Same difference.

An ad from the usual teabagger suspects showing up on our television sets every five minutes today:

Published on Apr 1, 2013

Timing is everything, even without a sense of irony.

Voice: When I make a state tax payment I expect for it to go to the amount that I owe and to provide essential state services. [speaker revealed to be really bad actor number one] Now I see that a subpoena has been issued against the Department of Revenue because they’re collecting personal information on gun owners and sending it to the Obama Administration.

Really bad actor number two: Sounds like Governor Nixon isn’t doing his job to protect us from Obama’s reach.

Really bad actor number one: When state agencies don’t do their jobs it’s [speaker revealed to be Carl Bearden (r), right wingnut lobbyist and former state legislator] all of our state taxpayer dollars that’s wasted.

Really bad actor number two: That’s outrageous. But what can I do?

Really bad actor number one/Carl Bearden (r): You can go to….and tell Governor Nixon to stop taking aim at Missouri taxpayers.

[Paid for by United For Missouri]

Carl Bearden (r)? Isn’t he a lobbyist?:

LOBID:L002591 Received Date:7/17/2007

Lobbyist’s Name Carl Bearden

[….]

Principal(s) listed by Lobbyist

Principal Name/Address/Phone Status Date Added Date Deleted

CARL BEARDEN

PO BOX 561

ST. CHARLES MO 63302

(314) 560-4597 A 7/19/2007

UNITED FOR MISSOURI

PO BOX 11466

SPRINGFIELD MO 65808

888-332-3811 A 7/30/2010

UNITED FOR MISSOURI’S FUTURE

PO BOX 11466

SPRINGFIELD MO 65808

888-332-3811 A 7/30/2010

[….]

Why, yes, he is.

“…When I make a state tax payment I expect for it to go to the amount that I owe…”

No, everyone else expects it to be for any random amount, Captain Obvious. Was this commercial written by a twelve year old? Just asking.

“…Sounds like Governor Nixon isn’t doing his job to protect us from Obama’s reach…”

Who knew that Barack Obama was the supreme leader of North Korea? I didn’t know that. Did you know that?

Taxes. Check.

Gun paranoia. Check.

Evil Obama. Check.

Incoherence. Check.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121327 06/25/2012 COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC LIBERTY Ameristar One Ameristar St Charles MO 63301 6/25/2012 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

What’s this all about? That’s (relatively) serious cash.

C121327: Committee For Economic Liberty

Po Box 1661 Committee Type: Political Action

St Charles Mo 63302

(888) 332-3811 Established Date: 06/06/2012

[emphasis added]

Brand new.

Treasurer

Carl Bearden

Po Box 561

St Charles Mo 63302

[emphasis added]

Now we’re getting somewhere.

A lobbyist:

LOBID:L002591 Received Date:7/17/2007

Lobbyist’s Name Carl Bearden

Lobbyist’s Address PO Box 561

Lobbyist’s Address2

Lobbyist’s C/S/Z St Charles, MO 63302

[emphasis added]

Fancy that. The same address.

Principal(s) listed by Lobbyist

Principal Name/Address/Phone Status Date Added Date Deleted

CARL BEARDEN

PO BOX 561

ST. CHARLES MO 63302

[xxx-xxx-xxxx] A 7/19/2007

UNITED FOR MISSOURI

PO BOX 11466

SPRINGFIELD MO 65808

[xxx-xxx-xxxx] A 7/30/2010

UNITED FOR MISSOURI’S FUTURE

PO BOX 11466

SPRINGFIELD MO 65808

[xxx-xxx-xxxx] A 7/30/2010

That’s a compact list.

Well, something’s up in St. Charles. With a PAC name like “Committee for Economic Liberty” it’ll be interesting to watch.

Previously: Teabaggers, and nullification, and the cult of the lost cause, oh my!

Wait, could that be? Why yes, it’s a lobbyist waiting in the wings.

