The Huffington Post has a nice piece on the ways that Missouri House speaker, Republican Tim Jones, is trying to have his cake and eat it too when it comes to his past ties to looneytunes birther Orly Taitz. On the one hand, he rather ambiguously implies that he disavows his past birther activism, the result, he declares, of being importuned by a “very personal constituent of mine.” (Huh? What could he be trying to tell us – a “very personal” constituent?) On the other hand, he’s currently trying to raise money off the fact that his past stupidity has been roundly mocked in various, putatively liberal venues. The telling passage:

George Connor, a political science professor at Missouri State University, said he does not believe that Jones’s involvement in the birther movement will cause the lawmaker long-term harm, at least in state Republican circles. Connor said as Republican primaries become increasingly conservative, Jones’s ties to birtherism could in fact help his electoral chances.

“If Tim Jones would have any political trouble from this issue, it would be distancing himself from it,” Connor said of the birther movement. “The challenge to Republicans in Missouri is from the right. I don’t see the birther issue or his stance on it becoming an issue. For the most part, everyone is past that.”

On the topic of the Republican party’s current effort to paint itself out of the “crazy, old, white dudes” corner it now seems to occupy, one commentator, I can’t remember who, noted that while national level GOPers were at least trying to be more circumspect in their self-presentation, if not in actual policies, there are still plenty of “wild things” at large at the state level. This particular Tim Jones dilemma, to be a birther or not to be, might just offer a heaping serving of the pudding that proves that particular observation.

Addenda:  Steve Benen weighs in on the GOP dilemma mirrored in Tim Jone’s effort to find a comfortable equilibrium between the respectable and The Crazy:

We talked last week about the new Republican effort to “marginalize” the “cranks, haters, and bigots,” but as we’re reminded regularly, it’s extremely difficult for a political party to ostracize such a significant chunk of its own membership.

[…] the problem isn’t that Republicans have some “cranks, haters, and bigots”; the problem is that Republicans are a radicalized party in which “cranks, haters, and bigots” routinely dominate.

If the GOP intends to stop being, in Bobby Jindal’s words, the “stupid party,” they have a long way to go.

Today, via Twitter:

Tony Messenger ‏@tonymess

Says Speaker Tim Jones in a news release: “A strong ethics reform package will be a priority this year.” #moleg 4:16 PM – 29 Nov 12

Tony Messenger ‏@tonymess

Who had Jay Nixon endorsing Medicaid expansion and Tim Jones endorsing ethics reform on the same post-election day in the office pool? 4:25 PM – 29 Nov 12

Richard Martin @partmax

@tonymess and you buy it? Meals? Campaign limits? Consulting practice of public official? What exactly? 4:36 PM – 29 Nov 12

Tony Messenger ‏@tonymess

@partmax He’s endorsing the Jay Barnes proposal, which is a good start. Reducing money laundering. Not enough. But it’s progress. 4:41 PM – 29 Nov 12

Michael Bersin ‏@MBersin

@tonymess The devil is in the details, not the labels. 4:42 PM – 29 Nov 12

Tony Messenger ‏@tonymess

@partmax @mbersin The Dem proposal is clearly more comprehensive. But I take Jones’ flip on the issue as a positive sign. That’s my point. 4:43 PM – 29 Nov 12

Michael Bersin ‏@MBersin

@tonymess No one in politics ever voluntarily gives up an advantage. Unless they perceive a more substantive gain elsewhere. Find the latter 4:51 PM – 29 Nov 12

Tony Messenger @tonymess

@MBersin Of course. But what’s your point? Just stop rooting for ethics reform? I want to see it and it won’t happen if Jones doesn’t budge. 4:53 PM – 29 Nov 12

Michael Bersin @MBersin

@tonymess Slap a label on it and it’s done? There is a difference between hype and substance. We’re all from Missouri, let them show us. 4:58 PM – 29 Nov 12

Indeed. Given past behavior we’re not holding our breath.

