Uh, that would be Denny Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA).

Courtney Cole, the Democratic candidate in the 121st Legislative District, strikes back – with, you know, actual facts:

Hoskins voted to raise our taxes numerous times, but he hasn’t even bothered to pay his own taxes on time. 1

1. HCS SS SB 307, a.a. (2009), CCS SSSCS HB 1442 (2010), Johnson County Official records

Hoskins owed over twenty thousand dollars in back taxes. 2

2. Johnson County Official records, The Daily Star Journal, 11/11/2009

A member of the House Budget Committee, Refused to balance the state budget and voted for a budget with a three hundred million dollar deficit. 3

3. HB’s 2001, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (2010)

Hoskins voted to raise taxes on emergency medical services, including ambulance service, for local patients, while failing to pay seven hundred dollars of his own taxes to Johnson County ambulance services 4

4. HCS SS SB 307, a.a. (2009), The Daily Star Journal, 11/11/2009

Hmmm. Facts rather than bogus assertion, misdirection, and outright misrepresentation.

Cue victimhood with a plaintive cry of “why are people being so mean to me?” in three, two, one…

The “B” side of the mail piece:

Previously:

“Noun, Verb, CPA”: Hoskins (r) mail attack on Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District race (October 8, 2010)

Hoskins (r) mail attack on Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District race, part 2 (October 9, 2010)

Courtney Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District: mail – a constructive outlook for the district (October 10, 2010)

Denny Hoskins (r) in the 121st Legislative District: Mail? What mail? (October 12, 2010)

Our coverage of the race between Courtney Cole (D), the challenger, and Denny Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA), the incumbent, in the 121st Legislative District continues – the current contrast between the campaign mail plans is instructive.

Previously:

“Noun, Verb, CPA”: Hoskins (r) mail attack on Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District race (October 8, 2010)

Hoskins (r) mail attack on Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District race, part 2 (October 9, 2010)

Courtney Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District: mail – a constructive outlook for the district (October 10, 2010)

Denny Hoskins (r) had a thing or two to say during his paid local radio program yesterday morning about all the mail that is going out on his behalf which he didn’t pay for (er, excuse us, which his campaign didn’t pay for):

Announcer: ….and this portion of our program, as always on Monday at this time, paid for by Citizens for Hoskins, Stormy Taylor, treasurer…

[….]

Denny Hoskins (r): ….So, I, I’ve never voted for a, a tax increase on, on senior citizens.

Announcer: Somebody said you did?

Denny Hoskins (r):  Well, I, I, I’ve just heard some, some rumors [crosstalk]…

Announcer: Oh.

Denny Hoskins (r): …out there that, that, uh, that, uh, my, my opponent is, is that’s what, uh, she is saying and, and that’s just simply not true, so.

Announcer: Oh, okay.

Denny Hoskins (r):  So, I don’t know. But, uh, you know [crosstalk]…

Announcer: Where that comes from.

Denny Hoskins (r):  Right, I , I don’t  know where that comes from, I don’t know where that comes from. And then, you know, we, we’re in full campaign mode, you know [crosstalk]…

Announcer: Yeah.

Denny Hoskins (r): …we’re, uh, going door to door, making phone calls, been out there several events. Um, any media ad that’s paid for by me will say paid for by Citizens for Hoskins, Stormy Taylor, treasurer.

Announcer: Yeah.

Denny Hoskins (r):  You get some of these other groups, whether it’s the Democrat party or Republican party that will come in and, and buy different ads about different things. And, and a lot of them, what they try to do is contrast pieces. Or at least, um, I know that’s what, that’s what, uh, the Republican party has, has came in and done and said, well, you have Denny Hoskins who believes in this and you have his opponent who believes in this. And that’s the contrast [crosstalk]…

Announcer: Yeah.

Denny Hoskins (r): …in between those two, so.

Announcer: And you don’t have anything to do with those, do you?

Denny Hoskins (r):  No, no, un, unfortunately, um, under Missouri statutes it’s, would be illegal if I knew anything about those, so.

Announcer: Really.

Denny Hoskins (r):  Uh, yes, lots of times they will come out and go on, on, uh, out there on the Internet and find pictures, where there’s pictures of me or pictures of, of my opponent or pictures of whoever and then they can, they can use those and, um, literally, I, I go door to door and [announcer laughter], and I see people say, oh, I got something in the mail from you today. And I say, well, you did? [laugh] You know, what, what was it? Can I see it? And they’ll show it to me and I say, well, that wasn’t, that wasn’t paid for by me, that was paid for by somebody else. But, uh, you know, like I said, anything that’s paid for by me you’ll have Citizens for, or, paid for by Citizens for Hoskins, Stormy Taylor, treasurer just like the announce at the beginning [crosstalk]…

Announcer: Like this program right here.