Carl Bearden (r), lobbyist: ….You need to make sure that you look around the perimeter of this rotunda. You need to make sure that you look around, uh, chambers in the Senate and the House and read the words that are on these walls because when we determine and decide and elect people who believe and practice the words in this capitol we’ll have a better state and we’ll have a better country. [applause]

[inaudible] Right behind you is “Where there is no vision the people perish”. We have to have a vision for a free America. We have to have a vision for a free Missouri. And without your activity as a [inaudible] said, that cannot happen because, folks, we sent some good people to Jefferson City. We sent some good people to Washington, D.C. How many of you all are married? How many wives do we have present? Every wife knows in order to make a good husband she has to watch him and tell him when he’s not doing right. [laughter, applause] That’s what we have to do to the folks that we elected to represent us. We do not elect them to come here or to Washington to represent themselves or represent the special interests, but to represent us, to represent America, to represent Missouri [inaudible]. [applause]

For Missouri’s future prosperity depends on you and me. You know, I, I want to encourage you at the risk of discouraging you first. And when you go about and when you spend the rest of the day here and either this evening or tomorrow you’ll read about this rally. And you’re gonna read some great things about how tons of people showed up. But you’re gonna read in at least one blog and perhaps one newspaper where it was a very poorly attended rally. [laughter] Right? You’ve seen that forum. What they don’t [inaudible], what they don’t understand is you’ve been watching the national scene. There are a lot of people on there that did not get what happened on November second. [inaudible] still exist. So when you read those things just know that you are like a, a, uh, a ear of corn. An ear of corn contains a lot of seed doesn’t it? These seed takes a lot of other ear of corns to make a lot of bushels. And you are representative of the bushels that exist in our country and our state today, so give yourselves a hand. [applause]

[inaudible] while I have said we are not going to wait for [inaudible] if we want an America for our grandchildren and great grandchildren that we know was envisioned we have to stay active. One of the ways government takes our liberty is by taking our money. Liberty is part of money. And you’ve heard [inaudible] talk about the national fair tax, here in Missouri we can enact a measure [inaudible] Missouri jobs and prosperity. Just imagine living in a state that when you pick your paycheck up every week that there is no deduction from the state stealing part of your liberty. [cheers, applause] Just imagine living in a state that actually creates jobs, that is growing in population, gaining congressional seats, not losing them. [applause] Missouri jobs and prosperity act is [inaudible] for Missouri. Can and will make it happen.  The Missouri jobs and prosperity act replaces the income tax with a consumer driven sales tax that will create twenty thousand jobs a year every year. And I think that’s good [applause]. [inaudible] And folks, we can make it happen, but the big government big spenders here in the state don’t want that to happen. They will make things up. They’re gonna fight it. Folks, it’s up to each and every one of us to protect our liberties. We need to be supporting Missouri jobs and prosperity act. And in two thousand twelve we are doing the best we can to make sure that you get that opportunity in an election coming near you in November two thousand and twelve. We’re gonna be asking you over the next few months and the next two years while it’s happening to be a part of that team that making that happen, make sure that people know that we respect, we want, we demand that our government not tread on our liberty and you can be a part of that process.

Ronald Reagan said about talking about elected officials, they don’t see the light, they can feel the heat. Folks [cheers, applause], folks we need to [inaudible], stand up, [inaudible] and we need to [inaudible] the same [inaudible]. God bless you, God bless America.

Introduced with “he’s helped us a lot” and as a “former representative”

It must be lobbyist humor, or something: “…We do not elect them to come here or to Washington to represent themselves or represent the special interests…”

Your moment of zen.

“…You know, I, I want to encourage you at the risk of discouraging you first. And when you go about and when you spend the rest of the day here and either this evening or tomorrow you’ll read about this rally. And you’re gonna read some great things about how tons of people showed up. But you’re gonna read in at least one blog and perhaps one newspaper where it was a very poorly attended rally…”

It was a very poorly attended rally. Happy to oblige.

Carl Bearden’s lobbying principal’s list:

LOBID:L002591  Received Date:7/17/2007

Lobbyist’s Name Carl Bearden

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION

1350 I STREET NW, SUITE 870

WASHINGTON DC 0

A 8/2/2007

ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC.

THREE PARKWAY NORTH

DEERFIELD IL 60015-2537

A 1/22/2009

AT&T INC, AND ITS AFFILIATES

ONE SBC CENTER, SUITE 3542

ST. LOUIS MO 63101

A 8/2/2007

CARL BEARDEN

PO BOX 561

ST. CHARLES MO 63302

A 7/19/2007

HEYLTEX

925 SOUTH MASON ROAD, PMB #242

KATY TX 77450

A 8/2/2007

LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY

209 S KINGSHIGHWAY

ST. CHARLES MO 63301

A 10/6/2008

METRO HEART GROUP OF ST. LOUIS, INC

11475 OLDE CABIN ROAD, SUITE 200

ST. LOUIS MO 63141

A 8/2/2007

MID AMERICA MEDICAL AFFILIATES

1600 GENESSEE STREET, STE 423

KANSAS CITY MO 64102

A 8/2/2007

MISSOURI AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER ASSOCIATION

P.O. BOX 6966

LEES SUMMIT MO 64064

A 8/2/2007

MISSOURI SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS (MSA)