Previously:

HCS #2 for SB 844: the republican majority in Jefferson City lays an egg on ethics reform (May 11, 2010)

Rep. Paul LeVota (D): republican ethics reform bill a “sham” (May 6, 2010)

Ethics Reform Legislation in Jefferson City: well, that didn’t go very well (April 27, 2010)

Lucy yanks the football…again, part 2 (April 26, 2010)

The Missouri General Assembly opens the 2010 legislative session, part 2 (January 6, 2010)

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City (December 14, 2009)

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City, part 2 (December 15, 2009)

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City, part 3 (December 16, 2009)

Kander (D) and Flook (r): ethics reform legislation in Jefferson City, part 4 (December 22, 2009)

Today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch quotes the new Missouri House Speaker, birther Tim Jones, about why he sees no need for ethics legislation to guide Missouri lawmakers:

I don’t see this culture of corruption in Jefferson City. There’s too many eyes, ears and camera phones to do anything wrong anymore.

Jones is taking over as Speaker from former Rep. Steve Tilley a few months early. The see-no-evil Jones might profit from a serious consideration of Mr. Tilley’s behavior, which earned a few words from the Post-Dispatch in an editorial yesterday on the topic of – you guessed it – ethical lapses:

Less than a month ago, Mr. Tilley, formerly a Republican state representative from Perryville, quit his office so that he could openly begin accepting cash from his former colleagues as a political consultant. Mr. Tilley, though, isn’t content to give election advice from his new Chesterfield-based office.

He’s also going to lobby for corporate clients, following the ethically questionable path established by Republican strategist David Barklage. See, if you can control some access to corporate dollars, help set public policy by writing and lobbying for bills, and direct a cadre of elected representatives by being their chief political adviser, well, let’s just say there’s money to be made.

But as the Post-Dispatch notes, that’s only the half of it:

Were Mr. Tilley simply entering the lobbying revolving door, and following the example set by many lawmakers in both parties before him, that wouldn’t be much of a story. It’s old hat in Missouri, and until a new batch of lawmakers decide to join most other states and Congress and implement a one- or two-year moratorium on lawmakers doing precisely what Mr. Tilley is doing, then Missouri’s ethical free zone is their fault.

On the other hand, if any of the new lawmakers coming into office in January are worried about this revolving door, we suggest they check Mr. Tilley’s campaign finance records, as the Post-Dispatch’s Virginia Young did last week.

Ms. Young found an interesting flow of money from Mr. Tilley’s million-dollar campaign account, which Missouri law allows him to keep as long as he pretends he’s running for future office.

During the recent election cycle, Mr. Tilley gave campaign donations to a number of politicians.

At least three of those politicians, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, Rep. Rick Stream, R-Kirkwood, and Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, turned around and paid Mr. Tilley’s new political consulting firm, Strategic Capitol Consulting, fees for various advice or services.

One doesn’t have to be a cynic to follow the money and see it for what it is. Mr. Tilley has found a way to use his campaign cash to fund the start-up of his new business.

Of course, to Mr. Jones this is probably all hunky-dory since it doesn’t provide any substantive gist for the eyes, ears and camera phones in Jefferson City. However, to those of us who lack that conservative “fire” that Mr. Jones alludes to in the Post-Dispatch article when describing himself and his pursuit of right-wing ideals, it sounds like a money-laundering scheme that would do the Columbian cartel proud.

The Post-Dispatch article tells us that Jones and his family gather regularly for a “four-wheel-drive competition thrugh mud pits and obstacle courses,” dubbed the “Jones Mudfest.” Given Mr. Jones beliefs about what constitutes corruption, it’s likely we’ll soon be having another type of Jones Mudfest in Jefferson City.  

The republican Speker designee and the House republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) get a little more cash from the same entity. Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051087 06/06/2012 CITIZENS FOR TIMOTHY W JONES Forest Hills Properties LLC 1 Oak Ridge Drive Washington MO 63090 6/5/2012 $10,000.00

C091068 06/06/2012 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE INC Forest Hills Properties LLC 1 Oak Ridge Drive Washington MO 63090 6/5/2012 $15,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s certainly a chunk of change.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051087 12/21/2011 CITIZENS FOR TIMOTHY W JONES Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 12/21/2011 $30,000.00

[emphasis added]

It is good to be the Speker Elect.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

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

C001135 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI 11/4/2010

PFHC Political Action Committee

203 E Main Street, Suite C

Union, MO 63084

11/3/2010

$25,000.00

[emphasis added]

We have a Democratic governor in Missouri? Really? Wouldn’t they usually go from district to district campaigning during an off year election to use their popularity to help members of their party get elected to the General Assembly to help further their compatible agendas? Just asking.

