It always pays to follow the money.
David Pearce (r-121), an announced candidate for the open seat in the 31st Senate District and advocate of automotive deer hunting, filed his fourth quarter campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission. While the general numbers are interesting, the details are even more so.
Chris Benjamin, who announced his run for the seat in the 31st District as a new member of the Democratic Party, filed his statement of committee organization [pdf] with the Missouri Ethics Commission. He will not have a campaign finance filing until the end of the first quarter this year (after March 31st).
Here’s the big picture:
Committee[e]: PEARCE 08
1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $52,243.292. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $23,735.00
3. ALL LOANS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $22,000.00
5. SUBTOTAL MONETARY RECEIPTS THIS PERIOD ( SUM 2A + 3A + 4A ) $45,735.00
6. IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $2,971.77
7. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS PERIOD (SUM 5A + 6A) $48,706.77
8. FUNDS USED FOR REPAYING LOANS THIS PERIOD $0.00
9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $100,950.06
15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $14,712.36
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $90,965.90
30. LOANS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $22,000.00
35. TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD
(SUM 29 + 30 + 31 – 32 – 33 – 34) $25,000.00
[emphasis added]
“…2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $23,735.00…” Not exactly tearing up the pavement for an open seat senate race, eh?
Hmmm. $25,000.00 in total loans, $22,000.00 in the 4th quarter:
Detailed Summary of Supplemental Loan Information
ReportDate: 1/15/2008I. LOAN RECEIVED
1. NAME AND ADDRESS OF LENDER David Pearce….Warrensburg, MO 640932.NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) OF PERSON(S) LIABLE FOR THE LOAN David Pearce….Warrensburg, MO 64093
4. DATE OF LOAN 12/31/2007
5. AMOUNT OF LOAN $22,000.00
6. ANNUAL RATE OF INTEREST 5%
7. TIME PERIOD OF LOAN (MONTH, YEARS, ETC.) 2 years
8. DESCRIBE REPAYMENT SCHEDULE (MONTHLY, SEMI-ANNUALLY, ETC.) annual
The fundraising isn’t going too well, eh?
This is interesting. Very interesting. Very, very, interesting:
Alliance for Business and Technical Education – 101 E High St Jefferson City MO 65101 12/31/2007 $300.00
Alliance for Elderly Healthcare – 101 E High St Jefferson City MO 65101 12/31/2007 $300.00
Citizens for Insurance Reform – 101 E High St Jefferson City MO 65101 12/31/2007 $300.00
Citizens for New Healthcare Concepts – 101 E High St Jefferson City MO 65101 12/31/2007 $300.00
Coalition for Advanced Learning – 101 E High St Jefferson City MO 65101 12/31/2007 $300.00
[emphasis added]
That’s one seriously crowded building, don’t you think? It must have been a really busy place on New Year’s Eve, what with all that last minute check cutting going on…
So, I looked up the campaign finance filing for one of these organizations (ain’t the Internets grand?) at the Missouri Ethics Commission – Lo, and behold…
MECID:C051260
ALLIANCE FOR BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
101 EAST HIGH STREET
And this is in their 4th quarter report:
Committe[e]: ALLIANCE FOR BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
16. TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $0.00
17. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD $0.00
18. ALL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD $0.00
19. TOTAL ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD (SUM 17A + 18A) $0.00
20. TOTAL ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS ELECTION (SUM 16B + 19A) $0.00
[emphasis added]
Oopsie. What’s wrong with this picture?
Well, okay, let’s take a look at those other committees at the same address who made contributions on the same date.
MECID:C051251
ALLIANCE FOR ELDERLY HEALTH CARE
101 EAST HIGH STREET
And this is in their fourth quarter report:
Committe[e]: ALLIANCE FOR ELDERLY HEALTH CARE
16. TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $0.00
17. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD $0.00
18. ALL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD $0.00
19. TOTAL ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD (SUM 17A + 18A) $0.00
20. TOTAL ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS ELECTION (SUM 16B + 19A) $0.00
[emphasis added]
Okay, am I missing something here? Did I go to the wrong place? Does somebody else want to check this out?