113 MADISON ST

JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102

A 8/2/2007

MISSOURIANS FOR A BETTER ECONOMY (MBE)

503 EAST NIFONG #272

COLUMBIA MO 65201

A 8/2/2007

PELOPIDAS, LLC

912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 207

COLUMBIA MO 65201

A 7/19/2007

REX AND JEANNE SINQUEFIELD

NINE HORTENSE PLACE

ST. LOUIS MO 63108

A 8/2/2007

SIGNATURE HEALTH SERVICES

633 EMERSON DRIVE, SUITE 50

ST. LOUIS MO 63141

A 8/2/2007

ST. LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER FOUNDATION

5050 OAKLAND AVENUE

ST. LOUIS MO 63110

A 1/9/2009

SUJVL INC, DBA CHEAP CHEAP

10201 ST. CHARLES ROCK ROAD

SAINT ANN MO 63074

A 8/2/2007

THE BROWN LOBBY FIRM, LLC

912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 208

COLUMBIA MO 65201

A 8/2/2007

UNITED FOR MISSOURI

PO BOX 11466

SPRINGFIELD MO 65808

A 7/30/2010

UNITED FOR MISSOURI’S FUTURE

PO BOX 11466

SPRINGFIELD MO 65808

A 7/30/2010

Do you think the teabaggers at the rally knew?

Do you really think they care?

Obviously has never worked as a union organizer.

I dunno, is this unintentionally ironic?

If you’re gonna do the Gadsden flag thing at a teabagger rally at least do more than one.

There were about two hundred people in attendance. The organizers had sign up tables for those attending the rally. The emcee was somewhat disorganized. There were speeches from teabagger activists, republican members of the General Assembly, and, of course, an astroturfing lobbyist. A representative of Missouri Right to life spoke on his primary wedge issue. Let’s see, tentherism, nullification, American exceptionalism, the flat tax, and a wedge issue here or there. That about sums it up.  

In spite of the claims of grass-roots angst bubbling up unassisted, it’s old news that the Tea Party was brought into being through the ministrations of a few corporate front organizations, prominent among them Americans for Prosperity (AFP). The AFP’s ties to the billionaire Koch brothers have been well documented, most recently in Jane Mayer’s excellent New Yorker article.  Mayer quotes conservative think tanker, Bruce Bartlet, to the effect that the Kochs, one-time John Birchers, have invested in the Tea Party as a vehicle for creating an ostensibly libertarian movement that, incidentally, also serves the Kochs bottom line:

… With the emergence of the Tea Party, he said, “everyone suddenly sees that for the first time there are Indians out there-people who can provide real ideological power.” The Kochs, he said, are “trying to shape and control and channel the populist uprising into their own policies.

The Kochs’ man in Missouri, the State Diretor of the Missouri branch of Americans for Prosperity (AFP-MO) until his resignation in July, has been none other than one-time speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri House, Carl Bearden. The term-limited Bearden resigned prematurely from the House shortly after being accused of ethical lapses. He immediately joined the lobbying firm Pelopidas LLC, or as Bearden put it, an “influence management firm” in which he would play a “main role.”

When Bearden joined Pelopidas, he also he also “officially became the lobbyist for retired billionaire Rex Sinquefield,” a major Pelopidas client whose hobby is trying to buy Missouri’s government. Sinquefield, via Pelopidas, has focused on gutting public education and cutting taxes for the wealthy in Missouri, goals not incompatible with the Kochs’. Consequently, it’s not surprising that the AFP-MO, under the leadership of Pelopidas’ Bearden,  has used Pelopidas’ “grassroots and coalition building” services. One cannot be blamed for concluding that Carl Bearden unites the wider goals of the Kochs with Sinquefield’s specifically Missouri focus.

One offspring of that union is the Missouri Tea Party. It’s no secret that Bearden was instrumental in organizing and publicizing Tea Party rallies, as well as promoting the Tea Party presence at Town-Halls held by Democratic congress people – complete with astroturf talking points and strategies for how to “artificially inflate your numbers.” Last spring, when Claire McCaskill, looking at what she took to be the writing on the wall, declared “I absolutely empathize with the Tea Party,” the grafitti that got her so flustered was put there by Carl Bearden.

