Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C101236 06/26/2014 WIELAND NOW Missouri Senate Campaign Committee PO Box 754 Jefferson City MO 65102 6/25/2014 $150,000.00

[emphasis added]

The republican party is all in. What, their candidate can’t raise money on his own? Just asking

The candidates in the 22nd Senate District, via the Missouri Secretary of State:

State Senator – District 22

Democratic

Name Mailing Address Random Number Date Filed

Jeff Roorda 6797 HAVEN HILL RD BARNHART MO 63012 433 2/25/2014

Republican

Name Mailing Address Random Number Date Filed

Paul Wieland 1015 CASTLEMAIN DR IMPERIAL MO 63052 174 2/25/2014

The principals:

Representative Jeff Roorda, a Democrat, represents parts of Barnhart, Arnold, Imperial, Pevely and House Springs in Jefferson County (District 113) in the Missouri House of Representatives.

In addition to his legislative duties, Rep. Roorda is currently employed as the Human Resources Manager with Gateway Ambulance Service in St. Louis.

Prior to his election to the Missouri House in November 2004, Rep. Roorda worked as the City Administrator and Chief of Police for the City of Kimmswick. Rep. Roorda is a seventeen year veteran of law enforcement and is active in the Fraternal Order of Police and other police organizations.

Rep. Roorda has held previous elected positions having served on the Boards of Directors of the Antonia Fire District (2002-2004) and the Rock Township Ambulance District (2000-2004).

Rep Roorda is a 1983 graduate of Windsor High School. He earned an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Jefferson College, a Bachelors Degree in Administration of Justice from Missouri Baptist College and a Masters Degree in Public Policy Administration from University of Missouri St. Louis.

Rep. Paul Wieland, a Republican, represents parts of Jefferson County (District 112) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his second two-year term in November 2010.

In addition to his legislative duties, Rep. Wieland owns and operates Wieland Insurance Group, LLC. He also has worked in the auto parts industry and for the National Federation of Independent Business. In addition, Rep. Wieland and his wife created and published The Edition monthly newspaper and the Jefferson County Business Journal. He was previously elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1994.

Rep. Wieland is a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and fourth degree member of Knights of Columbus. He serves on the St. Pius X Advisory Board, Jefferson County Health Department Board of Trustees and as co-chair of the St. Pius X Long Range Planning Committee. Rep. Wieland also has served on the St. Joseph School Board, as a member of the Mastodon Arts & Sciences Fair Advisory Board, University of Missouri Extension Council, and as a founding member of Jeffco Business Network.

Rep. Wieland is a 1981 graduate of St. Pius X high school. Rep. Wieland attended Benedictine College, UMSL and the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Yep, there’s gonna be a lot of opportunity in this race to prop up the campaign consultant industrial complex…

You know how rightwingers really, really want to be viewed as victims? It seems to be a twisted variant on the old adage that the best offense is a defence. The claim is usually brought up to justify offensive behavior like asserting that the ACA mandate that compels employers to offer a full healthcare package to their employees constitutes religious persecution since women might collude with their doctors to get contraception that not only encourages what these folks think of as immoral behavior, but might kill a zygote. We all know the drill by now.

Todd Akin, the former congressman from Missouri’s second district, used to excel at this game; his last legislative effort in the House was a classic example of the “if you don’t let me misbehave, you’re persecuting me” gambit. He offered an amendment to the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act that would have permitted abusive and discriminatory behavior on the part of servicemen and women toward their LGBT colleagues. He claimed that since hostility toward LGBT individuals is often based on religious beliefs, prohibiting its expression amounts to religious persecution. I guess that nobody ever explained to Akin that professional standards of civility make today’s diverse military workplace better for everyone – even the religious fanatics whose fanaticism is never, ever under assault just because they are encouraged to act like part of the team at work.

News from TPM is that Akin has given an interview in which he continues to try to vindicate himself after his laughable “legitimate rape” gaffe. What better way than to go the victim route,  particularly if he can claim an equivalence to someone really important like Hillary Clinton. Seems that Akin thinks that Clinton deserves the same hold-your-nose treatment that he got because, in the course of her career as a lawyer, she defended a child sex-offender and, as she was legally bound to do, did her best to get him off. Nor did she come to the defence of the women the righwing hauled out to accuse her husband during his sex scandal, for which Akin accuses her of being anti-woman. I don’t remember that Clinton was accused of rape or any real sexual crimes – just fibbing about consensual sex and propositioning staff. Tacky stuff, but not the kind of thing that would inspire the wronged wife to come to the defence of the “other” women. But still, the fact that she isn’t being pilloried from the left must, in Akin’s world view, mean that he is the victim of bias and he really wants to whine about the injustice of it all.

