For 2014 or 2016?

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C000960 11/12/2014 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE Claire McCaskill 1941 Spring House Dr St Louis MO 63122 United States Senate 11/12/2014 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s a total of $850,000.00 in 2014.

Senator Scott Sifton (D) [file photo].

On Monday:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, November 10, 2014

[….]

SCOTT SIFTON ANNOUNCES BID FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

Becomes the first announced Democratic candidate

ST. LOUIS – State Senator Scott Sifton announced today his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for Missouri Attorney General in 2016. Sifton would be returning to the office where his legal career began.

“I am tremendously grateful for the experience I gained early in my legal career working on special prosecutions and defending against criminal appeals in the Missouri Attorney General’s office,” Sifton said. “I pledge that as Attorney General, I will work to make Missouri safer for every family, consumer, community and business.”

While with the Attorney General’s office, Sifton worked to uphold the sentences imposed on murderers, drug dealers, rapists, child abusers and drunk drivers.  He also worked on special prosecutions in cases of public corruption, senior fraud, nursing home patient neglect and methamphetamine manufacturing.

In the Senate, Sifton has championed strong ethics rules for legislators, having refused to accept lobbyist gifts and introduced a bill banning them.  He has also pushed legislation to expand the use of DNA evidence in criminal investigations, reform Missouri’s school transfer law, protect consumers and reduce property taxes for seniors. He also advocates for veterans’ benefits as a member of the Missouri Veterans Commission.  

About Scott Sifton

Sen. Sifton was raised in Gladstone, Missouri, a suburb in the Kansas City Northland. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University and earned his law degree from the University of Michigan. He is a practicing attorney and partner at the St. Louis law firm of Husch Blackwell.  His experience in 15 years of private practice includes civil rights, Hancock Amendment, Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, consumer protection, non-profit management, environmental, false advertising, criminal, occupational disease, licensing, administrative law and shareholder matters, all of which the Office of Attorney General addresses as well.  He represented the special deputy receiver in the clean-up of the National Prearranged Services scam, one of the largest consumer fraud schemes in Missouri history.

Sifton’s public service began on the Affton School Board in 2001, where he served until 2010, including two terms as board president.  He won election to the Missouri House of Representatives in south St. Louis County in 2010, a year in which Democrats lost 17 seats.  In 2012, he defeated incumbent Republican State Senator Jim Lembke in one of the most hotly contested races in recent Missouri history, becoming the first Democrat to defeat a full-term Republican Senator in recent memory.

Sifton lives in Affton and has two children.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091061 11/11/2014 SCOTT SIFTON FOR STATE SENATE Scott Vorhees 510 W. 6th Street Joplin MO 64801 Johnson, Vorhees and Martucci 11/11/2014 $5,001.00

[emphasis added]

We’re gonna need a bigger boat.

Previously:

Sen. Scott Sifton (D): running for Attorney General in 2016 (November 10, 2014)

The sarcasm forecast is still high:

Top Conservative Cat ‏@TeaPartyCat

Gov. Jay Nixon: “Violence will not be tolerated after the Michael Brown jury decision. Except by police of course; that doesn’t count.” 6:05 PM – 11 Nov 2014

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141055 11/11/2014 HANAWAY FOR GOVERNOR Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 None Retired 11/10/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

That doesn’t appear to be a concern anymore.

Previously:

Every time Rex Sinquefield signs a check a campaign consultant gets their wings… – part 2 (October 28, 2014)

Every time Rex Sinquefield signs a check a twenty-something campaign consultant gets their wings… (October 22, 2014)

Campaign Finance: making a choice (October 15, 2014)

Campaign Finance: a choice (October 1, 2014)

Campaign Finance: wachet auf (September 17, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Which side are you on? (June 30, 2014)

Campaign Finance: waking up at the end of the quarter (June 25, 2014)

Campaign Finance: different friends (June 14, 2014)

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

The current representative in the 96th Legislative District is term limited out for the 2016 election. Someone else is ready to run.

Via the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141193 11/07/2014 COMMITTEE TO ELECT DAVID GREGORY Janet Gregory 5539 Pine Wood Forest St Louis MO 63128 Homemaker Homemaker 11/6/2014 $5,001.00

C141193 11/10/2014 COMMITTEE TO ELECT DAVID GREGORY David Gregory 5539 Pine Wood Forest 5539 Pine Wood Forest St. Louis MO 63128 Attorney Attorney 11/10/2014 $5,001.00

[emphasis added]

C141193: Committee To Elect David Gregory

5539 Pine Wood Forest Committee Type: Candidate

St Louis Mo 63128 Party Affiliation: Republican

[….] Established Date: 04/07/2014

[….]

Election History

Election Year Primary Outcome General Outcome Political Office

2016 State Representative District 96

This is how you do it, pearl clutching amateur political punditry aside. It’s never too soon. You can’t decide to run for public office at the last minute and expect to win.

