It's that time again. On July 15th the second quarter 2010 campaign finance reports were due in at the Missouri Ethics Commission. We'll start with the 121st Legislative District which includes the cities of Warrensburg, Knob Noster and Holden in Johnson County.
Courtney Cole (D) speaking at a legislative candidate forum on Thursday night for the Johnson County Democratic Club in Warrensburg.
Courtney Cole, the Democratic Party candidate, filed her second quarter 2010 campaign finance report on July 15th:
Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report
Committe: COLE FOR HOUSE
ReportDate:
1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $32,429.26
2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $13,958.00
9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A - 8A) $47,927.26
15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $10,631.79
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 - 27) $32,362.42
ODESSA, MO - The talk of bringing a manufacturing company, along with thousands of new jobs, to Odessa may have been just that - all talk.
Officials in Odessa say that after months of infrequent contact with Manna of Utah, a company that promised to make non-fossil fuel generators and bring 3,400 new jobs to the town, the entire deal doesn't appear to be working out.
Earlier this year, the company made an announcement that they would be building a manufacturing plant in Odessa as soon as funding is complete. Odessa's economic development director says the city is prepared to finance the $100 million project with industrial bonds, but Manna of Utah dropped the ball....
A hundred million dollars? Wow, that would have been a serious investment of public money. Who was pushing it, and what were they going to do with all that money?
...."You know when you were a kid and you had a magnet, you put the two ends together and they pushed apart, and you'd turn them around and they sucked towards each other," Rep. McGhee said. "These guys have designed a wheel, lined with electromagnets in a circle, then they have taken an inner circle and put three magnets on the inner circle on a plastic disc. As the inner circle magnet comes towards that magnet, it pulls itself. They designed their own computer program and a chip that reverses that in such a millisecond, when it gets to that, it pushes it away. It runs this thing in a circle, just with magnets...."
....And here's a tip for politicians and investors - get a clue. Consult with an actual scientist before investing in the latest free-energy con. Politicians in Utah and Odessa are hoping to gain attention for being so environmentally responsible and forward-looking. But instead they will simply be the targets of a round of ridicule from those with a clue.
One would generally think that a buisiness model that involves violating the laws of physics is probably not going to result in a very sound enterprise. However, it appears that some in Missouri feel differently about that....
....To Rep. Mike McGhee: You, sir, are an idiot. I hope voters remember this when they go to the polls.
House Minority Leader and Representative Paul LeVota (D) was the featured speaker at the Thursday night meeting of the Johnson County Democratic Club in Warrensburg.
Representative Paul Levota (D) speaking at the Johnson County Democratic Club meeting in Warrensburg on Thursday night.
House Minority Leader and Representative Paul LeVota (D): ....I'm here to give a little bit of background about what happened this, this session and the real need to, I'm going to try and tell you the facts that happened this session which will make you take that extra step for Courtney [Cole]...and for Zac [Maggi] and really try to win back some seats. Because what we saw this session in Jefferson City, we can do a heck of a lot better. And we're so close in getting these two people elected. So, I'm hoping to tell you a little bit about what happened and then maybe you'll be a little bit more motivated....
Talk about your crowded field. There are two Democratic party candidates, three republicans, and one Constitution Party candidate in the 5th Legislative District race. The outgoing republican representative, Jim Guest (r - right wingnuttia), is term limited out. The district is in Clinton, De Kalb, Gentry, Buchanan counties.
The second of two Democratic Party candidates (in alphabetical order), Judy Wright, filed her amended first quarter campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 28th:
Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report
Committe: JUDY WRIGHT FOR MISSOURI
ReportDate:
1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $7,837.95 2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $8,301.00
9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A - 8A) $16,862.95
15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $1,386.27
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 - 27) $14,749.73
[emphasis added]
Nice. Good fundraising and a low burn rate.
Let's take a look at where the contributions came from:
Representative Michael Frame (D):....And when looked up, when I turned up again he was almost nose to nose with me. And asking me if, if I had a, a problem, with some few other cuss words thrown in there as well, too. And, and do I have a problem, do I have problem. I told him he was, you know, to paraphrase, was, was way out of line. He really needs to step back...
"...with some few other cuss words thrown in there as well..."
The Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal printed the story in today's edition, quoting Representative Tim Flook (r):
5/17/2010 1:26:00 PM
A Dust-Up for Denny? Tempers or politics flare in final hours of session
Jack Miles
Editor
...."All Denny did was walk over and say, 'Hey, what's the problem with the bill? He had his hands in his pockets," Flook said, adding, "The whole thing was a joke."
Well, that sounds totally innocent, doesn't it?
Okay, the Star-Journal also quotes Representatives Frame (D), Burnett (D), and Skaggs (D), the latter relating the use of "curse words".
Old media presents equal and opposing viewpoints. I suppose all we can do for them is hope that someone caught the confrontation on audio and/or video.
You'd think someone would ask Representative Flook (r), when you were actually interviewing him, about how he managed to get across the floor of the House to so closely and definitively witness the exchange on the Democratic side of the chamber and how he could characterize the incident so differently from those three Democratic representatives. You'd think.
Wow, only in Warrensburg can two legislators disagree and it makes the news. Since my side of the story was not printed, I'll elaborate more here. Rep. Frame and others were yelling, making noises and snide comments from the back of the House Chamber during my presentation of SCR 31. As I prefer to talk face-to-face... with someone versus shouting and hiding in the "peanut gallery", I finished my closing remarks, went over to Rep. Frame and asked him if he had a problem with my bill as I could not help but hear shouting and yelling from the back of the chamber. Rep. Frame responded "Don't you square up to me!" to which I responded, "I've got my hands in my pockets, I'm just asking you a question." Rep. Skaggs and Rep. Burnett then jumped in and tried to escalate the situation by yelling remarks at me.
If Mr. Miles, Editor of the DSJ, was not friends with Rep. Skaggs this would have never even made the news.
I will continue to advocate for legislation important to my constituents and not be bullied by Rep. Frame or his accomplices.
....Shields' parting comment focused on the need for trained journalists.
"This place works better when we have an active, engaged press corps. People need to get their news from credible sources, and not blogs. To the extent ... I can help emphasize having good members of the press with good training and good credentials and good ethics being the ones to report on what the General Assembly does, I would be absolutely willing to help that."
Yeah, yeah, we know, we didn't get any photos in the Senate.
Representative Beth Low (D-39) speaking against ant-choice legislation for the "millionth time".
Representative Low did not file for re-election and will not return to the House. Instead, she has taken a position as director of the Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition.
The ubiquitous right wingnut anti-choice bill, with the usual results.
A typical end of session scene on a representative's desk on the floor of the House.
Last night House Minority Leader and Representative Paul LeVota (D-52) released a video on his assessment at the end of the legislative session:
...Representative Paul LeVota (D): Well, uh, we're calling this the non-binding legislative session. The Republican majority decided to spend most of the time on non-binding resolutions telling the federal government what to do, not really dealing with the issues that the state should be dealing with. The biggest issue that was not done this session was dealing with our ongoing budget. House Democrats have continually said that we need to have a balanced approach. Cuts are necessary, but we need to look at tax credit reform and also other ways to bring in revenue. And, that simply wasn't done, so next year we're gonna have an even tougher budget year and no forward thinking on behalf of the, um, House leadership, the majority party. That's a shame because all we did is kick down, kick down the road, uh, the issues that we have in our state.
Um, we're glad that there's an autism bill done. Hose Democrats worked very hard on that. Um, a, a little disappointed that ethics reform wasn't stronger, but we know without House Democrats that never would have happened in the first place. But the, maybe the, besides the budget, maybe the biggest disappointment is we didn't work enough on jobs for the people of Missouri. So, um, they're going to continue to have to struggle without any action from, uh, this General Assembly. And it is my hope that all these issues get out over the summer and in the fall, um, we elect a new legislature and next January, finally we have a little more focus, we deal with some of the issues that the people of Missouri, uh, need to deal with. I'm optimistic that will happen and, uh, I'll continue to believe in the people of Missouri.
Yesterday, while in the side gallery of the House covering the close of the legislative session I was made aware of a confrontation on the floor of the House during the previous day between Representative Denny Hoskins (r - noun, verb, CPA) and Representative Michael Frame (D-105).
On Thursday the House was considering SCR 31 on international education. Representative Hoskins (r) was the handler for the bill. From the bill summary:
SCR 31 - This resolution encourages students and faculty in Missouri to promote international education as part of curricular and extracurricular life at Missouri's colleges and universities.
