Rex’s right wingnut seven.

This past weekend at the Missouri Ethics’s Commission:

C121090 06/29/2012 CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY Missouri Club for Growth P O Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 6/29/2012 $40,000.00

C111070 06/29/2012 SATER FOR SENATE Missouri Club for Growth Board PAC P O Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 6/29/2012 $10,000.00

C111154 06/30/2012 DOUG LIBLA FOR SENATE Missouri Club for Growth P O Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 5/29/2012 $10,000.00

C010450 06/30/2012 LEMBKE FOR SENATE Missouri Club for Growth PO Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 6/29/2012 $10,000.00

C051254 06/30/2012 MCGHEE FOR SENATE Missouri Club for Growth P.O. Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 6/29/2012 $40,000.00

C051162 07/01/2012 FRIENDS OF ELLEN BRANDOM Missouri Club for Growth PO Box 2068 StLouis MO 63158 6/29/2012 $40,000.00

C041065 07/01/2012 FRIENDS OF WARD FRANZ Missouri Club For Growth P.O. Box 2068 Saint Louis MO 63158 6/30/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s $160,000.00.

What about Gary Romine (r)? Well, it’s possible that the check is in the mail.

Previously: Campaign Finance: somebody doesn’t like Sen. David Pearce (r) (June 30, 2012)  

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051254 06/30/2012 MCGHEE FOR SENATE Missouri Club for Growth P.O. Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 6/29/2012 $40,000.00

[emphasis added]

Now, who might that be? Or maybe they just prefer the really right wingnuts in the republican party.

Hmm. The republican primary in the 21st Senate District is attracting some serious money.

This past week at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C010192 05/04/2012 PEARCE FOR SENATE Committee To Elect Ron Richard PO Box 2523 Joplin MO 64803 5/4/2012 $5,005.00

[emphasis added]

David Pearce or Mike McGhee (r), someone’s choosing a side in the ideological battle within the Senate republican caucus. Pass the popcorn.

Previously:

Candidate Filing: State Senate – pass the popcorn (February 28, 2012)

Campaign Finance: when an amazing perpetual motion machine isn’t enough (February 8, 2012)

Bed bugs.

Okay, that was two words.

A bill, introduced today:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 1849

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE McGHEE.

6025L.01I                            D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapter 441, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to health control for multifamily rental dwelling units.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

           Section A. Chapter 441, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 441.451, to read as follows:

           441.451. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:

           (1) “Bed bug”, an insect of the species cimex lectularius, commonly referred to as bed bug;….

           ….(2) “Control”, the process required to eliminate or manage an infestation of bed bugs by poisoning, spraying, fumigating, trapping, or by any other recognized and lawful pest elimination method, including repeated application of any treatment, particularly to areas where bed bugs are likely to congregate. Control of bed bugs shall be deemed completed if there has been no evidence of bed bug activity for fifty days after the last application of any treatment;

           (3) “Dwelling unit”, premises or part thereof occupied, used, or held out for use and occupancy as a place of abode for human beings, whether occupied or vacant;

           (4) “Infestation”, the presence of bed bugs or signs of their presence in a quantity large enough that the tenant of a multifamily rental dwelling unit knew or should have known about the presence of bed bugs in the unit;

           (5) “Surrounding unit”, unit or units that share a common wall or are located above or below.

           2. (1) A landlord of a multifamily rental dwelling unit shall use reasonable efforts to maintain the dwelling unit free of an infestation of bed bugs.

           (2) Upon written notice from a tenant of a multifamily rental dwelling unit that he or she suspects the presence of bed bugs in his or her unit, the landlord’s designated pest control professional shall within seven days visually inspect the unit for bed bugs.

           (3) Upon conclusion that an infestation of bed bugs does exist in the unit following an inspection in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection, the landlord shall within fourteen days begin the process of controlling the bed bug infestation in the dwelling unit. The landlord shall also notify other tenants in the surrounding units of the multifamily rental dwelling unit that an infestation has been discovered and is being controlled.

           (4) Only a landlord or landlord’s designated pest control professional shall apply any bed bug control techniques as set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of this section.

           (5) When a landlord requires access to a multifamily rental dwelling unit for purposes of inspecting for an infestation of bed bugs or controlling an infestation of bed bugs, the landlord shall provide at least twenty-four hours’ notice to the tenant in writing that the landlord requires access for purposes of inspecting or controlling the infestation of bed bugs.

           (6) Except in a situation where a landlord has been grossly negligent, the landlord or the landlord’s employees, officers, agents, and directors shall not be liable to the tenant or the tenant’s guests for any damages relating to and arising from the infestation of bed bugs or the inspection for and control of bed bugs.

