In looking forward to the coming legislative session, State Rep. Jake Zimmerman, D-Olivette, acknowledged that he will be working with a number of unhinged members of the Missouri House. He waved Cynthia Davis aside as by no means the most wackadoodle of them and called to the attention of the audience at West County Dems two Republicans who have outdone even Cynthia.

Jim Guest, R-Pluto (pictured at right), believes that the government has been implanting electromagnetic chips in citizens’ brains in order to control them and torture them. Blink. This assertion was striking enough to get Guest a mention in a New York Times article about a British psychologist who tracks the crazies on the internet. Unfazed by the notoriety of one of its members, the House leadership, as Fired Up! points out, has granted Guest tacit support by appointing him chair of the Real ID and Privacy Committee.

Ed Emery, R-Lamar, is out there too. In 2006, he inserted language into a special committee report claiming that abortion causes illegal immigration. Seriously. (We’ve killed so many of our babies that now we have to have Mexican workers come here to fill the gap.) Democrats on the committee refused to sign the report, but nine Republicans signed it.

Zimmerman’s reaction?

“It makes complete sense if you’re insane. … These are our colleagues. But that’s okay. Such has ever been the way with state legislatures. It wasn’t so long ago that an Arizona legislator introduced a bill to change Pi from 3.14159 to 3.10 so that it would be easier for math students.

So anytime Zimmerman is tempted to get impressed with himself, he says:

“I look in the mirror and I remind myself that I make the same salary and have precisely the same job as Jim Guest and Cynthia Davis.

The upside of all their nuttiness is that it’s so easy for Democrats to point all that out in campaigns. And besides:

“There are serious and substantive Republicans. That creature exists, but that creature has been drowned out and dominated by the folks who are in charge of the current team.”

In fact, Zimmerman thought he had found one of those serious, substantive types last year. He and Brian Yates, R-Lee’s Summit, co-sponsored some ethics legislation that included such ideas as forbidding ex-legislators to become lobbyists for a year after the end of their term–you know, the sorts of ideas that are already in place in Illinois for god’s sake. And Zimmerman looked forward to pressing that legislation again this year. Until he found out that Yates–after blasting Republicans for their corruption–had resigned. To work for a PayDay company. As Fired Up! points out: “H’ray usury!”

In any case, Zimmerman predicts that the House Republican caucus won’t listen to the anonymous Republican rep who wrote the caucus a letter accusing Jetton and the new House Majority Leader, Steve Tilley, of interconnected corruption and urging Republicans to clean house. Not gonna happen. Here’s what will happen:

“And so while this session will be filled with sturm und drang–we will fight about the budget; it will be ugly. But remember that at the end of the day the only ballgame they’re gonna be playing is to leave the difficult decisions in Jay Nixon’s lap. When all the budget fight is boiled down,that’s what they’re going to be about. And there’ll be sturm und drang over women’s reproductive rights as there always is. (cell phone ringing) There will be meaningless fights picked over immigration (cell phone ringing) as there always is. (cell phone ringing) It’s for me, Ken. (Laughter)”

Democrats will continue to spit into the wind talking about ethics reform, campaign finance reform, early voting and green jobs. They won’t be heard, but then again, neither will the Republicans in a way. Their tired memes about abortion and immigration are losing their appeal and, more important, Republicans are fighting among themselves.

That’s what you want to see when you’re a member of the minority party.

When the opening arises and/or when it is obvious, I am willing to admit making a mistake in judgment, prediction, or insight. It is with that preface that I will admit that I was probably a bit too snarky towards former State Rep. Brian Yates after his sudden resignation. I say this after reading his remarks in Prime Buzz about the Republican General Assembly (which you can also find quoted just down the page). Sure, Yates’ own ties don’t make him out to be perfect. But the intraparty clashes of the Republicans entertain me, until I realize that these guys run a huge chunk of the state government.

But don’t worry about ethics, Republican Leader Steve “Air” Tilley is proposing an ethics package. Which would be a great joke, if it’s not going to be taken seriously by Republicans and newspaper writers as being reform.

At least Five questions worth asking about a Tilley ethics bill in order to figure out if it’s going to be reform or synthetic reform.

