This afternoon Taigan Plummer, the Democratic Party candidate in the 54th Legislative District, held another in a series of open town halls in the district. Interested voters showed up at the community room at the local public library for an hour and a half long conversation.
Taigan Plummer (D).
There was significant and detailed discussion of all of the ballot measures. Taigan Plummer and audience engaged in an educational discussion.
Before the forum started an elderly lady [not pictured] who saw my camera asked me if I was with the local paper. When I told her I wasn’t she appeared disappointed. I briefly explained Show Me Progress. She wasn’t particularly interested.
After the ballot issue discussion Taigan Plummer opened the discussion up for any questions. There were thoughtful questions on statewide and local issues.
Towards the end of the town hall that same elderly lady, angrily reading from a script, threw out small numbers (literally, small change when it comes to these things) stating that the candidate was late in paying her local taxes a few years ago – “making our schools and services suffer.”
One of the other attendees (noting the script) asked her, “Who wrote that for you?”
Taigan Plummer was calm, polite, and turned the conversation. She explained that at the time she had been working 60 hours a week at a minimum wage job, had two children, lost her job, and had debilitating health issues. She paid the delinquent taxes shortly after, with penalties/interest. She pointed out that she was not a person of means and at that time, like many people today, she had to make a choice of putting a roof over her children’s heads and feeding her family, or paying her taxes on time
.
One other attendee commented, “That’s the kind of everyday person we want representing us.”
As the townhall ended the audience (with one exception) stood and applauded.
I checked the blog archive on my phone – I knew it was there. I found it.
I approached the elderly lady and politely asked her if she knew who Denny Hoskins (r), our current Missouri Secretary of State, was. She did. I then pointed out that when he was a full year into his first term as a right wingnut republican member of the Missouri House Denny Hoskins (r) didn’t pay $16,091 in property taxes on his rental property and had accrued $4,227 in penalties. [That’s over $20,000.] At the time Hoskins made all kinds of excuses, but finally got a loan and paid his delinquent taxes.
That’s the beauty of a long memory and archives with direct references to the public record.
I told her what I found offensive was her selective outrage. She didn’t respond.
There’s a distinct difference between someone falling on hard times and someone with apparent means acting as if the rules don’t apply to them.
Oh, and Barack Obama wore a tan suit once.
Denny Hoskins (r) [2017 file photo].
Previously:
Brandon Phelps (r): we get a slick mail piece (October 24, 2026)