           (7) If, after receiving notice of a suspected bed bug infestation under subdivision (3) of subsection 3 of this section, the landlord fails to inspect and/or designate a pest control professional for the purposes of conducting an inspection and/or controlling bed bugs, or if the landlord obstructs or inhibits the ability of the landlord’s designated pest control professional to control a bed bug infestation, the tenant shall not be liable to the landlord or the landlord’s agents for any damages relating to and arising from the presence of bed bugs

           3. (1) A tenant of a multifamily rental dwelling unit shall use reasonable care to maintain his or her dwelling unit free of an infestation of bed bugs.

           (2) The failure of a tenant to report any bed bug infestation within his or her dwelling unit within seven days after move-in the exercise of reasonable diligence shall be an acknowledgment by the tenant that the dwelling unit is acceptable and bed bug free.

           (3) A tenant who knew or should have known of the presence of an infestation of bed bugs or who suspects the presence of bed bugs in his or her dwelling unit shall notify the landlord in writing as to the presence of bed bugs within his or her unit within forty-eight hours. Notice provided to the landlord by the tenant in accordance with this section constitutes permission to the landlord to enter the dwelling unit in accordance with subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of this section for the purpose of inspecting for or controlling bed bugs.

           (4) A tenant who fails to notify the landlord of the presence of bed bugs in accordance with subdivision (3) of this subsection may be held liable for damages related to the cost of treating the unreported infestation.

           (5) Upon notice from the landlord under subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of this section, a tenant shall grant the landlord or the landlord’s designated pest control professional access to the unit for purposes of conducting an inspection and controlling bed bugs.

           (6) The tenant shall not apply any bed bug control techniques as set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of this section.

           (7) If, after receiving notice of an inspection or control procedure under subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of this section, the tenant obstructs or inhibits the ability of the landlord or the landlord’s designated pest control professional to access the unit, fails to comply with protocol set forth by the landlord or landlord’s designated pest control professional, which is deemed necessary to carry out control of a bed bug infestation, or obstructs or inhibits the landlord or the landlord’s designated pest control professional from completing requisite treatment necessary to control a bed bug infestation:

           (a) The landlord shall not be liable to the tenant or his or her guests for any damages relating to and arising from the presence of bed bugs; and

           (b) The tenant may be found to be in violation of his or her lease and/or subject to reasonable damages.

It looks like three weeks is supposed to be a reasonable amount of time to get rid of bed bugs. Fancy that. Sleep tight.

There’s got to be a really fascinating story behind the existence of this bill.  

So far it’s been a very interesting day in Jefferson City (via the Missouri Secretary of State) as candidates file for office. In the State Senate:

State Senator – District 7

Democrat

Jason Holsman P.O. BOX 480572

KANSAS CITY MO 64145 2/28/2012

11:05 a.m.

Republican

Jane Cunningham 1602 TIMBERLAKE MANOR PKY

CHESTERFIELD MO 63017 2/28/2012

12:43 p.m.

Senator Jane Cunningham (r) is very, very unhappy. She filed in the 7th District. Does that mean she thinks the latest iteration of redistricting will get tossed and she’ll gain the top ballot position when (if) her district on the other side of the state reverts to its original number?

State Senator – District 21

Republican

Mike McGhee 5538 GRUBB RD

ODESSA MO 64076 2/28/2012

2:04 p.m.

David Pearce 123 SE 180TH RD

WARRENSBURG MO 64093 2/28/2012

3:46 p.m.

Okay, that makes this a primary between a birther who loaned his campaign $100,000.00 and one of the last republican moderates (and that’s relatively speaking) serving in Jefferson City.

Decisions, decisions.

State Senator – District 31

Republican

Scott Largent 1904 RUSTIC WAY

CLINTON MO 64735 2/28/2012

10:40 a.m.

Ed Emery PO BOX 123

LAMAR MO 64759 2/28/2012

4:13 p.m.

Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you feel like another nut.

Why not? It’ll just add to the clown show.

You’re just gonna have to loan your own campaign the big bucks. Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051254 02/08/2012 MCGHEE FOR SENATE Mike McGhee loan 5538 Grubb Road Odessa MO 64076 Missouri House of Representatives Legislator 2/8/2012 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

And we’re still not sure what district he’ll be running in.