This resolution is substantially similar to SCR 13 (2009) and to HCR 7 (2008).
[emphasis added]
Representative Michael Frame (D) at his desk on the floor of the House
on May 14, 2010 at the far side and back of the Democratic side of the aisle.
I interviewed Representative Frame yesterday:
Show Me Progress: Could you describe what happened with, Representative Hoskins on the floor yesterday?
Representative Michael Frame (D): Sure...and, yesterday there was a, a House, a resolution, for international students or international studies. We spent a great deal of time on it, which I found a bit odd with this time of the year, spending so much time on a, on a, you know, for a non-binding resolution. When he finished, when he, when he closed he said that, this is a very good resolution and I turned to one of my, colleagues and said, it's the best resolution in the universe, kind of making fun of what Representative [Bryan] Pratt [r] had claimed about the ethics bill, a day or two earlier. I didn't intend for him to hear that, but I guess he had heard it and, and there's a lot of this talking going on the floor. And while he was still on mic he said, come on over here and say that. Or something like that and, and I didn't, I just kind of ignored his, his invitation and began to reach down, and actually, I was going to vote in favor of it. And as I was looking at, at my screen I heard my colleague Representative [Trent] Skaggs say, "He's coming over here, he's coming over here." And I really didn't know, you know, what he was referring to, I did hear him say those words. And when looked up, when I turned up again he was almost nose to nose with me. And asking me if, if I had a, a problem, with some few other cuss words thrown in there as well, too. And, and do I have a problem, do I have problem. I told him he was, you know, to paraphrase, was, was way out of line. He really needs to step back. And Representative Skaggs and Representative [John] Burnett physically got between the two of us. And again informed him you really need to return to your other side. Burnett, there was a bit of an exchange there, Burnett said you [inaudible], you, you charged over here in a very physical way that was, you know, a bit intimidating and, and a little bit threatening. And you just need to back off. And, and I didn't see him charge over here, I'll take their word for it he did. I was looking at my monitor. But, informing him he needed to back off, back off. At that point some of his Republican colleagues came over and, and encouraged him to return to his side of the aisle...
Representative Denny Hoskins (r) in conversation on the floor of the House on May 14, 2010.
...Show Me Progress: Do you think that this is a symptom, one of the symptoms of, maybe, the environment?
Representative Frame: Yes. And, I, I think he's a frustrated legislator. I'm not sure about that. I, I'm not sure what it was. I don't know if he was having a really bad day or, or why it was. I, I really didn't think what I said, and again, it wasn't directed at him, but I don't know why he took such great offence to me calling his resolution the best resolution in the universe. I thought that would actually be a compliment, but, to tell you the truth, it wasn't directed at him, it was really more directed at Representative Pratt. But wasn't even talking with representative, I was actually talking with Representative Skaggs, but my comment was, was more directed at Pratt and just making a bit of fun. And he, he became very angry though and, and charged over at me. And like I said, when I looked up, it was nose to nose. I got to think that there was something else behind it. That it was a pretty, I won't say innocent, but, but a very casual statement that I made. I don't think it was any way majorly offensive enough that you would actually enter into some type of physical violence because of it.
Representative Jason Kander (D) speaks in favor of the bill during debate on the House floor this afternoon.
Ethics reform legislation finally passes. Representative Jason Kander (D-44) issued the following release:
Statement by Rep. Jason Kander regarding passage of ethics reform bill
Friday, May 14, 2010
This bill represents an improvement over current law, but I will not declare victory over corruption when we have merely tip-toed into the fight. I voted today to limit political money laundering, outlaw the obstruction of ethics investigations, and expand the powers of the Missouri ethics commission.
However, I'm disappointed that we missed an important opportunity to restore campaign contribution limits, to prohibit lawmakers from working as political consultants for one another, to close the revolving door between legislators and lobbyists, or to disclose potential conflicts of interest. That is why I whole-heartedly support the comprehensive, bipartisan ethics bill passed by the Speaker's special committee on ethics. As I said when I filed a bipartisan proposal last year, my bill alone cannot tackle the ever-evolving and wide-ranging problem of public corruption.
There is lots of work remaining. I will continue my efforts to advance true, comprehensive ethics reform to a vote in the next legislative session.
The Senate breathed new life into ethics reform by stripping the poison pills from the bill and the conference report followed up.