So what, conservatives chime at this point, don’t liberal advocacy groups like MoveOn.org promote progressive events. Don’t they take money from unions, wealthy liberals, even – gasp – from financier George Soros? And haven’t they played a big part in organizing progressives around issues? Unfortunately, for the “balanced” presentation favored by trad media types, the parallels aren’t really that parallel:

–One would be hard-put to find many liberal advocacy group whose raison d’etre can be linked to their donors’ bottom line as is demonstrably the case with the Koch brothers and the AFP. (See also the Mayer article and here.)

—Contrary to groups funded by the Kochs, for example, the lines between donors and liberal advocacy groups are usually highly transparent.

–Finally, although folks may disagree with progressive positions, no liberal advocacy groups have, to my knowledge, tried to pawn off false information in order to whip up their membership. I know of no liberal equivalence to last summer’s “death panels” (the claim made here at an AFP sponsored meeting), or no spurious science intended to plant doubt about proven anthropogenic climate change. Just listing all the lies promulgated by conservative “think tanks, etc. could serve as the focus of a very long post all by itself.

Manufactured though the Tea Party phenomena may be, it is undeniable that many of the participants are totally genuine. These are the angry and frightened individuals who see a changing world and cannot deal with the anxiety and insecurity it generates, as well as those generally unstable individuals who populate any fringe movement. Those recruited to the Tea Party are ripe for exploitation, and in Carl Bearden, the AFP found the right guy to to take advantage of the situation.  

I didn’t know I was a D-Kos Kook. But Gateway Pundit says I am, and who am I to argue?

SPREAD THE WORD: D-Kos Kooks Plan On Crashing McCaskill’s Open Meeting Tomorrow

Nor did I know that I’m violent at meetings. I’ve always thought I was a cupcake, but …

The attendees representing KOS will use the tactics you expect: shouting you down instead of addressing the topic, physical intimidation, parroting of inaccurate and oftentimes outright false talking points. It`ll be similar to what you saw in the video posted showing the protest in Suffolk County, New York.

When you go to the open meeting armed with facts and logic, it`ll be much easier to maintain your composure in spite of the belligerence you`ll encounter. When you keep your video camera rolling as the leftists try to intimidate you, you`ll have a record of how ridiculous the leftists are when confronted with opposition.

Odd. That’s exactly why I’m taking my camcorder, because I’ll be surprised if the wingers don’t misbehave. Perhaps Carl Bearden is also concerned about that, because he’s giving them advice on how to behave:

Here’s sum good advice 4 attendees of 2nite’s meeting w/@clairecmc St Louis Regional Director if left wingers show up http://bit.ly/1oKo0F

His link leads to a posting called “How to ruin a professional agitation group’s day”:

It’s actually not that hard.

  1. Figure out which professional agitation group typically runs faux-populist demonstrations in your area.

  2. Subscribe to their email list and/or website.

  3. DO NOT ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATION AND/OR DISCUSSION. You merely want to keep up with what they’re doing.

  4. When they announce a protest, note the time and date.

  5. Contact your local, actual conservative grassroots group.

  6. On the day of the event, swamp them ten to one. (Via Instapundit)

  7. Nicely.

  8. Politely.

  9. Smile a lot.

 10. Bring cameras. Because they’re going to violate 7, 8, & 9 themselves, and you want that recorded.

I couldn’t agree more about 7,8, and 9, Mr. Bearden. And I sincerely hope that the demonstrators who banged on the windows and doors at McCaskill’s office and who yelled so loud that the upstairs tenant in the building shot them the bird will heed your advice. I wouldn’t want me and my camcorder to get trampled by these peace loving folks. I’m just a gray haired little old lady.

As .Sean at Fired Up notes, former Speaker pro Tem turned lobbyist Carl Bearden is the point of contact for the Tea Party protest in Jefferson City. Can you smell the astroturf?

That’s not the only “movement” Bearden has headed up in Missouri. From Carl Bearden’s Wikipedia entry:

Recently, Carl has come out in support of former Senator Fred Thompson for president. This development has drawn national attention in such blogs as Real Clear Politics and Robert Novak’s Human Events. Support for this movement can be voiced at draft.thompson@carlbearden.org and his personal blog.

Clearly this entry hasn’t been updated in a while. How did the Fred Thompson movement work out, Carl? Fred dropped out after placing a distant third in South Carolina, his best showing in the primaries.