1) Will lobbyists and special interests write the Tilley bill or just provide an outline of acceptable limitations?

2) How far will gift bans really go? and how blatant will the loopholes be? Will Lobbyists be able to co-own valuable items with legislators to stretch a gift ban?

3) How long will former legislators be barred from lobbying? a year? two years? longer?

4) Will a bar on political consulting while in office really mean much other than the person doing the consulting not directly earning money for his efforts? (In other words, will it be a symbolic ban where the majority pats themselves on their backs at the end)

5) How much of this bill will ultimately get scrapped or fused onto the Shields bill?

But any ethics bill that fails to address the Texas-style campaign contribution laws we have on the books is not complete. Any bill that thinks you can clean up politics in the Missouri General Assembly while allowing prominent legislators to keep receiving six-digit long checks from power brokers and special interests is a bill built on a surplus of optimism, hope, and delusion.

Campaign finance limits are more likely come about as a result of proposition circulated by voters. If there’s one thing that Missouri voters consistently approve of in amendments and propositions, it’s limiting politicians. The 1994 proposition limiting contributions passed 1,186,113 to 418,630. A percentage margin of 74%-26%. A similar proposition would pass in 2010, 2012, or any other year. Just waiting for someone else to get arrested or convicted to actually inspire campaign finance limits is not quite enough.

5 checks of $100,000 or more for candidates or House/Senate campaign committees have been reported in 2009. Two went to Steven Tilley (from the Missouri Leadership Committee and Rex Sinquefield). Two went from Steven Tilley to the House Republican Campaign Committee. One went from David Humphreys to the HRCC. Six other six-figure checks were written, Three went to “Vote Yes to Stop Double Taxation” from Realtor groups. The others went to the Life Sciences Fund, Healthpac, and the Civic Progress Action Committee.

The reality is that the only ways that giant checks would get any newspaper/television media coverage is if someone involved got in trouble. Much like how legislators repealing a state law supported by such a wide percentage of voters didn’t backfire on those legislators, because it wasn’t big news to the newspaper/television media and wasn’t shocking news to the masses of disconnected voters who rightly don’t trust elected officials.

Fortunately someone will touch upon this topic. Blogs exist because reading information for free from your lap is easier than reading a newspaper for a fee in your chair and because founding your own newspaper is expensive.

I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

The stenographer writes in today’s Kansas City Star:

Posted on Sat, Dec. 12, 2009 10:18 PM

ON POLITICS

Ex-lawmaker calls Missouri General Assembly a ‘scam’

By STEVE KRASKE

Former Missouri lawmaker Brian Yates couldn’t hold back.

Having resigned his seat Dec. 1, midway through his final term, the Lee’s Summit Republican let loose last week with a no-holds-barred assessment of the state of Jefferson City….

….Serving in the General Assembly, he said, had become a “scam….”

….The 34-year-old lawyer ticked them off: the passage of legislation in exchange for campaign donations, the underhanded dealings of former House speaker Rod Jetton, price tags placed on committee chairmanships, wealthy folks getting all the attention, all that political money sloshing around the Capitol….

The stenographer fails to mention what our good friends at Fired Up point out:

Brian Yates (R-Payday Loans)

Submitted by .Sean on November 30, 2009 – 5:43pm

Rep. Brian Yates (R-Lee’s Summitt) is officially resigning at noon tomorrow to work full time for QC Holdings.  It’s a payday loan company, with stores operating mostly as Quik Cash or National Quik Cash.

H’ray usury!

We did a search at the Missouri Ethics Commission for campaign contributions by QC Holdings during 2008 and this is what we came up with:

[Note: duplicate listings for the same single contribution will show up due to ammended campaign finance reports]