Previously:

Rep. Mike McGhee (r) and the amazing perpetual motion machine (July 16, 2010)

Yesterday Representative Mike McGhee (r) introduced HB 1520, which repeals the death penalty. You read that right. From the Journal of the House [pdf]:

….HB 1520, introduced by Representatives McGhee, Lasater, Wieland, Berry, Kelly (24), Rizzo, Meadows, Webb, Morgan, McCreery, Atkins, Nasheed, Hughes, Talboy, Spreng, Carter, Quinn, Shively, Hubbard, Jones (63), Swearingen, Pace, Walton Gray, McNeil, McDonald, Carlson, Hodges, Sommer, Hummel, Stream, Brown (50), Ellington, Schupp, Kirkton, Montecillo, Oxford, Taylor, Pierson, Webber, Ellinger, Smith (71), McCann Beatty, McGeoghegan and Lant, relating to repealing the death penalty….

In case you’re curious, that’s an actual bipartisan list of co-sponsors.

The actual bill.

The Appellate Apportionment Commission has placed Senator David Pearce (r) and Representative Mike McGhee (r), a declared candidate for the Senate, in the same district. Senator Bill Stouffer (r) is term limited out in 2012.

The map of the new 21st Senate District, including Carroll, Chariton, parts of Johnson, Lafayette, Livingston, Pettis and Saline Counties – from the Appellate Apportionment Commission.

Well, that’s awkward.

CANDIDATE Date Established: 11/1/2005

Date Terminated:

COMMITTEE: MECID:C051254

MCGHEE FOR SENATE

5583 GRUBB RD

ODESSA MO 64076

[….]

TREASURER: VALETA A MCGHEE

[….]

DEP. TREASURER: VALETA A MCGHEE

[….]

CANDIDATE: MIKE MCGHEE

5538 GRUBB RD

ODESSA MO 64076

[….]

OFFICE SOUGHT: STATE SENATORDISTRICT 21

Date of Election:8/7/2012

Political Party:REPUBLICAN

[emphasis added]

We can compare the fundraising numbers:

REPORT SUMMARY

MCGHEE FOR SENATE [pdf] 10/10/2011

1. Total Receipts For This Election Previously Reported $4,220.44

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $1,150.00

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $1,010.71

18. Total Contributions Made This Period $400.00

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $1,942.24

34. Total Indebtedness at the Close of This Reporting Period $500.00

[emphasis added]

That’s not very impressive. But wait, there’s more:

Campaign Finance: bad timing (November 6, 2011)

Last week at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051254 11/03/2011 MCGHEE FOR SENATE Sam Howard Regional Group, Imagine Schools, Inc. 107 Concord Street Holliston MA 01746 11/3/2011 $7,500.00

On the same day in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Imagine Schools places top executive on leave

BY ELISA CROUCH […] Posted: Thursday, November 3, 2011 12:06 am

….The company has placed Sam Howard, executive vice president, on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation. Imagine spokeswoman Lori Waters said. The Post-Dispatch reported that a contracting firm that renovated Imagine school buildings had made $32,000 in payments to a “Sam Howard.” Howard had no explanation for the payments.

The Missouri Public Charter School Association is now calling for an investigation of the schools by the state auditor….

Well, that’s interesting.

And for David Pearce (r):

REPORT SUMMARY

PEARCE FOR SENATE [pdf] 10/17/2011

1. Total Receipts For This Election Previously Reported $67,512.57

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $54,580.00

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $5,370.84

18. Total Contributions Made This Period $5,000.00

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $99,336.22

34. Total Indebtedness at the Close of This Reporting Period $79,239.76

[emphasis added]

Ouch, that’s a lot of debt. It’s in a different league than Mike McGhee (r), but we all know the right wingnuts come out for republican primaries…

Last week at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051254 11/03/2011 MCGHEE FOR SENATE Sam Howard Regional Group, Imagine Schools, Inc. 107 Concord Street Holliston MA 01746 11/3/2011 $7,500.00

On the same day in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Imagine Schools places top executive on leave

BY ELISA CROUCH […] Posted: Thursday, November 3, 2011 12:06 am

….The company has placed Sam Howard, executive vice president, on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation. Imagine spokeswoman Lori Waters said. The Post-Dispatch reported that a contracting firm that renovated Imagine school buildings had made $32,000 in payments to a “Sam Howard.” Howard had no explanation for the payments.

The Missouri Public Charter School Association is now calling for an investigation of the schools by the state auditor….

Well, that’s interesting.

Because you can’t give up on your dream to make everyone pray to the same deity in the same way at the same time.

HJR 2 was pre-filed by Representative Mike McGhee (r – birther). He’s done this before. Apparently, all assessment of Missouri public school students in the form of tests or exams (and the inevitable accompanying prayers by those same students) have ceased in the last few years. Or something.