Akin is not the only conservative who is confused about how our law system works. Another recent example has been the outrage sparked in the Fox News world by Obama’s nominee to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Debo Adegbile, who like Clinton, had the gall to do what a defence lawyer does:  uphold that pillar of our law that entitles all individuals accused of a crime to as good a defence as possible. Conservatives, in general, seem to have real problems with the nature of judicial process as opposed to moral judgement, and rarely seem to grasp the moral nature of the obligation that demands that lawyers carefully separate personal emotions and beliefs from the process of fulfilling their vital role in that process.

So is there parity between Clinton and Akin that we need to acknowledge? Clinton did a job of work and, as an ethical professional, she did her duty towards her client – just as the prosecutors tried to do the best job that they could do to represent the interests of the victim. That’s the way it works in the U.S. Akin, on the other hand, simply made a few dunderheaded public statements that revealed his real beliefs about women and sexuality. Lots of women heard Akin expressing these beliefs and, along with most educated, civilized folks, were so appalled that they put him out of office.

What’s worse, Akin gives every sign that, despite the opportunity to learn from his errors, he still holds fast to the beliefs that got him into trouble:

“My comment about a woman’s body shutting the pregnancy down, was directed to the impact of stress on fertilization,” Akin writes, as quoted by the Daily Mail. “This is something fertility doctors debate and discuss. Doubt me? Google ‘stress and fertilization,’ and you will find a library of research on the subject.”

“The research is not conclusive, but there is considerable evidence that stress makes conception more difficult,” he continues. “And what could be more stressful than a rape?”

Reassuring to know that a lawmaker in the federal government looks so uncritically to Google for information. And that he then can’t even manage to understand the better articles. I performed the search he prescribes and learned that, overall, researchers do say that ongoing, systematic stress affects fertility over time – but not necessarily fertilization. And the key seems to be the systematic nature of the stress as opposed to a single traumatic event like rape. And even these possible relationships are not well understood.

So not only is Akin consistently wrongheaded, in his quest to deny the right to rape victims – and, ultimately, other women – to control their own bodies, he was and presumably is still willing to use political power to write laws that would widely promulgate such wrongheadedness. In contrast Hillary Clinton only conformed to her legal and moral obligation to do her job and represent a client to the best of her abilities. And if you’re still obsessing about Bill Clinton’s sexual peccadilloes, she may have helped defend his presidency from individuals willing – or coerced – to kiss and tell.  

Maybe it’s time for Akin to accept the inevitable and stop bleating about how he’s been wronged. Somewhere down the line he’s going to have accept the fact that “Akin” has become the byword for the backward Republican approach to women and reproductive issues. No matter how many books he writes this won’t change. Apparently, given the tone of this latest interview, there’s also no chance of humility or intellectual growth on the part of the out-of-work politician.

Edited slightly for clarity, 6-17-14.

In the last week at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141055 06/20/2014 HANAWAY FOR GOVERNOR Menlo Smith Trustee 14 Ballantrac Ct St Louis MO 63131 Requested Requested 6/19/2014 $10,000.00

C141055 06/25/2014 HANAWAY FOR GOVERNOR Jensen Bartlett & Schelp LLC 222 South Central Suite 110 Clayton MO 63105 6/25/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

There’s that round number again.

We’ll probably bee seeing more of this in the next few days.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: different friends (June 14, 2014)

Campaign Finance: This probably qualifies as an oxymoron… (May 22, 2014)

At the White House petition site:

We petition the Obama Administration to:

Nominate former President George W. Bush respectfully be named the next U.S. Ambassador to the country of Iraq.

In the best interest of both Nations, we the undersigned, respectfully request that Former President George W. Bush be nominated for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the Nation of Iraq. Said position should include all rights and responsibilities of the Ambassador, including residence in the country in which they are representing the interests of the United States.

Created: Jun 17, 2014

Issues: Foreign Policy

Signatures needed by July 17, 2014 to reach goal of 100,000 99,758

Total signatures on this petition 242

[emphasis added]

One really can’t tell if this is sincere or ironic. At any rate, there are a number of people who should accompany him there.

Today on Twitter, from Representative Vicky Hartzler (r):

Rep. Vicky Hartzler @RepHartzler

New #GDP numbers show the sharpest decline since 2009. (cc: @WhiteHouse) [….] 6:55 AM – 25 Jun 2014

And a reply:

Cody Welton ‏@acoupstick

@RepHartzler @WhiteHouse check PMI numbers just released. Hack. 7:44 AM – 25 Jun 2014

That was rather adamant.