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 12/19/2007 $625.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071143 CITIZENS TO ELECT SUE ALLEN — QC Holdings 10/05/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071365 SPEAKER JETTON LEADERSHIP FUND — QC Holdings INC 12/29/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — AMENDED JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 11/29/2007 $1,000.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031227 REPUBLICAN 18TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT COMMITTEE — QC Holdings Inc 10/17/2007 $500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051222 CITIZENS TO ELECT JAMILAH NASHEED — QC Holdings Companies 11/01/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071365 SPEAKER JETTON LEADERSHIP FUND — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 12/29/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 11/14/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 12/05/2007 $3,750.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C010289 PEOPLE FOR MICHAEL SPRENG — QC Holdings , inc 10/24/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 11/29/2007 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc.   01/11/2008 $18,000.00 Yes — 24 HOUR EXPENDITURE REPORT – SPECIAL ELECTION

C010402 ZWEIFEL FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE — QC Holdings 02/21/2008 $325.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C001096 FRIENDS OF DELBERT SCOTT — QC Holdings 01/02/2008 $650.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031160 FRIENDS OF TILLEY — QC HOLDINGS INC 01/02/2008 $325.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 02/28/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc.   12/19/2007 $625.00 Yes — AMENDED – JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 2/26/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 02/28/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051104 MISSOURIANS FOR STEVE HOBBS — QC Holdings 06/30/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051104 MISSOURIANS FOR STEVE HOBBS — QC Holdings 06/30/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 04/24/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 06/30/2008 $5,300.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041065 FRIENDS OF WARD FRANZ — QC Holdings, Inc. 06/27/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C010503 CITIZENS FOR JAY WASSON — QC HOLDINGS, INC. 06/26/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051087 CITIZENS FOR TIMOTHY W JONES — QC Holdings, Inc. 06/05/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031212 BRUNS FOR REP — QC Holdings Inc –   06/29/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C061248 FRIENDS OF RICK STREAM Yes QC Holdings, Inc 06/05/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C081056 GINA LOUDON FOR SENATE — QC Holdings Inc   04/10/2008 $650.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041135 CITIZENS FOR BOB NANCE — QC Holdings 07/11/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C061401 MO LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE — QC HOLDINGS, INC. 07/01/2008 $2,500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051286 CITIZENS FOR MIKE TALBOY — QC Holdings, Inc.   07/01/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C010334 FRIENDS OF CHARLIE DENISON — QC Holdings, INC 07/11/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C061291 LEADERSHIP FOR TOMORROW — QC Holdings, Inc 07/24/2008 $500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051232 CITIZENS FOR RYAN SILVEY — QC Holdings, Inc. 07/02/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051161 CITIZENS FOR A BETTER GOVERNMENT — QC Holdings Inc. 07/01/2008 $500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051286 CITIZENS FOR MIKE TALBOY — QC Holdings, Inc. 07/01/2008 $325.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C010193 RON RICHARD 2010 — QC Holdings 09/03/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC   09/04/2008 $2,500.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 09/10/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071368 STEVENSON PAC — QC Holdings Inc – 07/14/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000762 GREATER KC WOMENS POLITICAL CAUCUS PAC — QC Holdings 09/29/2008 $1,250.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071384 ECONOMIC GROWTH COUNCIL — QC Holdings 07/28/2008 $12,500.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041584 0011TH SENATORIAL LEADERSHIP COMM — QC Holdings Inc. 10/16/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041050 COMMITTEE TO ELECT KENNY JONES — QC Holdings Inc. 10/20/2008 $400.00
Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C010293 MISSOURIANS FOR GOODMAN — QC Holdings 10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C071320 SCHMITT FOR SENATE — QC Holdings Inc 10/17/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C001285 COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOAN BARRY — QC Holdings Inc   10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C061646 STAN COX FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE — QC Holdings, Inc 10/20/2008 $400.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc.   10/21/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C031110 MISSOURIANS FOR CROWELL — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041628 ENGLER 08 — QC Holdings Inc –   10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/15/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C051320 COMMITTEE FOR EL-AMIN 57TH Yes QC Holdings, INC 10/10/2008 $400.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/28/2008 $500.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C001285 COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOAN BARRY — QC Holdings Inc 10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041628 ENGLER 08 — QC Holdings Inc – 10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/28/2008 $500.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc.   10/27/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C051108 CITIZENS FOR RIDGEWAY — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC   10/24/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 2/26/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C071384 ECONOMIC GROWTH COUNCIL — QC Holdings 07/28/2008 $12,500.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 01/11/2008 $18,000.00 Yes — AMENDED 30 DAY AFTER SPECIAL ELECTION

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — AMENDED 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

[emphasis added]

There are a number of relatively small contributions and, of course, we also note contributions to candidates and committees of both major political parties.