Here’s another:
MECID:C051257
CITIZENS FOR INSURANCE REFORM
101 EAST HIGH STREET
And this is in their fourth quarter report:
Committe[e]: CITIZENS FOR INSURANCE REFORM
ReportDate: 1/9/2008C. MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE (REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT)
35th Republican Legislative District Committee 10/04/2007 $500.00
Friends of Shane Schoeller 10/11/2007 $325.00
MonetaryCitizens for Jeff Grisamore 12/31/2007 $325.00
Monetary(25. TOTAL: MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD: $1,150.00)
26. IF COMMITTEE MADE ANY LOANS THIS PERIOD, LIST AMOUNT $0.00
27. TOTAL: ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOANS MADE THIS PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26) $1,150.00
28. TOTOAL: IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS THIS PERIOD, LIST AMOUNT $0.00
Here’s the next one:
MECID:C051259
CITIZENS FOR NEW HEALTH CARE CONCEPTS
101 EAST HIGH STREET
And this is in their fourth quarter report:
Committe[e]: CITIZENS FOR NEW HEALTH CARE CONCEPTS
ReportDate: 1/9/2008C. MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE (REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT)
Committee to Reelect Vicki A. Schneider for State Rep 12/14/2007 $325.00
Missourians for Gibbons 12/28/2007 $1,250.00
(25. TOTAL: MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD: $1,575.00)
26. IF COMMITTEE MADE ANY LOANS THIS PERIOD, LIST AMOUNT $0.00
27. TOTAL: ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOANS MADE THIS PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26) $1,575.00
28. TOTOAL: IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS THIS PERIOD, LIST AMOUNT $0.00
[emphasis added]
Okay, there’s nothing about Pearce 08 in there. Is there? Am I missing something?
And the final one:
MECID:C051258
COALITION FOR ADVANCED LEARNING
101 EAST HIGH STREET
And here is their fourth quarter report:
Committe[e]: COALITION FOR ADVANCED LEARNING
ReportDate: 1/9/2008C. MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE (REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT)
Harris for Missouri 11/19/2007 $500.00
Stouffer for State Senate 11/19/2007 $650.00
Committee to Reelect Vicki A. Schneider for State Rep 12/14/2007 $325.00
(25. TOTAL: MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS PERIOD: $1,475.00)
26. IF COMMITTEE MADE ANY LOANS THIS PERIOD, LIST AMOUNT $0.00
27. TOTAL: ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOANS MADE THIS PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26) $1,475.00
28. TOTOAL: IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS THIS PERIOD, LIST AMOUNT $0.00
I checked out one of the candidate committees listed:
MECID:C041402
COMMITTEE TO REELECT VICKI A SCHNEIDER FOR STATE REPOFFICE SOUGHT: STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 17 –
Date of Election:8/5/2008
Political Party:REPUBLICAN
[emphasis added]
And there they are:
Committee: COMMITTEE TO REELECT VICKI A SCHNEIDER FOR STATE REP
Report Date: 1/15/2008CITIZENS FOR NEW HEALTH CARE CONCEPTS 101 E HIGH STREET JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101 12/14/2007 $325.00
COALITION FOR ADVANCED LEARNING 101 E HIGH STREET JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101 12/14/2007 $325.00
[emphasis added]
Why these apparent discrepancies in Pearce’s campaign finance report?
What, money from members of the bar? (this one is almost an afterthought):
MO Organization of Defense Lawyers PAC P.O. Box 1069 Jefferson City MO 65102 12/20/2007 $650.00
This might explain that little item:
…Membership in the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers is open to Missouri lawyers who devote a substantial amount of their time to the representation of defendants and potential defendants in civil litigation either as trial lawyers or as lawyers otherwise directly involved with the defense of civil litigation…
…To take appropriate action where possible to insure that defendants in our civil justice system receive fair and impartial treatment by juries, the judiciary and the legislature…
Aha. They represent people who get sued by someone. I wonder if that’s people like insurance companies?
How do you proceed from here, Sherlock? I would be stymied. Checking financial disclosures makes my eyes simultaneously cross and glaze over. But even I understand the discrepancy here.
Anyone live in Jeff City and know about this very, very busy office?
I received the following from “Woodcutter”, who had read the preceding and wanted to comment: