Transparency when it comes to public business doesn’t appear to be in vogue anymore.

This past week in Wisconsin:

Sweeping secrecy is big mistake

July 03, 2015 10:31 am

Republicans are supposed to be suspicious of big government.

Instead, the GOP leaders who run the Legislature’s budget committee want citizens to trust state government with sweeping secrecy.

No thank you.

The full Legislature should reject the Joint Finance Committee’s sneaky attempt Thursday night to exempt state lawmakers from Wisconsin’s open records laws….

[….]

….Aren’t Republicans supposed to favor responsibility? Apparently, Wisconsin Republicans do not.

Among several troubling passages inserted into the state budget Thursday night is this doozy: “No provision of the state’s public records law that conflicts with a rule or policy of the Senate or Assembly or joint rule or policy of the Legislature applies to a record that is subject to such rule or policy.”

In other words, state lawmakers do what they want, when they want – and taxpayers will be in the dark….

[….]

Meanwhile, in Missouri:

Missouri judge dismisses lawsuit over open Senate committee meetings

Lawsuit claimed lawmakers must allow filming of meetings

5:52 PM CDT Jun 30, 2015

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -A Missouri judge dismissed Tuesday an advocacy group’s lawsuit that challenged restrictions on filming Missouri Senate committee meetings.

Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem dismissed the petition brought by Progress Missouri, which claimed decisions by Senate committee chairmen to prohibit filming by the group violates the state’s open meetings law. The liberal advocacy group also said the prohibition infringes on its freedom of speech and association.

The state’s Sunshine Law allows public bodies to establish guidelines on recording to minimize disruption, but the lawsuit said Progress Missouri’s filming wouldn’t have been disruptive. Senate rules state that cameras may be allowed with the permission of the committee chairman “as long as they do not prove disruptive to the decorum of the committee….”

[…]

Sunshine ain’t bustin’ out all over.

The stalwart courage of old media in Missouri is inspiring:

Jason Hancock ‏@J_Hancock

Progress Missouri challenges state Senate on Sunshine Law (via @krcg13) [….] 4:19 PM – 23 Jun 2015

We asked:

Michael Bersin ‏@MBersin

@J_Hancock @KRCG13 So, KRCG was denied permission to film a Senate hearing in the past and they’re not a party to the lawsuit? Why not? 4:31 PM – 23 Jun 2015

Interestingly, there was no response.

Previously:

Because asking politely for people to comply with the law always seems to work out so well (April 15, 2015)

On the wrong side of history and technology (April 20, 2015)

“….It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more…” – John Adams – July 3, 1776

Last night in Kingsville, Missouri at Powell Gardens “Booms and Blooms”.

Thomas Jefferson – July 4, 1826

May (July 4) be to the world, what I believe it will be — to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all — the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form (of government) which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.

Amen, brother Jefferson, Amen.

In the wake of the vigorous calls to finally repudiate the Southern “Stars and Bars” Battle Flag after a Confederate flag-waving racist brutally murdered nine African-Americans in order to spark a race war, some members of the House of Representatives believed that it was important for our lawmakers to take a stand on the propriety of its public display in the House:

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., introduced a privileged resolution banning the Confederate flag from the House and House office buildings, unless it is displayed at a member’s office. The goal of his resolution is to remove the Mississippi state flag from the Capitol, which displays the Confederate battle flag in its upper left corner.

“I’m convinced that an effort to remove this flag from the hallowed halls of the House of Representatives is the right thing to do,” Thompson said on the floor.

Unfortunately, his fellow Republicans, including the GOP members of the Missouri delegation, preferred to equivocate:

Due to the nature of Thompson’s resolution, the House would have been forced to vote on the divisive issue, but on Thursday GOP leadership moved to send the resolution to committee, avoiding a floor vote for now.

The House voted along party lines, 240-184, to refer the resolution to the House Administration Committee. Rep. Curt Clawson, R-Fla., was the only Republican to vote not to send the resolution to committee.

While this strategy on the part of Republicans may have seemed like a clever way to avoid committing on a politically fraught issue, the stark nature of the division in the voting – Republicans against Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus – nevertheless provided, as Roll Call suggested the vote might, the defacto “first opportunity in recent history to get members of Congress to record their stances on Confederate imagery’s place on government property.”

With this vote, Missouri’s Republican House delegation made it clear that they, along with the rest of their GOP tribe, just want the whole issue to go away. On the one hand, it seems that the Confederate Flag is losing whatever respectability it ever had and to defend it might invite public shaming. On the other, to repudiate it openly would be to offend many of the diehards who whole-heartedly support the real meaning of the flag – and I don’t mean the mint julep that also figures in the so-called “Southern heritage” that defenders of the flag blather on about. These are the folks, after all, who make up the hardcore Republican base. Nothing like getting bitten on the backside by your own hitherto reliable Southern strategy.

This impression is backed up by the deep silence to date from the Republican Missouri delegation on the question of the Confederate flag. Visit our GOPers Web pages. You’ll find no mention of the vote, no mention of the flag controversy. Google their names in conjunction with confederate flag. Nada.

Maybe its early yet, but I’m willing to bet that the Missouri GOP reps won’t say a thing unless some interviewer puts them on the spot – and then we’ll hear about “states rights” – Mississippi gets to decide about its flag, not Congress, right? – or more of the specious drivel about the flag meaning different things to different people, and we must respect all points of view, correct? And then, of course, there’s always history. Like history’s going to go away if we don’t enshrine its bad actors (and actions) in our public places. Like it isn’t especially important that we call out those who seek to whitewash those bad actors.

The flag’s meaning has always been clear. And it’s always been shameful. It’s about the 12.5 million Africans kidnapped out of Africa and sent to the United States (minus the nearly 2 million who died or were murdered en route). It’s about their descendants born into forced servitude. It’s about an entire economy that depended on this horror to survive and the fat-cat perpetrators of that system who started a treasonous, deadly war to preserve a way of life that depended on economic hegemony over an entire race. Lest you doubt:

In Germany, the censorship of Nazi symbols is still a matter of debate — with many wrestling over the dual necessity of preserving liberal freedoms while also recognizing the evils of the Third Reich. Far-right and even neo-Nazi groups exist and organize in the country, but raising the Nazi swastika is a red line that no one can cross.

Instead, at times, some European fringe groups have come up with another symbol to represent their hateful creed: the Confederate flag.

Sooner or later, our Missouri Republicans will have to take a stand. Will it be with the white backlash inspired by the election of the first black president? Or will they recognize the backlash inspired by the excesses of racists emboldened by their very own recent rhetoric? It’s a no-win situation; in the words of the song:

Mr. Backlash, Mr. Backlash

Just what do you think I got to lose

I`m gonna leave you

With the backlash blues

You`re the one will have the blues

Not me, just wait and see

         From Blacklash Blues (Nina Simone)

Today, via Twitter, from Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander (D):

Jason Kander ‏@JasonKander

Folks burying 100 year time capsule at state Capitol asked me for a #moleg roster. Couldn’t resist … [….] 10:39 AM – 3 Jul 2015

In the time capsule – from Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander (D).

Hope springs eternal.

Previously:

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City (December 14, 2009)

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City, part 2 (December 15, 2009)

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City, part 3 (December 16, 2009)

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City, part  4 (December 22, 2009)

Self funding at the end of the quarter, via the Missouri Ethics Commission.

For a 2016 Democratic Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor:

C141569 07/02/2015 BRADSHAW FOR MISSOURI Brad Bradshaw 1736 E. Sunshine, Suite 600 Springfield MO 65804 Self Physician/Attorney 6/30/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Ad for a 2016 Democratic Party candidate for Attorney General:

C091061 07/02/2015 SCOTT SIFTON FOR MISSOURI Scott Sifton 7834 Oakwyck Drive St Louis MO 63123 Husch Blackwell Attorney 6/30/2015 $35,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s personal commitment.

After the rain.

Flowering plants in west central Missouri are doing quite well this Summer.

Hoover: Kent is a legacy, Otter. His brother was a ’59, Fred Dorfman.

Flounder: He said legacies usually get asked to pledge automatically.

Otter: Oh, well, usually. Unless the pledge in question turns out to be a real closet-case.

Otter, Boon: Like Fred.

John “Jay” Ashcroft’s (r) 2016 campaign for Secretary of State received a few dollars more – today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C151004 07/02/2015 ASHCROFT FOR MISSOURI Peter Herschend 538 Oak Bluff Rd. Branson MO 65616 Silver Dollar City Principal 6/30/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Legacies.