What’s interesting is that old media fails to point out the irony of a critic of the system and the culture of the previous Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives quitting the House and going to work for an entity that made a significant amount of political contributions.

Ultimately the voters get the campaign finance world they deserve. If they want to change it for the better individual voters can get of their duffs, decide on the individual candidates they want to support, and send them each a check for ten dollars. If enough people get it and start doing such there wouldn’t be a culture that exploits the need for large contributions from other entities.

What could be so tempting to make a man quit his job in the Missouri General Assembly a year early?

What about “a 9-to-5 job” for a payday lending giant. That’s what Brian Yates is going to do, moving from one field with a bad reputation to a field that deserves a worse reputation.

QC Holdings (“Quik Cash”) appears to have a valuable team member. We’ll keep our eyes open and report back when he becomes a lobbyist for the free market tradition of extreme interest rates. (The United Payday Lenders of Missouri (which QC is a member of) have two lobbyists)

The STL Better Business Bureau said that “Missouri accounted for 30% of QC Holdings’ total branch gross profits last year” and that

“Among the nine contiguous states, only Tennessee has more payday loan locations (1,481) than Missouri (1,275) with the next highest being Kentucky with 785, according to the Division of Finance’s report. The report also shows that the APR allowed by Missouri’s statutes of 1,950% based on a two-week loan of $100 is by far the highest of the nine contiguous states”

When they say Payday, they mean “payday for them”, not you. And if the Republican Legislature actually moves to help people out (which is unlikely), QC can roll out at least one employee who knows his way around the place.

BTW, the Special Election will likely be held on April 6th because Yates resigned too late for a February Special election. Although this is actually a slight financial win for the area since it’ll be held concurrently with Municipal Elections in Lee’s Summit.

An extra two months is good news for taxpayers and for likely Democratic candidate Dave Coffman.

We’ll keep you posted on this story.

The political news from Eastern Jackson County is the sudden resignation of Brian Yates and an impending special election in HD56 in February.

Yates resignation is coupled with his announcement that he will be endorsing a conservative mystery candidate from Lee’s Summit in the 8th Senate District primary on Monday to oppose Bryan Pratt and Gary Dusenberg. Let’s get to some of the facts here.

Barring unexpected twists, the Republican nominee will be Mike Cierpiot and the Democratic nominee will be Dave Coffman. Coffman has raised $3300 through the 3rd quarter in the short time he has been a candidate. Cierpiot has raised $24K including $12,001 from personal injury lawyer Mike Ketchmark whose political contributions are both large and in the form of Price is Right Contestants Row bids.

Mike Cierpiot’s wife is former State Rep. Connie Cierpiot. Cierpiot’s treasurer is former State Rep. Derek Holland. Both Holland and Cierpiot were mentioned as parts of the “Lazies v. the Crazies” (Patrick Dwyer’s words, not mine) scuffle in Jackson County Republican politics in the 1990s.

Ketchmark was also mentioned in the 8/15/1993 KC Star article in reference to the story of how Derek Holland got nominated (with help of his wife) to replace Bob Johnson in the State Senate (an election Holland lost to Margaret Rennau). It’s a virtual guarantee that this group of Republicans, who were on the “hard right” before it was “cool”, have ruffled people in both parties over the last few years. And when you consider that Bob Johnson was running for the State Senate in 2006 against Matt Bartle, it’s not like the scuffle is over. It has just been extremely one-sided recently.

As for electoral numbers..

Yates defeated Chris Ruggles by a 62-38 margin last November as John McCain defeated Barack Obama by a 58-41 margin amongst district precincts (Our apologies if the absentees tilted in a weird enough way to change that percentage significantly).

The 56th district is made up of the I470 corridor of Lee’s Summit, some parts of Lee’s Summit closer to US50 (but not downtown), Lake Lotawana, Lone Jack, assorted parts of Southeastern Jackson County, Lake Jacomo, and all those fun areas. The Lee’s Summit precincts went 57/42.49 for McCain while the rest of the precincts went 61/38 McCain.