From the Institute for Supply Management:

FOR RELEASE: June 2, 2014

[….]

“The May PMI® registered 55.4† percent, an increase of 0.5 percentage point from April’s reading of 54.9 percent, indicating expansion in manufacturing for the 12th consecutive month. The New Orders Index registered 56.9† percent, an increase of 1.8 percentage points from the 55.1 percent reading in April, indicating growth in new orders for the 12th consecutive month. The Production Index registered 61.0† percent, 5.3 percentage points above the April reading of 55.7 percent. Employment grew for the 11th consecutive month, registering 52.8† percent, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points below April’s reading of 54.7 percent. The Supplier Deliveries Index registered 53.2† percent, 2.7 percentage points below the April reading of 55.9 percent. Comments from the panel reflect generally steady growth, but note some areas of concern regarding raw materials pricing and supply tightness and shortages.”

[….]

Don’t you just love social media?

Update:

Today’s GDP Number Is Not as Bad as it Sounds. But the Recovery Is Still Weak.

By Danny Vinik

….But this may be a case of bad news that’s not so bad-and maybe even good. The reason why consumer spending fell is that health care spending decreased by 1.4 percent in the first quarter. In fact, in the BEA’s second estimate, health care spending contributed 1.01 percent to the growth rate. Under the third estimate, it subtracted 0.16 percent. In other words, health care spending went from a strong contributor to GDP growth to a detractor from it-all in a quarter when millions of Americans gained health insurance….

And who keeps voting to repeal Obamacare? Just asking.

Another Check.

There’s a republican primary (and no one else in the general election) in the 130th Legislative District. From the Missouri Secretary of State:

State Representative – District 130

Republican

Name Mailing Address Random Number Date Filed

Jeff Messenger 959 E GRACE ST REPUBLIC MO 65738 254 2/25/2014

Loren Hunt 9410 W ODYSSEY LN BOIS D ARC MO 65612 3/24/2014

[emphasis added]

At the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141408: Hunt For Mo Rep

Po Box 674 Committee Type: Candidate

Willard, Mo 65781 Party Affiliation: Republican

(417)732-5614 Established Date: 06/23/2014

[emphasis added]

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141408 06/24/2014 HUNT FOR MO REP THE CLUB FOR GROWTH MISSOURI P O BOX 2068 SAINT LOUIS MO 63158 6/24/2014 $25,000.00

Gee, a challenger in the same political party files at the end of March, waits until the end of June to file their committee, then gets a really big campaign contribution from an astroturf committee. Go figure.

Someone must really think the incumbent is insufficiently right wingnut:

Representative Messenger, a Republican, represents part of Greene County, including the areas of Republic, Willard, Ash Grove, Walnut Grove, and Brookline (District 130) in the House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2012.

Rep. Messenger was born in Scott City, Kansas and moved to Springfield, Missouri when he was 8 years old. Rep. Messenger attended school in Springfield and graduated at Hillcrest High School. He was raised on a small farm where he performed the duties that most people did that had acreage and livestock to attend to.

Rep. Messenger joined the Navy in 1969 and after completing Naval Aviation Electronics School was assigned to Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas. His duties were to maintain and support the electronics equipment on the Training Aircraft for the squadrons at Corpus Christi, Beeville and Kingsville, Texas. Rep. Messenger served 4 years in the Navy and received an honorable discharged in 1973.

Rep. Messenger has been a self- employed business owner since the early 1980’s. He owned a water well drilling company for over 22 years, serving most of Southwest Missouri in the residential and commercial markets. While owner of his drilling company he served as Secretary on the Missouri Water Well Association where he was instrumental in developing the guidelines and rules on the methods of drilling in Missouri.

Rep. Messenger sold his water well drilling company and bought a Prosthetics and Orthotics company in Ozark, Missouri, known as Kessler Heasley Artificial Limb Co. After just a few short years Rep. Messenger moved his Prosthetics and Orthotics company to Springfield, Missouri. Since that time he has opened up another facility in Monett, Missouri and is currently building a new facility to service the Joplin, Missouri area.

[….]

That’s four. Check, mate.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: when right wingnut isn’t right enough (June 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: there is another (June 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: he really likes him (June 23, 2014)

Imagine that.