Previously:

The legacy will continue to try (January 14, 2015)

Campaign Finance: enabling the legacy (May 8, 2015)

The legacy demonstrates difficulty understanding concepts taught on a children’s television show (May 20, 2015)

Family ties (May 27, 2015)

Or so it seems. Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for Eric Greitens’ (r) 2016 exploratory gubernatorial campaign:

C151053 07/01/2015 GREITENS FOR MISSOURI Kaj Larsen 2300 Grand Canal Venice CA 90291 US Navy Naval Reserve Officer 6/30/2015 $5,003.37

C151053 07/01/2015 GREITENS FOR MISSOURI Paul Melnuk PO Box 16504 St Louis MO 63105 ABGB Capital 6/30/2015 $25,000.00

C151053 07/01/2015 GREITENS FOR MISSOURI Bobby Robertson 950 E Minnehaha Rd Nixa MO 65714 HEALTHCAREfirst Inc CEO 7/1/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

After the first million the rest is gravy, right?

Previously:

Campaign Finance: There is another? (February 25, 2015)

Campaign Finance: a little bit more (February 26, 2015)

Campaign Finance: A new bandwagon? (March 6, 2015)

Campaign Finance: but wait, there’s more (March 10, 2015)

Campaign Finance: that’ll help finance a whole lot of exploring (March 12, 2015)

Campaign Finance: it’s going to be a good quarter (March 16, 2015)

Campaign Finance: still exploring (March 17, 2015)

Campaign Finance: gone quiet (March 21, 2015)

Campaign Finance: not quiet at all (March 25, 2015)

Campaign Finance: eat mor chikin (March 26, 2015)

The stenographer: Ah, for the good old days… (March 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: in under the wire (April 1, 2015)

Campaign Finance: all in today (April 9, 2015)

Campaign Finance: far afield (April 13, 2015)

Eric Greitens (r) – quarterly campaign finance report – April 15, 2015 (April 18, 2015)

Campaign Finance: not to be outdone (April 21, 2015)

Campaign Finance: not exactly spare change (April 23, 2015)

Campaign Finance: also in increments of $5,001.00 (April 23, 2015)

Campaign Finance: That’s Entertainment! (April 27, 2015)

Campaign Finance: still more (May 2, 2015)

Campaign Finance: just another harbinger of a populist awakening in Missouri (May 5, 2015)

Campaign Finance: You were expecting anything less? (May 19, 2015)

Campaign Finance: still exploring (June 6, 2015)

Campaign Finance: running for Governor, may run for Governor, exploring a run for Governor (June 13, 2015)

Campaign Finance: alrighty then (June 16, 2015)

Campaign Finance: we’d venture to say that’s a lot of capital (June 23, 2015)

Campaign Finance: pretty soon you’re talkin’ serious money (June 24, 2015)

Campaign Finance: you don’t need to play chess when you have friends like this (June 25, 2015)

Campaign Finance: fast approaching that first million (June 26, 2015)

Campaign Finance: getting closer… (June 26, 2015)

Campaign Finance: ever so close… (June 29, 2015)

Campaign Finance: blow right by it (June 30, 2015)

Early this morning via Twitter:

Bev Randles ‏@BevForLG

Excited to officially announce my candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri. RT & learn why I’m running now >> [….] 6:01 AM – 1 Jul 2015

At the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141581: Missourians For Randles

5823 North Cypress Ave Committee Type: Exploratory

Kansas City Mo64119

[….] Established Date: 12/08/2014

  Termination Date:

Information Reported On: 2015 – April Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $1,004,543.54

Monetary Receipts + $3,990.00

Monetary Expenditures – $55,233.62

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $0.00

Subtotal     ($51,243.62)

Ending Money On Hand   $953,299.92

[emphasis added]

The paperwork will catch up.

A Twitter response, also early this morning:

Sean Nicholson ‏@ssnich

Because Rex gave you a $1,000,000.00 check? 6:37 AM – 1 Jul 2015

Why, yes, he did.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Oh, hell, just buy the state already (December 8, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Exploring something. (January 13, 2015)

Campaign Finance: a December to really remember (January 18, 2015)

Campaign Finance: a sense of proportion (April 22, 2015)

Not these days.

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission for one of the possible republican candidates for governor in 2016:

C091145 06/30/2015 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Cape Radiology Group 70 Doctors Park Cape Girardeau MO 63703 6/30/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

It’s nothing to sneeze at either.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Peter who? (May 6, 2015)

Campaign Finance: What’s up with that? (May 29, 2015)

Campaign Finance: running for Governor, may run for Governor, exploring a run for Governor (June 13, 2015)

Campaign Finance: running for Governor, may run for Governor, probably running for Governor (June 25, 2015)