Denny Hoskins (r):  Exactly, exactly, so….

“…lots of times they will come out and go on, on, uh, out there on the Internet and find pictures…”

Yeah, wink, wink, high resolution photos that were posed and suitable for reproduction on glossy stock:

They found it on the Internets? A recent attack mail piece sent by the Missouri republican party on behalf of Denny Hoskins (r).

The irony of the “what’s in their wallet” theme on the inside of the piece eluded the folks who put this together.

As one wag commented, “Man, there must have been a lot of hidden cameras following him around.” Maybe they were trackers who showed up at the wrong event.

Previously:

“Noun, Verb, CPA”: Hoskins (r) mail attack on Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District race (October 8, 2010)

Hoskins (r) mail attack on Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District race, part 2 (October 9, 2010)

Courtney Cole, the Democratic Party candidate challenging the republican incumbent in the 121st Legislative District, had her first campaign mail piece out the same weekend as the two Missouri republican party mail pieces attacking her. There is quite a contrast in content and who’s paying for these mailings when compared to those on behalf of that incumbent republican. Courtney Cole’s mail was paid for by her campaign:

The mail piece was paid for by the campaign and it was printed in a shop that pays workers a living wage.

The mail piece itself shows that Courtney Cole is a teacher with a background in the community that will help her in her work to find constructive solutions to the problems we currently face in this state:

Courtney Cole is a local school teacher…

Courtney learned the importance of hard work and community service from her parents and grandparents…

Courtney will work to strengthen small businesses and create jobs for our local economy. She is a member of the Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce and Business Women of Missouri.

Now that’s a positive and constructive outlook from a candidate for their district.

We’re certain there will be more to come – from both candidates.

Previously: “Noun, Verb, CPA”: Hoskins (r) mail attack on Cole (D) in the 121st Legislative District race

Look who’s paying for all those really slick attack mail pieces. Do you think the incumbent is having trouble raising grassroots cash so he can do his own mail? Or is this all just a charade with a touch of plausible deniability thrown in? Just asking.

Today there was another attack mail piece paid for by the Missouri republican party on behalf of Denny Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA) directed at Courtney Cole (D) in the 121st legislative District race.

Again, it appears that a republican incumbent with no record of achievement and a tax payment problem has to be propped up by their party apparatus with irrelevant wedge issue attack pieces.

I wonder, did the Missouri republican party have to pay a royalty for using the Obama campaign logo?

At times republicans do have problems with the asking permission thing.

The desperation on the inside of the mailing:

We understand that the photos the republicans copped for this mailing probably came from events years back when Courtney Cole was honored by a professional business organization. Ironic, eh?

The interior of the attack piece.

“…Cole is a card-carrying member of a liberal special interest group…”

Uh, Courtney Cole (D) is a high school teacher. The footnote refers to the Missouri National Education Association (MNEA), a group which advocates for our children and our public schools.

Uh, didn’t that “card carrying” bullshit go out with the anti-fluoridation whack jobs from the fifties? Apparently not. Same type of right wing extremists, different wedge issues.

“…extreme agenda of government-run health care, amnesty for illegal aliens, and same sex marriage…”

Government run health care? You mean like Medicare and the Veterans Administration. Is Denny Hoskins advocating getting rid of Medicare and health care for our veterans? Just asking.

Amnesty for illegal aliens? You mean like the 2008 republican presidential candidate? We have to suspect that Denny Hoskins (r) didn’t vote for Obama because of this mailing, so he had to have supported McCain, right? So much for consistency from republicans.

The gays are here, the gays are here, run for the hills…

When you can’t talk about supporting our public schools, economic development and creating jobs all you can do beat the distraction drum with the usually republican wedge issues. Typical.

Denny Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA) is the beneficiary of a mail piece attacking Courtney Cole (D) – and just like two years ago it’s paid for by the Missouri republican party, of course:

The address side of the folded mail piece.

Lowering taxes? How? By not paying them?

The outside back of the folded mail piece.

You can tell a lot about a person based on what’s in their wallet.

Uh, like the $20,317.89 that should have gone toward paying their property taxes.