Having to deal with an under 2 month long campaign, with a portion of that over Christmas, is going to be tough for the Dems to deal with. But it could be educational when it comes to seeing what could work in regards to their hopes in the 2010 elections. Plus, weird things happen in February special elections.

Happy Thanksgiving voters, have a Special Election!

Chris Ruggles (D) is challenging incumbent Brian Yates (r) in the 56th Legislative District. We’ve written about this race before:

Chris Ruggles (D) in the 56th Legislative District

Chris Ruggles (D) filed his second quarter 2008 campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 15th:

Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report

Committe[e]: CITIZENS FOR CHRIS RUGGLES

1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $0.00

2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $695.00

3. ALL LOANS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $882.52

9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $1,577.52

15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $662.06

28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $915.46

[emphasis added]

Let’s take a look at contributions:

Detailed Summary of Contributions And Loans Received

Committee: CITIZENS FOR CHRIS RUGGLES

Report Date: 7/15/2008

47th legislative committee Lee’s Summit, MO. 06/19/2008 $325.00

13. TOTAL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $100 OR LESS $370.00

C. LOANS RECEIVED

Chris Ruggles Lee’s Summit, MO. 05/19/2008 $882.52

[emphasis added]

Expenditures:

Detailed Summary of Expenditures And Contributions Made

Committe[e]: CITIZENS FOR CHRIS RUGGLES

Report[ ]Date: 7/15/2008

Office Supplies $75.00

Service Printing and Graphics Kansas City, MO. 05/02/2008 Printing $188.52

Service Printing and Graphics Kansas City, MO. 05/28/2008 Printing $226.22

Service Printing and Graphics Kansas City, MO. 06/04/2008 Printing $172.32

Door to door, one brochure at a time.

Brian Yates (r) filed his second quarter 2008 campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 15th:

Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report

Committe[e]: YATES 2008

1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $19,299.99

2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $4,025.00

9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $23,324.99

14. TOTAL ALL EXPENDITURES MADE THIS PERIOD (SUM 11A + 12A + 13A) $430.72

15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $7,272.62

20. TOTAL ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS ELECTION (SUM 16B + 19A) $4,000.00

28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $26,366.98

[emphasis added]

Let’s take a look at the contributions:

Detailed Summary of Contributions And Loans Received

Committee: YATES 2008

Report Date: 7/15/2008

Missouri State Teachers Association Legislative Impact Committee Columbia, MO 06/12/2008 $325.00

Missouri Schools Administrators PAC Jefferson City, MO 06/19/2008 $250.00

Missouri Medical Political Action Committee Jefferson City, MO 06/30/2008 $325.00

Heavy Constructors Assn. PAC Kansas City, MO 06/25/2008 $325.00

Missouri Land Title PAC Jefferson City, MO 06/16/2008 $325.00

MBA State PAC Jefferson City, MO 05/16/2008 $325.00

HCA Missouri Good Government Fund Jefferson City, MO 06/27/2008 $325.00

MO Assn of Insurance & Financial Advisors PAC Jefferson City, MO 06/13/2008 $325.00

AGC of St. Louis PAC St. Louis, MO 06/12/2008 $325.00

Express Scripts, Inc. St. Louis, MO 06/05/2008 $325.00

Anheuser-Busch, Inc. St. Louis, MO 06/24/2008 $325.00

Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc.  Louis, MO0 6/04/2008 $325.00

13. TOTAL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $100 OR LESS $200.00

PACs. Not one itemized individual contribution. Not one. If that isn’t symbolic of the last four years in the State of Missouri, I don’t know what is.

Let’s look at expenditures:

Detailed Summary of Expenditures And Contributions Made

Committe: YATES 2008

ReportDate: 7/15/2008

Banking Fees $30.72

06/23/2008 Salary for campaign work $400.00

C. MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE (REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT)

Blaine for Congress Columbia, MO 06/24/2008 $500.00

That’s it. What’s the campaign worker doing? Playing computer solitaire all day?

This one is David and Goliath. You all know what to do.