according to the Associated Press, “Kinder played a role in persuading Schweich to run for auditor instead of challenging Matt Blunt’s father, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, in a Republican primary for U.S. Senate.” Matt Blunt later forgave a $300,000 loan made to Kinder’s 2008 re-election campaign. [AP, 12/30/10; Kansas City Star, 1/9/2011]


As noted previously, Schweich's deputy auditor Harry Otto has already gone out of his way to water down the potential investigation.

Is there any function of government that modern day Republicans don't reduce to partisan politics?

MO Democratic Party Slams Rick Perry and Peter Kinder for Living Large On the Taxpayers Dime

Press Release:

Jefferson City, Mo.—As Peter Kinder welcomes Texas Governor Rick Perry to Missouri for a fundraiser tonight, Kinder draws attention to their shared tendency for mismanaging public funds and living extravagantly at the expense of taxpayers.

“Peter Kinder and Rick Perry are two undeclared candidates who think they deserve promotions, but here's the biggest difference: you can find Republicans who actually want Rick Perry to run,” said Caitlin Legacki, Missouri Democratic Party spokeswoman. “Peter Kinder's been nothing short of an embarrassment, still fumbling to explain why he hangs out at five-star hotels and sends the bill to taxpayers.”

Kinder, who repaid taxpayers more than $52,000 after filing inappropriate reimbursements to attend political and personal events, is still being audited by State Auditor (and Kinder campaign beneficiary) Tom Schweich. Will Schweich or any staff from the Auditor’s office attend the Kinder fundraiser tonight?

BACKGROUND

Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov Peter Kinder have more in common than you might think. Specifically, a penchant for living the high life on the taxpayer's dime.

• Texas Faced a $27 Billion Shortfall for Fiscal 2012. Texas faced a $27 billion shortfall for fiscal 2012, among the worst in the nation. [Austin American Statesman, 6/15/11]
• Perry Lives in $9,000 Per Month Mansion At Taxpayer Expense. Since 2007, Gov. Perry has charged taxpayers to live in a swank $9,000-per-month home in a gated community outside Austin. Texas taxpayers have been forced to foot the bill for more than $600,000 in rent and housing-related expenses for the Governor. [Austin American Statesman, 10/16/10; AP, 5/17/10]
• During Tight Budget Times, Gov. Perry Spares No Expense for Life of Luxury. As reported by the AP, “it costs more than $10,000 a month in rent, utilities and upkeep to house Perry in a five-bedroom, seven-bath mansion that has pecan-wood floors, a gourmet kitchen and three dining rooms… Perry's state-paid expenses at the home include $18,000 for "consumables" such as household supplies and cleaning products, $1,001.46 in window coverings from upscale retailer Neiman Marcus, a $1,000 "emergency repair" of the governor's filtered ice machine, a $700 clothes rack, and a little over $70 for a two year subscription to Food & Wine Magazine.” [AP, 5/17/10]

Meanwhile, questions remain about Peter Kinder’s ongoing audit:

Deputy State Auditor Harry Otto and Schweich have already gone out of their way to manage expectations about the veracity and integrity of their “audit,” but here’s what we can expect:

• Otto Will Have Access to the Calendars. Otto said the auditor's office has the technical experts needed to deal with any technical issues, and access the calendars. The auditor's office also plans to make its findings public -- without charge. [St. Louis Beacon, 4/28/11]

BUT...