Sometimes the jokes just write themselves.

The attack part on the inside of the mail piece:

Denny Hoskins (r) has experience in balancing budgets? It ain’t so.

Denny Hoskins (r) is taking on the stimulus? Really? Anyone notice him making noise over those highway projects on U.S. 50?

Paid for by special interests? You mean like a $5000.00 check from a PAC for Denny Hoskins’ campaign?

And then there’s this disingenuous little gem:

“…Courtney Cole proudly states she is a card-carrying member of a liberal special interest group…”

As the footnote states, she’s a member of the Missouri National Education Association (MNEA). Uh, Courtney Cole is a teacher who works very hard to educate our children. And these republican morons call the MNEA a “liberal special interest group”? That shows the worldview of the Missouri republican party – and they think everyone else is stoopid.

Apparently, Denny Hoskins (r) thinks he’s running against Obama. He’s two years too early.

Nice photo of Courtney Cole. I wonder where they got it? Denny Hoskins (r) has said he wouldn’t know about that.

…With this tracker stuff out in front of the public does that mean we won’t be seeing any darkly lit shaky videos or grainy photographs along with shock headlines and disturbing music in cable television commercials in the 121st District before the November election? Just asking.

It looks like we just got the answer to that question.

…then you need to actually oppose all of the federal stimulus.

With apologies to Bill Maher.

The sign marking a highway improvement project on U.S. Highway 50 in Lone Jack, Missouri, west of Warrensburg, Missouri.

There’s another highway construction project – a bypass for Highway 13 – going on immediately east of Warrensburg.

So, for Representative Denny Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA) and those teabaggers really upset at the film festival, why haven’t you been making noise about these projects? Just asking.

We haven’t seen any letters to the editor or protest signs about local highway construction stimulus projects.

There was another editorial about the film festival in yesterday’s Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal:

10/6/2010 2:03:00 PM

Lesson from film fest made difficult to find

EDITORIAL

Jack Miles

Editor

What is the lesson that the Missouri Valley Community Action Agency should take away from the Show Me International Justice Film Festival?

• That agency staff should have said, before doing so, how they would spend federal money?

No. They did that in their application to the Department of Social Services.

• That the agency should check first with area lawmakers about how to spend money?

If so, should all agencies seek direct legislative oversight for all spending? Or only when spending might be controversial? And how would they know, in advance, what is controversial?

• That the agency should spend money in a way guaranteed to help the poor?

In fact, Missouri Valley hoped to spend money to put people to work, which happened; to spend money to support businesses that put people to work, which happened; and to start a festival that would continue for years to come to aid the economy, which may or may not happen. But there are no guarantees. Most businesses fail in their first year and government programs have flaws.

Perhaps there is no lesson, other than to accept the wisdom that comes from trial and error.

“…If so, should all agencies seek direct legislative oversight for all spending? Or only when spending might be controversial? And how would they know, in advance, what is controversial?…”

Silly, it’s all about posturing for the benefit of the noisy lunatic fringe in an election year.

Previously:

Suppose you held a film festival and right wingnuts didn’t want anyone to attend (September 10, 2010)

The show must go on (September 10, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (r): The review is in – two thumbs down (September 14, 2010)

Veto Session Reviews for Rep. Denny Hoskins (r): great potental for a Razzie (September 15, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: because the arts never generate economic activity? (September 17, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: demagoguery, not oversight (September 18, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: that was then, this is now (September 20, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: no one knew about it… (September 21, 2010)

A short film about a film festival… (September 22, 2010)

Ky Dickens, the film festival, the Chicago Reader, and teabaggers (September 23, 2010)

We get film festival hate mail (September 28, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: that was then, this is now – part 2 (September 28, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: what the teabaggers say (October 4, 2010)

The Missouri Valley Community Action Agency has decided to not appeal the decision of the Department of Social Services to revoke film festival funding. There was this bit of news in today’s Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal:

“…They saw that…the scope of the film festival went beyond the original scope of the event as explained in the contract,” LaFrenz said. “That’s their determination and their belief, and so I chose not to go through an appeals process.”

LaFrenz said having funds pulled after going through an approval process is a concern.