Or maybe it’s because the new republican leadership in the House is so accommodating to the cause of civil discourse:

The Left truly DOES hate the majority of the American people as evidenced by their sour twitter grapes. Sad. Oh well, we shall govern now! 13 minutes ago  via web  

@angelabingaman @briannieves 106 NEW House Republicans, 26 New Senate GOP…bye bye Crazy Lefty! 24 minutes ago  via web  in reply to angelabingaman

@saradstreet Welcome to the NATION WIDE Conservative Tidal Wave! Why don’t you just head out of country and save us all the drama?     36 minutes ago  via web  in reply to saradstreet

What’s the difference between the cool kidz clique in a junior high school lunchroom and the Missouri General Assembly? The Missouri General Assembly has more republicans, but the cool kidz write more erudite tweets.

So, after snarking out a few comments in response to the new Missouri House Republican Floor Leader, I decided that my best way to get instant Tim Jones was to follow him.

(Click here for a larger version. -Clark)

Wow.

Guess correcting his math really pisses him off.

Hearing is one thing, listening is another, delivering? well.. hmm | rt @timwjones The People have spoken (…) We hear you!

1998 = decades #newmath | rt @timwjones PA is going to elect a GOP governor for first time in decades and media completely ignores the story

What are the odds that someone in his party has to take Tim Jones’ Twitter away before he torches his career?

Also, anybody whining about the media not covering Pennsylvania in a year that Republicans picked up virtually everything needs to really get a life. I hope Tim Jones doesn’t throw popcorn at the TV when he thinks the refs made a bad call against the Rams.

I guess i’m not as cool as the people who think the President was born in Kenya, eh Timbo?

—-

Edit: Your terrifying Tim Jones quote of the day- “Maybe some day you’ll both be lucky though and you can vote for me for Governor!” (Provided, of course, that Jones can prove he wasn’t secretly born in Canada)

Via our good friends at Fired Up, here’s the KRCG video (edited) which starts with Representative Jeff Roorda (D-102) speaking to the budget and then responding to an off microphone comment from Representative Tim Jones (r-89):

The transcript:

Representative Jeff Roorda (D):….this chamber, Mister Speaker. All we saw all week was phoney baloney amendments to take this director’s salary away or that director’s salary away. Grandstanding that we know is not going to be there at the end. We, and then we get mad when our side actually cuts our, our fund, our House contingency fund, people are mad. (voice off microphone) Be quiet. You, if you’ve got something to say then you stand up and you. (shouting off microphone)

Speaker: Gentlemen. (gavel)

Representative Tim Jones (r): (off microphone shouting) Nice walking on the bill. [Inaudible] walk on the bill (repeated). You lie, you lie, you’re a liar.

(off microphone shouts)

Speaker: Gentlemen. Sargeant at Arms. Mister Sargeant at Arms….

(video edit)

Representative Roorda (D): …Lost my cool. I apologize for that. Uh, as I was speaking on the budget I was accused by another member of walking on critical votes yesterday. Uh, Mister Speaker I think everybody in the body should be aware, based on my remarks Monday, that I lost a dear friend…and I did leave to attend his funeral yesterday Mister Speaker….

(video edit)

Speaker Ron Richard (r): You act with respect from both sides of the aisle or I will have members from both sides of the aisle removed.

Classy Representative Jones (r), real classy.

Do you suppose if the republican majority hadn’t wasted an inordinate amount of time addressing and debating federal issues instead of working on the budget sooner there might not have been some missed votes due to a member attending a funeral? Just asking.

Chad Livengood of the Springfield News-Leader via Twitter:

Rep. Tim Jones can’t believe the legislature can take on the insurance industry but can’t take on “the teachers unions” & school executives. about 9 hours ago from web

Because teacher unions in Missouri have unlimited power and insurance companies don’t?

Yes, this Tim Jones.

If you’re a Missouri Republican, that is. Rep. Tim Jones is still fighting the good fight alongside Plutonians Orly Taitz and Rep. Cynthia Davis. But he’s unopposed in his bid for Missouri House Republican Floor Leader, and Rex Sinquefield just dropped $40K into Jones’ campaign coffers.

Sometimes it pays to be fringe.