Our previous coverage of the business relationship between Representative Steve Tilley (r – 106), the republican Majority Floor Leader in the Missouri House, and lobbyist Travis Brown:

A Plane, a Business, a Representative, and a Lobbyist, part 2

A Plane, a Business, a Representative, and a Lobbyist

Today’s Republican Floor Leader co-owns plane with Lobbyist story is [RBH]

There are a number of threads connecting many people. Travis Brown is associated with Pelopidas, LLC. There are several other individuals who are also listed as participating in lobbying activities on their web site.

Again, the Missouri Ethics Commission has a convenient online place to look through fillings like a “Lobbyist Monthly Expenditure Report”:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of January 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 2/9/2008 8:56:54 PM…

…INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children…

…DEMPSEY, TOM – Senator

      01/10/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00

JONES, TIMOTHY – Representative

      01/10/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00

NIEVES, BRIAN – Representative

      01/10/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00

PORTWOOD, DR. CHARLES – Representative

      01/10/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00

ST. ONGE, NEAL – Representative

      01/10/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00

FUNDERBURK, DOUG – Representative

      01/13/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00

ICET, ALLEN – Representative

      01/13/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

…PELOPIDAS, LLC

912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 207

COLUMBIA  MO   65201

XXX-XXX-XXXX $875.00

[emphasis added]

Carl Bearden. Carl Bearden. Where have I seen that name before? Oh, right:

Friday, July 13, 2007

Carl Bearden to join Pelopidas

St. Louis Business Journal

Carl Bearden, who resigned his post as Missouri House Speaker Pro Tem effective Thursday, said Friday he will join Pelopidas LLC, a newly formed issue advocacy firm.

Bearden said his role in the “influence management firm” was as a “main player…”

“Influence management” must be the new euphemism for lobbying.

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of February 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 3/4/2008 1:55:31 PM…

…INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children…

…Aaron Willard – Employee or Staff

     Chief of Staff – Public Official 02/25/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $32.79

Adam Crumbliss – Employee or Staff

     Chief Clerk – Public Official 02/25/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $32.79

Kenny Ross – Employee or Staff

     Speaker’s Staff – Public Official 02/25/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $32.79

Marietta Rutledge – Employee or Staff

     Legislative Assistant – Public Official 02/25/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $32.79

SELF, TOM – Representative

      02/27/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $9.32…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

…CARL BEARDEN

XXXXX

ST. CHARLES  MO   63302

XXX-XXX-XXXX $140.48

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of April 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 5/8/2008 5:53:13 PM…

…GROUP EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of a group of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children, on any single occasion…

…ENTIRE MISSOURI HOUSE 04/11/2008

Other

$50.00…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

…CARL BEARDEN

XXXXX

ST. CHARLES  MO   63302

XXX-XXX-XXXX $50.00

The entire Missouri House is a lot of people.

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of May 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 6/10/2008 4:11:27 PM…

…GROUP EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of a group of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children, on any single occasion…

…JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH, STATUTORY 05/14/2008

Meals, Food, & Beverage

$100.00…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

…CARL BEARDEN

XXXXX

ST. CHARLES  MO   63302

XXX-XXX-XXXX $100.00…

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of July 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 8/10/2008 11:14:00 AM…

…INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on b
ehalf of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children.

…Crumbliss, Adam – Employee or Staff

     Chief Clerk – Public Official 07/09/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $10.00

ICET, ALLEN – Representative

      07/09/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $10.00

Schwartz, Mark – Employee or Staff

     House Staff – Public Official 07/09/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $10.00

JETTON, ROD – Representative

      07/29/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $20.74

TILLEY, STEVEN – Representative

      07/29/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $20.74…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

…PELOPIDAS, LLC

912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 207

COLUMBIA  MO   65201

XXX-XXX-XXXX $71.48…

[emphasis added]

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of September 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 10/6/2008 8:31:37 AM…

…INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children…

…Dempsey, Molly – Spouse or Child

     DEMPSEY, TOM – Senator 09/23/2008

    Entertainment

  $170.00

DEMPSEY, TOM – Senator

      09/23/2008

    Entertainment

  $170.00…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

… REX AND JEANNE SINQUEFIELD

XXXXX

ST. LOUIS  MO   63108

XXX-XXX-XXXX $340.00…

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of November 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 12/2/2008 12:32:28 PM…

…INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children…

…ALLEN, SUE – REP ELECT DIST 92 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

DIEHL, JOHN J JR – REP ELECT DIST 87 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

GATSCHENBERGER, CHUCK – REP ELECT DIST 13 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

JETTON, ROD – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

KEENEY, SHELLEY (WHITE) – REP ELECT DIST 156 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

LEARA, MIKE – REP ELECT DIST 94 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