I spoke with Representative Kander this morning in the House side gallery. When I stated that it looked like ethics reform legislation was dead last week he replied that at that point he was not going to give up until the end.
A number of Democratic representatives stated in debate that the bill is far from comprehensive, but it was a good start.
I drove an hour and a half through steady rain and arrived at the Capitol a little after 9:15 a.m. I made my way to the House Communications Office and checked in with the director. Shortly before the start of the day's session he escorted me to one of the side galleries on the floor and later introduced me to one of the doorkeepers. I set up my camera on a tripod and then watched and photographed the proceedings.
Representative Luke Scavuzzo (D-124) (center, seated) in conversation on the House floor while other representatives (standing in the background) wait to be recognized by the Speaker.
Over the course of the day I was able to have a number of brief conversations with representatives and longer conversations with others. At this point in the session votes can come fast and furious. There is a constant hubbub of conversation and activity taking place barely below the debate and action on the floor.
Representative Mary Still (D-25) (center, standing at microphone) in debate on the "sexually oriented businesses" bill - HCS SS SCS SBs 586 & 617.
HCS SS SCS SBs 586 & 617 [pdf] on "sexually oriented businesses" was originally sponsored by Senator Matt Bartle (r). A earlier iteration of this bill in a previous session was killed in a House committee and those circumstances have been the subject of a federal investigation and grand jury.
The tally on one of several votes on the "sexually oriented businesses" bill - HCS SS SCS SBs 586 & 617.
Curiously, during today's proceedings (and reportedly during yesterday's, too), debate on the "sexually oriented businesses" bill was not subjected to a previous question vote (a parliamentary procedure designed to end debate and move to a vote) as quickly as other bills.
Speaker Ron Richard on the dais (center, right) and Minority Leader Paul LeVota (D-52) on the floor (right, standing). The press gallery is directly above the dais.
....So the bill foundered. Frustrated, Democrats went to their trick bag and pulled out a little-used maneuver to force the bill out of committee without a vote and directly onto the House calendar.
Republicans, who are in the majority, didn't like that. And that led to last week's sudden flurry of activity around the bill by Republicans who, some said, were eager to punish Democrats for playing tricks with the bill....
Well, okay, but you neglected to mention this from Speaker Ron Richard (r) on January 6, 2010:
....Question: Senator Shields has proposed a ban on contributions from lobbyists during the session. Is that something that you would support?
Speaker Richard: I will support whatever comes out of our bipartisan committee. Whatever comes out.
Question: What is the advantage [inaudible] the ethics proposals [inaudible]?
Speaker Richard: Uh, I want to make sure that both sides have the ability to, uh, have a dialog. And we go to the House, the floor, for [inaudible], you know as well as I do there'll be several hundred amendments from all different sizes and shapes. Um, but I think that dialog is necessary and we'll have an open dialog and, uh, we'll get something to the Senate, uh, in a prompt basis....
"...I will support whatever comes out of our bipartisan committee. Whatever comes out..."
Question: Why is it a problem for the republican majority and a sign of Democratic Party partisanship to old media if there's discharge petition on a bill from a "bipartisan" committee which Speaker Richard said he would support? Just asking.
"...I want to make sure that both sides have the ability to, uh, have a dialog. And we go to the House, the floor, for [inaudible], you know as well as I do there'll be several hundred amendments from all different sizes and shapes. Um, but I think that dialog is necessary and we'll have an open dialog and, uh, we'll get something to the Senate, uh, in a prompt basis..."Well, that didn't go very well.
...As too often is the case with what should be a straightforward piece of needed legislation, the shameful bill that came out of the House is a perversion of ethics twisted by partisan politics to the detriment of good government.
And how did Representative Denny Hoskins (r - noun, verb, CPA) - in the 121st Legislative District, representing Warrensburg - vote on this bill?:
...On motion of Representative Jones (89), HCS#2 SB 844 was adopted by the following vote:
AYES: 087
Hoskins 121
[emphasis added]
"...the shameful bill that came out of the House is a perversion of ethics twisted by partisan politics to the detriment of good government..."
You'd think that a republican state representative who ostensibly believes in the "free market" of ideas and communication wouldn't make ex cathedra assertions about a noble entrepreneurial enterprise such as Show Me Progress. Heh.