Previously:

Department of Redundancy Department: Representative Mike McGhee (r) (January 4, 2010)

HJR 62: brace yourself for “Talk Like a Pirate Day” (May 5, 2010)

Shark Fu has a thing or two to say on the subject:

The Amish are coming…to Missouri!

….I’ve made a study of calls for American communities to integrate faith into everything from public schools to government.  A bitch has to give supporters of organized prayer in school their due – they’ve passed those Death Tax fools in the race to perpetuate nonsense for political gain and that’s quite an accomplishment.  The issue is and has been about organized prayer in the public school classroom, but when you hear people talk about it you’d think their little Missy had been stuck in the corner with a dunce cap for quietly praying before an algebra test.  Now that’s a masterful work of bullshittery!

People buy that bullshit because most of them can’t conceive of why there may be a problem with a teacher leading a class in prayer.

And people often can’t conceive the problem because the fact that teachers don’t lead public school students in organized prayer prevents the problem….

….Talk of bringing organized prayer to public schools is really a call to bring their kind of prayer to those classrooms….

Amen, sister!

The bill:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 2

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES McGHEE (Sponsor), WALLINGFORD, LANT, REIBOLDT, SCHIEBER, LASATER, WHITE, CIERPIOT, KEENEY, LOEHNER, WELLS, SCHAD, DAVIS, BAHR, GATSCHENBERGER, WYATT, KLIPPENSTEIN, FITZWATER, JONES (89), THOMSON, LICHTENEGGER, HOUGH, ROWLAND, SATER, SOLON, LONG, SHUMAKE, CRAWFORD, HINSON, RUZICKA, SCHNEIDER, HAMPTON, FREDERICK, PHILLIPS, KORMAN, ELMER, ALLEN, BERNSKOETTER, HIGDON, BROWN (116), ASBURY, SCHATZ, CURTMAN AND KOENIG (Co-sponsors).

0293L.01I                                                                                                                                                  D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

JOINT RESOLUTION

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri an amendment repealing section 5 of article I of the Constitution of Missouri, and adopting one new section in lieu thereof relating to the right to pray.

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein:

           That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2012, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article I of the Constitution of the state of Missouri:

           Section A. Section 5, article I, Constitution of Missouri, is repealed and one new section adopted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 5, to read as follows:

           Section 5. That all men and women have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; that no human authority can control or interfere with the rights of conscience; that no person shall, on account of his or her religious persuasion or belief, be rendered ineligible to any public office or trust or profit in this state, be disqualified from testifying or serving as a juror, or be molested in his or her person or estate; that to secure a citizen’s right to acknowledge Almighty God according to the dictates of his or her own conscience, neither the state nor any of its political subdivisions shall establish any official religion, nor shall a citizen’s right to pray or express his or her religious beliefs be infringed; that the state shall not coerce any person to participate in any prayer or other religious activity, but shall ensure that any person shall have the right to pray individually or corporately in a private or public setting so long as such prayer does not result in disturbance of the peace or disruption of a public meeting or assembly; that citizens as well as elected officials and employees of the state of Missouri and its political subdivisions shall have the right to pray on government premises and public property so long as such prayers abide within the same parameters placed upon any other free speech under similar circumstances; that the General Assembly and the governing bodies of political subdivisions may extend to ministers, clergypersons, and other individuals the privilege to offer invocations or other prayers at meetings or sessions of the General Assembly or governing bodies; that students may express their beliefs about religion in written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their work; that no student shall be compelled to perform or participate in academic assignments or educational presentations that violate his or her religious beliefs; that the state shall ensure public school students their right to free exercise of religious expression without interference, as long as such prayer or other expression is private and voluntary, whether individually or corporately, and in a manner that is not disruptive and as long as such prayers or expressions abide within the same parameters placed upon any other free speech under similar circumstances; and, to emphasize the right to free exercise of religious expression, that all free public schools receiving state appropriations shall display, in a conspicuous and legible manner, the text of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States; but this section shall not be construed to expand the rights of prisoners in state or local custody beyond those afforded by the laws of the United States, excuse acts of licentiousness, nor to justify practices inconsistent with the good order, peace or safety of the state, or with the rights of others.

           Section B. Pursuant to Chapter 116, RSMo, and other applicable constitutional provisions and laws of this state allowing the General Assembly to adopt ballot language for the submission of a joint resolution to the voters of this state, the official ballot title of the amendment proposed in Section A shall be as follows:

           “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure:

           •          That the right of Missouri citizens to express their religious beliefs shall not be infringed;

           •          That school children have the right to pray and acknowledge God voluntarily in their schools; and

           •          That all public schools shall display the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.”

[emphasis in original]

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