…corporate interests. Oh, wait…

“Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.” – Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (1689 – 1755)

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for the folks promoting the “Right to Farm” constitutional amendment:

C101457 06/23/2014 MISSOURI FARMERS CARE ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES PO BOX 1645 JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102 6/23/2014 $25,000.00

C101457 06/23/2014 MISSOURI FARMERS CARE MISSOURI CORN MERCHANDISING COUNCIL 3118 EMERALD LANE JEFFERSON CITY MO 65109 6/23/2014 $8,000.00

[emphasis added]

Because government thugs are arbitrarily closing down family farms across the state? Really?

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Food fight! (May 28, 2014)

…extolling the virtues of a regressive tax. Except they won’t tell you those virtues don’t accrue to working families.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC DeLong’s Inc. PO Box 479 Jefferson City MO 65102 6/23/2014 $25,000.00

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC N.B. West Contracting Co. 2780 Mary Ave. St Louis MO 63144 6/23/2014 $25,000.00

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Phillips Hardy 15290 Highway 135 Boonville MO 65233 6/23/2014 $20,000.00

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Twehous Excavating Company, Inc. 8514 Liberty Rd. Jefferson City MO 65101 6/23/2014 $12,500.00

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC SRA Insurance Agency, LLC 5201 Johnson Drive, Suite 500 Mission KS 66205 6/23/2014 $10,000.00

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Vance Brothers PO Box 300107 Kansas City MO 64130 6/23/2014 $10,000.00

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Branco Enterprises, Inc. PO Box 459 Neosho MO 64850 6/23/2014 $7,500.00

C131133 06/23/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Industry Advancement Fund/Heavy Contractors Association 3101 Broadway, Suite 780 Kansas City MO 64111 6/23/2014 $160,000.00

[emphasis added]

That last one is in chess territory.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: the dough keeps rolling in (June 22, 2014)

Campaign Finance: escalation (June 17, 2014)

Campaign Finance: What’s an increase in regressive taxes among friends anyway? (June 10, 2014)

Nix the sales tax: A question of fairness – and progessive identity (June 9, 2014)

Gov. Jay Nixon: “…This tax hike is neither a fair nor fiscally responsible solution…” (June 2, 2014)

Check.

There’s a republican primary (and no one else in the general election) in the 3rd Legislative District. From the Missouri Secretary of State:

State Representative – District 3

Republican

Name Mailing Address Random Number Date Filed

Nate Walker PO BOX 7549 KIRKSVILLE MO 63501 881 2/25/2014

John Bailey PO BOX 795 KIRKSVILLE MO 63501 3/25/2014

[emphasis added]

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141182 06/23/2014 CITIZENS TO ELECT JOHN BAILEY The Missouri Club For Growth PAC P.O. Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 6/23/2014 $50,000.00

That’s a really big check, mate.

Representative Nate Walker, a Republican, represents the City of Kirksville, the western part of Adair County, all of Sullivan, Putnam and Mercer Counties (District 3) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected in 2012 and previously in the Missouri House of Representatives for the 12th District from 1981 – 1985.

Representative Walker has had a varied and diversified professional career having been involved in business, farming, community service, economic development, journalism, real estate and politics. He is a licensed realtor and works as a Realtor Associate for Heritage House Realty, Inc. in Kirksville, MO. His professional and vocational experiences include: former service in the Missouri General Assembly as 12th District State Representative; owner, publisher and editor of the La Plata Home Press; raising cattle and working on the family farm in Macon County; serving North Missouri in downtown, community and economic development; and working on national, state and regional transportation and traffic safety issues. Besides his service in the MO General Assembly Representative Walker is a farmer and realtor.

Representative Walker holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Journalism and a Master of Science Degree in Regional and Community Affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has also done post graduate studies at Duke University at Durham, North Carolina and at the Haus Rissen Institute of International Politics and Economics in Hamburg, Germany.

Representative Walker is involved and active in many community organizations, charities and activities which include: Kirksville First Christian Church; Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce; Past Chairman of the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee; Chairman of the Highway 63 Alternate Route Traffic Safety Commission; Kirksville Rotary Club; Kirksville Arts Association; Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc. (K-REDI), Adair Masonic Lodge #366 AF & AM; El Kadir Shrine Club; Ararat Shrine; National Rifle Association; Ducks Unlimited; Macon County Historical Society; Macon County Flywheel & Collectable Club, Inc.; Macon Area Chamber of Commerce; and the Macon Elks.

Again, apparently, Representative Nate Walker (r) must be insufficiently right wingnut for someone.

Money talks loudly and it holds a very prominent position in right wingnut republican politics in Missouri..

Previously:

Campaign Finance: when right wingnut isn’t right enough (June 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: there is another (June 20, 2014)