House Minority Leader and Representative Paul LeVota released a video of a press conference this evening in the immediate aftermath of the republican majority's actions in gutting bipartisan ethics reform legislation:
Representative Paul LeVota (D): ...sham omnibus bill that had nothing, that the, uh, bipartisan committee on ethics reform included. They loaded it up at eight o'clock in the morning in one committee, at nine o'clock the next committee, in the Rules Committee. Then on the floor at one o'clock with the supplemental calendar, 'cause they know all the stuff in here is bad. The things in here, the provisions of, uh, requiring a voter ID, uh, disenfranchises people, allows, uh, intimidation of workers that want to organize, uh, all these provisions are just bad provisions. In the, additionally, the thing I'm most frustrated about, it has no campaign finance limits for the members who run for the General Assembly. It has a twenty thousand dollar limit for statewide officials and local officials but it doesn't deal with, um, the general Assembly. So, I think [crosstalk]...
Question: That was deliberate or [crosstalk]...
Representative LeVota: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely it's [inaudible]. The language is completely different from every other limit that we've seen, the old limit that was reversed, the bills that were, um, passed out of that committee. Very frustrating, it was deliberate.
Question: Was any Democrat allowed to actually get up and speak on this bill (inaudible)?
Representative LeVota: No, no Democrat was allowed to speak on heir own behalf or offer any of the amendments to make the bill better. I mean, it happens all the time. This is the process. The process is, if you don't like a bill then you have amendments in order to change it. We did that. We were ready to offer those amendments and make this a better bill, but instead of allowing us to do that, they wanted to cut our voice off.
Question: [inaudible] your time in the House when, when, when your party was blocked from speaking or offering amendments on a major issue?
Representative LeVota: Well, yeah, my, my first couple years here tort reform was one, um.
Question: Really.
Representative LeVota: Yeah.
Question: So it's not a [crosstalk][inaudible]
Representative LeVota: Yeah, yeah
Question: Oh surely you guys were allowed to speak.
Representative LeVota: We weren't allowed to speak on that one, but this is even, maybe even more, uh, heinous 'cause they choreographed and went after, uh, required random members of the caucus on their opinion, but didn't deal with the provisions that should be in there. They're trying to skirt the issue. That was the [inaudible] today. And I think the people of Missouri deserve more.
Question: You angry?
Representative LeVota: Um, yeah, I, I'm angry and I think the people of Missouri should be very frustrated at, um, they are demanding ethics reform and they are demanding accountability in their government and instead they got a show here and a sham.
Question: Do you feel gagged?
Representative LeVota: Um, you know, that, that's a good question. I guess I, I'm not so surprised because it was supposed to be the number one priority of the Speaker and here we are the, uh, last, second to last week and then we have a sham. So, if it was really a true priority we would have dealt with it in January and got it over to the Senate, but, uh, we knew, we knew when they didn't move on it it wasn't a priority for 'em.
Question: Throughout that whole debate you were standing, you were [inaudible], you were raising your hand to be recognized and speak. You were not recognized. Do you feel gagged?
Representative LeVota: Uh, I, I think that people in Missouri and their voice were gagged out, 'cause, uh, they didn't allow members to have a free and open debate. Um, as far as me, they don't want me to add the accountability things that I sat to them, so they've done it to me before, so...
How long before a right wingnut politician in Missouri jumps on the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 [pdf] bandwagon? Not very.
Reporter Sloane Heller at KSHB-TV in Kansas City is reporting this morning that Representative Mark Parkinson (r) is intent on filing legislation similar to Arizona's Senate Bill 1070, requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship to law enforcement based on "reasonable suspicion."
[Kobach]...professor here at UMKC actually helped write the law in Arizona. So, uh, it's possible, we don't know, that he could actually help state Representative Mark Parkinson out of St. Charles. Now we talked to Parkinson's aide yesterday. He gave us some new information about Parkinson's plan for reform on immigration. Right now Parkinson is backing a bill that would make it a felony to transport illegal immigrants. What he wants to do, he wants to substitute that bill and create one that matches Arizona's new law. Of course that law gives police the ability to ask for documentation if they suspect somebody is here illegally. Now Parkinson is hoping, uh, to introduce his new bill before the session ends. Uh, critics, of course, have been coming out and talking, the last couple of weeks, saying that this new law in Arizona encourages racial profiling...
If Mark Parkinson (r) has his way Missouri law enforcement officials will have to add B-movie dialog to their repertoire.