A candidate can always raise more money, they can always acquire more volunteers, they can always print more campaign literature and buy more signs. What they can’t get is more time. Think about it.

Spotted today on a vehicle in west central Missouri:

Just asking.

Today:

South County Democrat Scott Sifton launches run for attorney general

ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Democratic state Sen. Scott Sifton today ended months of speculation by confirming he will indeed seek his party’s nomination for attorney general in 2016.

A South County Democrat, Sifton served in the Missouri Attorney General’s office at the onset of his legal career….

Via Twitter:

Jason Rosenbaum ‏@jrosenbaum

And somewhere, does Mike Sanders weep? #MOAG [….] 12:19 PM – 10 Nov 2014

Really.

Fairfax: ….Man, that’s just mean. That’s mean, man.

Yesterday, via Twitter, Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) can’t help herself:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler ‏@RepHartzler

Disappointed by judge’s ruling in KC today throwing out the will of 71% of Missourians re: marriage. There’s no ‘right’ to marry in Const. 4:40 PM – 7 Nov 2014

And your point is?:

…Is it possible that public opinion has changed in the ensuing ten years? Just asking. But go ahead, and cling to whatever you wish…

Meanwhile, the Twitter responses are priceless:

Diana ‏@kccatdr

@RepHartzler Nor is there a provision for who can & can’t marry. If 71% of people approved public beheadings, would that stand as law? 4:43 PM – 7 Nov 2014

Blue DuPage ‏@BlueDuPage

There is a right to equal protection in the Constitution. Bigots like yourself can’t just vote our rights away. @RepHartzler 4:44 PM – 7 Nov 2014

Phoenix Blue ‏@Phoenix_Blue

@RepHartzler So if my faith considers your marriage invalid, you have to get an annulment, right? 4:53 PM – 7 Nov 2014

Louise Perry ‏@louise__lep

@KrisKetzKMBC @RepHartzler Other replies so far seem bent on arguing with you. I won’t. You’re an idiot. No arguing that. 5:11 PM – 7 Nov 2014

Ouch.

Doug Boucher ‏@duglas911

@RepHartzler remember Loving v. Virginia? Marriage is a fundamental right protected by the Constitution for EVERYONE. 6:51 PM – 7 Nov 2014

Tony Wyche ‏@tonywyche

@RepHartzler @KrisKetzKMBC How do you feel about #MOLEG throwing out the will of voters on camp. finance, conceal & carry and clean energy? 11:36 AM – 8 Nov 2014

Tony Wyche ‏@tonywyche

@RepHartzler @KrisKetzKMBC Also, if you feel there’s no “right” to marry in the Const., then why are opposite sex couples allowed to do so? 11:37 AM – 8 Nov 2014

You’ve just got to love social media.

We so look forward to future open town hall meetings in the district. Wait…

Previously:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): on court rulings – Missouri’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional (November 7, 2014)

This explains everything:

Dr. Dave Stukus ‏@AllergyKidsDoc

Actual discussion: Parent “I want #Ebola vaccine for my child”

Doc “There isn’t one, but we have #flushot”

Parent “We don’t believe in that”

10:05 AM – 4 Nov 2014

Previously:

GOP goes Ebola crazy (October 18, 2014)

Have some knowledge for (a late) lunch (October 18, 2014)

Sen. Roy Blunt (r): Why have a Surgeon General when you can perpetuate gridlock instead? (October 19, 2014)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): The only thing we have to fear is… (October 20, 2014)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): Ebola! (October 27, 2014)

Free advertising.

The Rex Sinquefield funded PAC Grow Missouri’s moving billboard at

the University of Central Missouri’s Skyhaven Airport near Warrensburg [file photo].

On starting the initiative petition process for the legalization of marijuana in Missouri (via Facebook):

John W. Payne

13 hrs · St. Louis, MO

In the last 36 hours, I have done interviews with KMOX, the International Business Times, KMOV, Columbia Missourian, KCOU, Saint Louis Public Radio, KTRS, KMBZ, KFVS-12, Kansas City Business Journal, Kansas City Public Radio, and a little newspaper outlet called the Washington Post.

Probably my favorite exchange throughout the whole process was when Jonathan Weir at KMBZ called this morning and right before we went live, he said, “So you guys turned in the petition and now you have some sort of blimp over here. Is that right?”

The libertarians are probably really happy about all that free advertising.

It would be Karma for a St. Louis billionaire’s legacy to consist solely of the state of Missouri populated in the near and distant future by undereducated stoners working minimum wage jobs.

That’s a feature, not a bug, right?

Previously:

Not so fast on grounding that blimp… (November 6, 2014)

“…We smiled and waved, sittin’ there on that sack of seeds.” (September 20, 2014)