MOLENDORP, CHRIS – REP ELECT DIST 123 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

RIDDLE, JEANIE – REP ELECT DIST 20 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

RUESTMAN, MARILYN – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

Russell, Jonathan – Employee or Staff

     RUESTMAN, MARILYN – Representative 11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

SELF, TOM – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

TRACY, CLINT – REP ELECT DIST 158 – Representative

      11/05/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $7.25

JETTON, ROD – Representative

      11/06/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $12.00

Crumbliss, Adam – Employee or Staff

     Chief Clerk – Public Official 11/18/2008

    Meals, Food, & Beverage

  $10.40…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

…PELOPIDAS, LLC

912 EAST BROADWAY, SUITE 207

COLUMBIA  MO   65201

XXX-XXX-XXXX $109.40…

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

LOBBYIST MONTHLY EXPENDITURE REPORT

Report of activities for the month of December 2008…

…Electronically submitted by Carl Bearden, on 1/7/2009 10:09:47 PM…

…INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children…

…LEMBKE, JIM – Representative

      12/16/2008

    Entertainment

  $125.00

GROUP EXPENDITURES

Expenditures made by the lobbyist or principal on behalf of a group of public officials, their staff, employees, spouse or dependent children, on any single occasion…

…ENTIRE MISSOURI HOUSE 12/17/2008

Meals, Food, & Beverage

$206.33…

…PRINCIPAL EXPENDITURES

All persons, business entities, governmental entities, religious organizations, non-profit corporations, or associations by whom the lobbyist is employed or retained, from whom the lobbyist receive any expenses or compensation or in whose interest the lobbyist appears…

…REX AND JEANNE SINQUEFIELD

XXXXX

ST. LOUIS  MO   63108

XXX-XXX-XXXX $331.33

Lobbyists are apparently doing their part to keep the food and beverage industry afloat in the State of Missouri.

Term limits, as they are presently mandated, do as much harm as good. Certainly, the motivation for enacting them was understandable: citizens were fed up with a system where incumbents could scarcely be blasted out of office with anything short of an IED. But the eight-year term limit solution produced, at best, a situation where somewhat experienced lawmakers lead rank beginners through a complex process.

Uh-oh. Joint efforts of any kind do best with a mixture of newcomers with fresh ideas and people who’ve been around the block often enough to predict where the bumps and snarls will occur. Legislatures are no different. Let me invite any of our current legislators who read this posting–or anyone else, for that matter–to provide examples of problems that could have been avoided in recent sessions if a few old timers had been around.

And aside from creating glitches that should have been foreseen, the whole impermanency thing begets another problem: it contributes to the partisan fissures that cripple our state government. People who know what the lege used to be like say that reps could disagree on the floor and then go out for a brew together in the evening. Sure, I understand that part of the reason that no longer happens is the essential meanness of so many Republicans now. But part of the reason must also be that there’s little incentive to bridge the gaps when either you or the people you’re fighting with will be gone in a year or two.

Last spring, Senator Jolie Justus of Kansas City tried to overcome some of the sour aftermath of on floor bickering by arranging a weekly happy hour.  That was a good idea, and perhaps she’ll follow through on it this January. It might help.

The problems that arise during legislative sessions because of term limits are only half the difficulty. The other half is what happens when people get termed out. The race in the fifth senatorial district is a perfect example: all four Democratic reps in Maida Coleman’s senatorial district (Robin Wright Jones, Rodney Coleman, Connie Johnson, and Tom Villa) are termed out–but not ready to leave state government. Two have announced for Coleman’s seat (she, too, is termed out), and the other two still might. It’s a mess.

Some legislators solve the termed out dilemma by turning to lobbying. Carl Bearden is the latest example. It’s good to let Dems have a shot at that yahoo’s seat, but when the short term limits were created, perhaps no one foresaw the unintended consequence that termed out reps would swell the ranks of lobbying leeches.

Meanwhile, in many districts, one or both parties are having trouble building farm teams good enough to keep supplying strong candidates to fill the frequent openings. Let’s see: how long has Albert Pujols been in the majors now–five years or six? I’d hate to see him shoved out of the sport in 2009. If baseball had term limits, it would hurt the quality of play. Few rookies can arrive from the minors and make an immediate impact on a team. Winning teams need a combination of seasoned veterans and up and comers.

The answer isn’t deep sixing term limits but lengthening the time allowed in office. And, in fact, the rumor is that a Republican, no less, plans to bring up the possibility this session of changing the limit for reps from eight years to eighteen. I’d cheer for that.