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If the rumors are true, Jeff Smith won’t be a state senator much longer. Tony Messenger is on top of this story, but as I don’t have any firsthand knowledge of any of the details here, I have no idea as to how valid any of it is. Needless to say, if there was any wrongdoing, it’s only fitting that Jeff should be punished appropriately.
On the other hand, I can’t just sit quietly and not point out the good in Jeff, or the amazing effect he has had in politics, especially among young people.
I didn’t know Jeff Smith in 2004, only learning about him and his congressional race from Daily Kos diaries and from a profile in DFA e-mails about the “Dean Dozen” (which also included a certain young state senator named Barack Obama.) I first met him when he was gearing up to run for state senate. He arrived 30 minutes late to our meeting to talk about digital video in politics. I had heard he was short, but I wasn’t prepared to see that he only came up to my shoulder. Neither was I prepared to hear the high pitch of his voice.
In any event, our conversation went long, mostly because he patiently listened to me while I explained who I was and where I thought the wide availability of cheap digital video could take political communication, which prompted him to invite me to his next meeting, where I could perhaps make a contribution. Twenty minutes later, after a harrowing drive to the Royale, I sat with the blogger Archpundit, a web designer, and another blog admin chatting about Jeff’s website.
I didn’t go on to have a major part in Jeff’s electoral triumph in the 5th Senate District, but that first meeting was fairly typical of every experience I had with him. I later found out that he’s habitually late to virtually everything he attends, not because he doesn’t care about meeting people, but because it’s the cumulative effect of trying to talk to as many people as he can for as long as he can. He’s not just gregarious and charming – he openly invites people to work toward a common purpose and invests them with trust. He feeds off being a champion, but he gives that belief right back by empowering his supporters. Doubtless this is why you find so many ardent Jeff Smith supporters, why you saw his campaign workers openly weeping at his loss in Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Any More?
It’s important to remember that as we all go forward. Nothing should change for people who followed Jeff’s example of jumping into politics because they hold progressive ideals and believe they can make a difference. He is still the guy who believed he could win a congressional race winning over voters one door at a time and damn near pulled it off. He’s still the guy who challenged the proposition that we should have gone to war in Iraq when it was fashionable among Democrats to focus on the poor execution. He’s still the guy who has fought for voting reform in the Missouri State Senate, passed several green measures through a Republican-dominated legislature under a Republican governor, and went to the mat to preserve historic tax credits.
I have little doubt that after Jeff weathers his current troubles, no matter how severe the penalty, he’ll back in public service continuing to inspire people around him.
The one thing I always admired about Jeff was that when he went to the Senate to represent the 4th district- a racially divided district- he represented every community in it.
He helped encourage urban renewable by his staunch advocacy on behalf of Historic Preservation Tax Credits.
He offered relief to loan-burdened college students by creating the Missouri Teaching Fellows program, which gave loan forgiveness to students who were willing to teach in struggling school districts.
And he took on the sensitive issue of child support, by offering special “fathering courts” to help fathers struggling to keep up with child support payments get jobs, rather than end up incarcerated.
These are but a few of his many distinguished accomplishments that I hope do not get lost with any of the bad news breaking right now.
We should be proud that we had an outspoken, effective, and yes, PROGRESSIVE voice in the Missouri Senate who never stood down in the face of adversity and worked hard day-in and day-out to get things done for his constituents.
He is a model for what strong progressive legislators can accomplish on the local level and I hope others pick up the bold policy initiatives that he had yet to accomplish. Missouri will only be better for it.
When Clark and I met Jeff at a Thai restaurant in the Delmar Loop in St. Louis about a year ago, it turned out he was free to talk non-stop because he was fasting. Clark says he thinks that was because Jeff was taking part in an experiment with some other progressive people: finding out what it’s like to live on food stamps. That moderately priced restaurant would have broken his food budget for the day.
I also remember Jeff’s account, in a newsletter, of riding with a city cop one night. Jeff asked the cop, if I remember correctly, if there were restrictions on how he should behave and the officer asked him if he had signed a waiver saying that the department wasn’t responsible for any injuries he might incur. When Jeff said he had, the cop told him he could do what he wanted.
Jeff is a roll up your sleeves and get involved person.
I too didn’t get to know Jeff until he ran for state senate in the district in which I live. I have no knowledge of the details of Jeff’s problems right now and like you I believe that any wrongdoing should be punished appropriately.
But I can say that he has been a great state senator and we will miss his voice in Jefferson City. For all the reasons you listed and your other commenters listed. And especially because he has inspired so many young people to undertake public service. Like you I hope this doesn’t deter them from continuing.
For God’s sake the man isn’t dead. I only became aware of all of this today, but even if something is uncovered that doesn’t mean he won’t be active in politics. Don’t burry a good man.
I’ve admired and supported many Democratic politicians over the years and Jeff quickly rose to my top tier. And he is still there. He’s a fine and selfless man who apparently made a mistake. He’ll pay for that mistake more dearly than any non-elected official will. It is my fervent hope that we get to enjoy the benefit of his commitment to public service, in some capacity, for many more years. He’s a first class guy.