“We believe we followed the intent, and so we’re going to be working with them much closer about making sure they have enough information throughout the early stages of any event … before we get to the end and have this kind of complication,” she said…

An individual signing as the secretary of the Concerned Citizens Committee wrote a letter to the editor which also appeared in today’s paper:

…Had it not been for State Rep. Hoskins’ last-minute intervention efforts, we, the taxpayers, would have lost 94,000 tax dollars to squandering…

Read the whole letter, including this pretzel:

…We read where the film festival was compared to the recent Wings Over Whiteman air show. Without impugning the character or intent of the comparison let us just say that freedom isn’t free; that all Thunderbird pilots are trained combat pilots; that a change of paint scheme is all it takes to return that F-16 aircraft to combat status…

I kid you not. Let’s change the paint on the film cans.

“…Without impugning the character or intent of the comparison…” Then why mention it at all?

“…let us just say that freedom isn’t free…” Ah, a bumper sticker political philosophy.

So, where were these folks from January 2001 to January 2009? Just asking. *IOKIYAR?

But Representative Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA) said in his September 20, 2010 Capitol Report:

…As you can see, I did not request funding be withheld or rescinded…

“…Had it not been for State Rep. Hoskins’ last-minute intervention efforts…”

Which is it? Just asking. You can’t have it both ways.

* it’s okay if you’re a republican

Previously:

Suppose you held a film festival and right wingnuts didn’t want anyone to attend (September 10, 2010)

The show must go on (September 10, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (r): The review is in – two thumbs down (September 14, 2010)

Veto Session Reviews for Rep. Denny Hoskins (r): great potental for a Razzie (September 15, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: because the arts never generate economic activity? (September 17, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: demagoguery, not oversight (September 18, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: that was then, this is now (September 20, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: no one knew about it… (September 21, 2010)

A short film about a film festival… (September 22, 2010)

Ky Dickens, the film festival, the Chicago Reader, and teabaggers (September 23, 2010)

We get film festival hate mail (September 28, 2010)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r) and the Film Festival: that was then, this is now – part 2 (September 28, 2010)

We finally saw one of the cable ads paid for the Missouri House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) which attacks Courtney Cole (D) on behalf of incumbent Denny Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA). Apparently Representative Hoskins (r) is running against President Obama and health care reform.

We searched in vain for an online version of the HRCC ad. It does appear that the HRCC is flush with cash. Just today:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY [pdf] 10/4/2010

HRCC, Inc

Jefferson City, MO

10/4/2010

$80,000.00

[emphasis added]

What, is the Missouri republican party going to be dumping mail in the 121st Legislative District like they did two years ago?

During our search we did find this little grassroots gem, evidently put together by someone who’s not a fan of Denny Hoskins (r):

Ironic, isn’t it? A simple search on the Internets will tell you all you need to know about the two candidates – with no need for the desperate noise on cable and radio from a free spending right wingnut republican establishment propping up one of their own.

Courtney Cole (D), the Democratic Party candidate in the 121st Legislative District who is challenging incumbent Denny Hoskins (r-noun, verb, CPA), received recognition from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) as one of their top twenty essential state legislative races in the country:

Missouri House District 121– Courtney Cole

Status: Republican Incumbent

Why this Race Matters: Incumbent Republican Denny Hoskins, who won his first election by just 122 votes in 2008, ran for office as a fiscally-conservative CPA, until local media discovered he had $20,000 in unpaid taxes. After that news came out, Hoskins got in a fight on the House floor. This is unquestionably House Democrats’ best pickup opportunity, the first of several pickups they’ll need to close the GOP advantage.

“…he had $20,000 in unpaid taxes…”

We knew that.

“…Hoskins got in a fight on the House floor…”

We knew that, too.

DLCC Announces Essential Races Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 27, 2010

[….]

DLCC Announces Essential Races

List of Critical Races to be Augmented by Grassroots Initiative

Today, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Executive Director Michael Sargeant unveiled the Essential Races program, a list of crucial state legislative races across the country that will be added to and voted on by grassroots activists nationwide.

“These Essential Races are the key contests for Democratic state legislative control this fall,” said Sargeant. “However, thousands of Democrats are running professionalized, localized campaigns for state legislature in competitive races across the country.”

The DLCC revealed the first 20 candidates in the Essential Races program today; an additional 20 will be announced next week.

The DLCC will also be accepting nominations from grassroots activists around the country for an additional 10 Essential Races. Nominations may be submitted at http://www.dlcc.org/2010Races. Grassroots Essential Races results will be announced on October 13.

With over 6,000 state legislative races on November ballots across the country, state legislative races seldom get the attention even of sophisticated political observers. Individual districts are rarely polled publicly. The Essential Races program helps identify the few races that will be most significant in 2010. At just 40 candidates, the Essential Races list constitutes only a fraction of the competitive state legislative campaigns this year. In 2008, more than 160 state legislative races were decided by 200 votes or fewer. A complete list of races to watch this fall would run into the hundreds.

“This list of Essential Races represents a relative handful of races deserving of special attention,” explained Sargeant. “Some are races we anticipate to be the most competitive in their states. Others are bellwethers for similar districts elsewhere. Still others are examples of key races in critical redistricting battlegrounds.”

The inaugural list of Essential Races contains contests from the states of Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, to name only a few.

###

[emphasis added]

The DLCC “works to win state legislative seats and chambers for Democrats.” The DLCC is not affiliated with the Democratic National Committee nor the Democratic Leadership Council.

It’s obvious that the 121st Legislative District race is on the national radar, even more so, given that the DLCC’s Board of Directors does not have a member from Missouri:

The DLCC is governed by a Board of 22 Democratic state legislative leaders who represent the interests of all Democratic state legislative candidates nationally. Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal is the Chair of the Board. The Chair, along with the other Board members, advocates the interest of Democratic state legislators to other national organizations and ensures that state legislative leaders are involved with DLCC in chambers where it is active.

Executive Board

DLCC Chair

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, Iowa

DLCC Vice Chair

Senate President Sylvia Larsen, New Hampshire

DLCC Treasurer

Representative Mike Gerber, Pennsylvania

DLCC Secretary

Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Minnesota

DLCC Finance Chair

House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, Virginia

DLCC Chairman Emeritus

Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller, Jr., Maryland

Board of Directors

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, California

Speaker of the House Pat Bauer, Indiana

Senator Sean Burrage, Oklahoma

Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, Washington

Senate President Richard Codey, New Jersey

Representative Garnet Coleman, Texas

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, Wisconsin

House Majority Leader Ken Guin, Alabama

Senator Wally Horn, Iowa

Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, Nevada

Speaker of the House Dave Hunt, Oregon

Senator Christine Kaufmann, Montana

Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, Virginia

Senate President Brandon Shaffer, Colorado

Representative Mimi Stewart, New Mexico

Representative Mike Turner, Tennessee

Very interesting.

And, of course, Representative Denny Hoskins (r) continues to step in it in the district.

It’s an election year and it’s almost Labor Day. That can only mean one thing. The campaign crews for large signs are out and about. Signs. They take an inordinate amount of time and a candidate’s supporters obsess about them. In short, everything having to do with signs is a campaign’s biggest pain in the ass.

That being said, one of the perks of participating in a campaign consists of working on a sign crew which is assigned the task of putting up 4×8 signs. It’s the most legal fun you can have in a campaign.

Late yesterday afternoon I received a phone message about a sign crew going out in the evening. When I joined them I found out that this crew worked at night. From 9:00 p.m. to almost midnight I followed them across the district as they set up 4×8 signs.

Headlights help illuminate the work at night. Flashlights are a big help, but in a pinch a cell phone will do. Did you know there’s an ap for that?

The evening’s work yet to be done – 4×8 signs and steel posts in the back of a pickup truck.

The first essential for setting up 4×8 signs is a recent soaking rain. Check.

Years ago I took sign crew out to set steel posts and get the signs up at a point in the campaign when it hadn’t rained for at least eight weeks. The ground was as hard as concrete, the going was slow, and the exertion of driving the posts came close to killing the entire sign crew. The heat didn’t help in that regard.

Last night was a lot easier work.

The crew unloads the sign and posts from the truck and lays everything out at the pre-approved location. Yes, campaigns always ask permission.

One of two post drivers the crew brought with them – along with a bag of eleven inch cable ties, available from your local national chain home improvement center.

You let the considerable weight of the post driver and gravity do the work.

Screw drivers are used to punch the holes and cable ties secure the sign to the posts.

Cable ties and corrugated plastic signs are a vast improvement over paper pasted to plywood tied to posts with wire. The work is quicker and the signs are more durable now.

As campaign sign “technology” has evolved, so have the sign vandal’s tools. That’ll be another story.

One of the disadvantages of working at night is that it’s a little more difficult to see what you’re doing. An experienced and disciplined crew can easily work around that. The advantage is that the work is a lot cooler.

And campaign supporters will wake up this morning to a forest of signs that appear to have sprung up like mushrooms.