• Otto Will Not Review Appropriateness of Kinder’s Stays. Deputy Auditor Harry Otto said the review will focus primarily on Kinder’s math and methodology in determining his payment — not on whether each reimbursement Kinder had received for lodging, meals or travel was appropriate based on the breakdown of official, political or personal functions he attended. “We don’t intend to drill into a calendar and make a determination with respect to whether a trip was 82.5 percent state and 17.5 percent non-state business,” Otto said. Rather, he added, “We want to see the supporting documents that justify the calculation that office has made.” [AP, 4/28/11]
• Otto Will Not Delve Deeply into Whether Trips Were Personal or State Business. Otto said the audit would not delve too deeply into examining whether or not trips were for personal or state business purposes, unless contradictions were obvious. “A statewide elected official has some discretion with respect to determining what or what is not in the best of interest of the state government when it comes to traveling,” Otto said. “We don’t second guess every trip.” [Missouri News Horizon, 4/28/11]
• Otto Will Not Evaluate Whether Kinder Mixed Political & Personal. The deputy auditor assigned to the inquiry, Harry Otto, said the focus is not whether Kinder mixed official business and political activity. Instead, "we want to see the supporting documents that justify the calculations that were made," Otto said. But, Otto said, if auditors notice a trip that was overtly personal or political, "we'll make the appropriate adjustments." It's also possible, the auditor's office said, that the review could find Kinder paid too much, in which case he could get money back. [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 4/28/11]
• But We Know Kinder Billed Taxpayers While Attending Personal & Political Events. As reported by the Post Dispatch, “Kinder billed the state for hotel stays and meals when he came to St. Louis to attend society balls, baseball games and political events” and “often listed no official reason on his expense reports for billing taxpayers for nights at the Chase or Four Seasons.” [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 4/3/11]

• And the St. Louis Stays May Only Be The Tip of the Iceberg: Earlier this month, the Kansas City Star raised new questions about Kinder’s use of the Kansas City Intercontinental Hotel at “taxpayer expense” after raising over $9,000 for his campaign and attending a fundraiser with Republican strategist Karl Rove. As reported by Star, “the bill for Kinder’s three-day stay at the Intercontinental may have exceeded the limits on government lodging reimbursement.” [Kansas City Star, 4/7/11]

• What About Meals Associated with Politics/Personal Travel? Kinder told the press that the $52,320 check he wrote last month reflected all of the money Kinder was reimbursed by the state for in-state travel. But according to public records, Kinder has been reimbursed for over $11,000 in meal costs since 2006. An audit is needed to confirm these costs were associated with official state business. [St. Louis Post Dispatch, 4/26/11; Missouri Accountability Portal, Accessed 4/5/11]

Now Todd Akin on the other hand, he just likes to bill taxpayers for his tea party rallies.

Monday's Rally For the Middle Class In St. Louis

Some video from a recent rally outside of the offices of Representatives Fuhr and Haefner, who spent the last legislative session pushing legislation that would hurt Missouri workers:


Hopefully these reps either learn to shape up or voters ship them out.

Great Man of History Brian Nieves

Apparently, some people are criticizing State Senator Brian Nieves because he allegedly bullied several of his constituents and then was caught on video calling one of his constituents "sub-human" over the radio and announcing the constituent's home address. Don't worry though, Nieves informs us that this is just the typical reaction of lesser lifeforms when they come in contact with a Great Man of History:



Now you may think that makes Nieves sound pretty obnoxious, but that just proves even more how Great he is.

Working Families in St. Louis Join Statewide Week of Action

Press Release:

Working men and women bring Forget Me Nots and a message: Start Standing Up for the Middle Class

On Monday, June 13 at 11 am, Workers, community members and religious leaders will speak out at a press conference in St. Louis as part of a statewide week of action to hold elected officials accountable for choosing the interests of CEOs ahead of middle class Missourians. Although both Republicans and Democrats stood up against Wisconsin-style attacks, including SB202, Representatives Fuhr and Haefner took the side of CEOs and corporate special interests against their own constituents.

“Paycheck deception, right to work for less and efforts to cut the minimum wage attack people like me that are just trying to provide for our families.” said retail worker Beth Dysart. “While I’m relieved that these bills didn’t pass last session, we need to make sure our representatives don’t forget us next year.”

Workers like teachers, firefighters and nurses are essential to the well-being of our communities, and it’s time for our leaders to come together to stop the power struggles and create good jobs. For this week of action, workers, community supporters and faith leaders will call upon their elected leaders to quit playing political games with the lives of working and middle class families, reminding politicians like Representatives Fuhr and Haefner to choose their own constituents over the CEOs that helped to create our economic troubles.

From St. Louis to Kansas City, St. Joseph to Springfield, and at the Capitol, workers will send a strong message to their elected officials: “WE are the people of Missouri and it’s time for politicians in our state to start standing up for the middle class.”

Click here for more info.