In an earlier report Heller also stated that this would be offered as a substitute for HB 2449. HB 2449, in its current form:
HB 2449 Creates various crimes for trafficking, concealing, haboring, sheltering, or transporting illegal aliens
Sponsor: Parkinson, Mark A. (16) Proposed Effective Date: 08/28/2010
CoSponsor: Jones, Timothy W. (89) ..........etal. LR Number: 5481L.02I
Last Action: 04/20/2010 - Referred: International Trade and Immigration (H)
HB2449
Next Hearing: INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND IMMIGRATION
Date: Wednesday, 04/28/2010 Time: 5:00p.m. or upon afternoon adjournment
Location: Hearing Room 7
Executive session may follow.
Calendar: Bill currently not on a calendar
....The measure was proposed on April 1, and is the only bill proposed this year that deals directly with the criminal enforcement of illegal immigration.
The sponsor, State Rep. Mark Parkinson, R-St. Charles, said the bill has "nothing to do with Arizona," and called it an "economic issue." He cited the state's unemployment figures, which were at 9.5 percent in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mr. Parkinson said the bill would protect undocumented workers from exploitation by employers, and would assert the state's stance against federal immigration reform, which has yet to be proposed.
"This is going to send a message to the White House," Mr. Parkinson said. "Missourians don't want amnesty...."
"...he [Parkinson] wants to substitute that bill and create one that matches Arizona's new law..."
"...nothing to do with Arizona..." Really. Which side of your mouth did that come out of?
And what does the Sheriff of Pima County, Arizona (which is on the state's southern border with Mexico) think of the law?:
After the opening of the legislative session in Jefferson City on January 6, 2010 Speaker Ron Richard (r) took questions from the media in a press conference:
....Question: Speaker Richard, uh, why start, uh, your speech and, and emphasis this ethics committee.
Speaker Richard: It has been the topic of conversation among many members. It's been a topic of press stories and I thought we'd get to the bottom of it and get working on this issue. And, um, show the people of Missouri that we can, uh, fix perceived problems. And I went to, uh, Representative LeVota and I have got an outstanding group of Democrats and Republicans. I think we can come up with a, uh, solution and I look forward to that. And, uh, bills will be sent to that committee real quick.....
....Question: Senator Shields has proposed a ban on contributions from lobbyists during the session. Is that something that you would support?
Speaker Richard: I will support whatever comes out of our bipartisan committee. Whatever comes out.
Question: What is the advantage [inaudible] the ethics proposals [inaudible]?
Speaker Richard: Uh, I want to make sure that both sides have the ability to, uh, have a dialog. And we go to the House, the floor, for [inaudible], you know as well as I do there'll be several hundred amendments from all different sizes and shapes. Um, but I think that dialog is necessary and we'll have an open dialog and, uh, we'll get something to the Senate, uh, in a prompt basis....
Speaker Ron Richard has declared the bipartisan ethics reform bill dead because a bipartisan group of legislators demanded a floor debate on the proposal. Earlier today, 56 Democrats and 3 Republicans signed a petition to place the bipartisan bill -- legislation with campaign contribution limits -- on the House calendar. Last night, Republicans on the House Rules committee voted to block the legislation from heading to the floor, preferring a stripped-down proposal. The discharge petition is designed to circumvent the GOP leadership on the Rules Committee....
Representative Jason Kander (D), via Twitter, on the state of ethics reform legislation today in Jefferson City:
I'm in House Rules committee where they are finally discussing the ethics bill. Will they send it to the floor? about 4 hours ago via Echofon
Delaying a bipartisan ethics bill to make it partisan is exactly the kind of politics I hoped to avoid this year. about 4 hours ago via Echofon
Rules cmmte is ground zero for the "cold feet" illness sweeping the Capitol. Ethics reform heads back to cmmte. Absurd. about 4 hours ago via Echofon
Despite obstacles such as today, we've gotten pretty far on ethics reform. Redoubling my efforts in the last 3 wks of session. about 1 hour ago via HootSuite
Tony Messenger of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, via Twitter:
According to @jasonkander, House rules committee sent ethics bill back to its House committee. Doesn about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck
Democrat John Bullard and republican Jeanie Lauer are the candidates who filed for the open seat race for the 54th Legislative District in Jackson County:
