It’s been a while.

In the universe of political stenography you can ignore a candidate’s behavior because it’s not quite as outrageous as that of someone else.

Yesterday, at the Kansas City Star:

Steve Kraske: The money in politics is out of control

By STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star 01/30/2015 5:19 PM 01/30/2015 5:30 PM

….On Thursday, Republican Tom Schweich kicked off his campaign for Missouri governor attacking what he considers the whacked-out money culture in Jeff City.

“You can’t get anything else done until you clean up the corruption,” he said.

Voters, for sure, are weary of all the talk of big money gobbling up government. They think the whole game is rigged. They’ve disengaged.

It feels like the system is coming unhinged. Government isn’t just for sale, folks. It’s been sold, and folks like Rex Sinquefield have the receipts.

[emphasis added]

On that same day State Auditor Tom Schweich’s (r) gubernatorial campaign committee took in over $360,000.00 from twenty-eight individuals and entities. There was one campaign contribution of $50,000.00 from one individual and a total of $75,000.00 in two separate contributions from one couple. All of those twenty-eight contributions were over $5,000.00 and were required to be reported within forty-eight hours.

Tom Schweich (r) ain’t exactly the poster child for campaign finance reform and single source fundraising restraint.

You think that would be worth a mention?

Previously:

Sorting it all out (January 12, 2015)

Campaign Finance: the giant chess piece in the room (January 15, 2015)

Tom Schweich (r) versus Catherine Hanaway (r) in 2016 (January 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: kings to pawn $361,506.00, check (January 29, 2015)

Campaign Finance: trickle in (January 31, 2015)

Campaign Finance: keeping up with the Schweichs (r) and Hanaways (r) (January 31, 2015)

Ah yes, the 2016 race for Governor.

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C031159 01/30/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 Political Education Account 2319 Chouteau Avenue Suite 100 Saint Louis MO 63103 1/28/2015 $10,000.00

C031159 01/30/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Ironworkers Political Education Fund 1750 New York Avenue, NW Suite 400 Washington DC 20006 1/28/2015 $10,000.00

C031159 01/30/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Red-Card Systems, LLC 7700 Bonhomme Avenue Suite 200 Saint Louis MO 63105 1/28/2015 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Attorney General Koster (D) is no slouch in the campaign fundraising department.

Previously:

Sorting it all out (January 12, 2015)

Campaign Finance: the giant chess piece in the room (January 15, 2015)

Tom Schweich (r) versus Catherine Hanaway (r) in 2016 (January 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: kings to pawn $361,506.00, check (January 29, 2015)

Campaign Finance: trickle in (January 31, 2015)

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 01/30/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Rodger Riney 1156 Highland Pointe Dr. Saint Louis MO 63131 Scottrade Financial Services Inc. Broker 1/30/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

There will not be a shortage of money for State Auditor Tom Schweich’s (r) 2016 republican gubernatorial primary campaign.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: kings to pawn $361,506.00, check (January 29, 2015)

Tom Schweich (r) versus Catherine Hanaway (r) in 2016 (January 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: the giant chess piece in the room (January 15, 2015)

Gee, you announce you’re running for Governor in 2016 and suddenly, people with money become your friends.

Catherine Hanaway (r) will be issuing a press release in three, two, one….

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Peter Goldschmidt 705 Hobbs Rd Jefferson City MO 65109 Capital City Property Management Owner 1/27/2015 $5,100.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Kevin Childress 1001 W 57th St Kansas City MO 64113 My Freight World Technologies CEO 1/27/2015 $5,001.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Steven Trulaske Sr 7700 Forsyth Blvd Suite 1220 St Louis MO 63105 True Manufacturing Co Owner 1/28/2015 $50,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Jesse Bodine 50 Creekwood Lane Ladue MO 63124 Retired 1/28/2015 $25,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Rosalie OReilly Wooten 2831 S Ingram Mill Rd Springfield MO 65804 Retired 1/28/2015 $25,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Barnett Helzberg Jr 4520 Main Street Suite 1050 Kansas City MO 64111 Retired 1/28/2015 $20,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Roger Miller 8025 Maryland Ave Saint Louis MO 63105 Gateway Packaging Chairman 1/28/2015 $15,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH John Danforth 911 Tirrill Farms Rd Ladue MO 63124 Bryan Cave Partner 1/28/2015 $10,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Mark Eggert 7700 Forsyth Blvd St Louis MO 63105 Centene Corp Executive Vice President 1/28/2015 $10,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Friends of Thomas Long 5101 S Palisades Battlefield MO 65619 1/28/2015 $10,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Jerry Sumners Sr PO Box 604 Aurora MO 65605 Service Vending Corp CEO 1/28/2015 $10,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH William Maritz 10 Sunningdale Drive Ladue MO 63124 Maritz Inc Chairman & CEO 1/28/2015 $7,500.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH John Qualy 13 East Brentmoor Park St Louis MO 63105 Retired 1/28/2015 $7,500.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Donn Sorensen 155 Carondelet Plaza Unit 302 Clayton MO 63105 Mercy President 1/28/2015 $6,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Schmitt LLC 127 Regency Park O Fallon IL 62269 1/28/2015 $5,100.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Patrick Finneran 51 Beacon Crest Newman GA 30265 Accelerated Performance Solutions President 1/28/2015 $5,100.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH H E Whitener 11764 N Farm Road 177 Fair Grove MO 65648 Trailiner Corp CEO 1/28/2015 $5,100.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Joe Delong III 301 Dix Road Jefferson City MO 65109 DeLong’s Inc. President 1/28/2015 $5,100.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH George Walker III 19 Portland Place St Louis MO 63108 Stifel Nicolaus Chairman Emeritus 1/28/2015 $5,010.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Integrity Home Care 2960 N Eastgate Ave Springfield MO 65803 1/28/2015 $5,001.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Penn Enterprises Inc. 5260 S Stonehaven Dr Springfield MO 65809 1/28/2015 $5,001.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH William Darr PO Box 4087 Springfield MO 65808 American Dehydrated Foods Vice Chairman 1/28/2015 $5,001.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Fredna Mahaffey 3720 E Eaglescliffe Dr Springfield MO 65809 Retired 1/28/2015 $5,000.01

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Peter Herschend 538 Oak Bluff Road Branson MO 65616 Herschend Family Entertainment Co-Founder 1/29/2015 $25,000.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Larry Petersen 5276 S Stirling Way Springfield MO 65809 Ozark Anesthesia Association Physician 1/29/2015 $5,001.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Marilyn Fox 7701 Forsyth Boulevard Suite 600 St Louis MO 63105 Community Volunteer 1/29/2015 $37,500.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Sam Fox 7701 Forsyth Boulevard Suite 600 St Louis MO 63105 Harbour Group Founder 1/29/2015 $37,500.00

C111150 01/29/2015 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH David Grossman 403 Hawthorne Ave Saint Louis MO 63119 Grossman Iron & Steel President 1/29/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s a total of $361,506.00.

They’ve already determined what you are, now they’re just haggling over the price.

Previously:

Tom Schweich (r) versus Catherine Hanaway (r) in 2016 (January 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: the giant chess piece in the room (January 15, 2015)

Today:

State Auditor Tom Schweich (r): Hiya, Tom Schweich here. I’m very excited to announce to my, uh, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media friends that I’m going to be announcing that I’m running for governor. I’m gonna do it a little later this afternoon. But, I want you all to know first. We’re gonna be talking about rooting out corruption in Jefferson City, we’re gonna be talking about improving our education for all people of Missouri, and also about improving our economic climate in the state. So, I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail. I just want to let you know first. Thanks.

Meanwhile:

Tony Wyche ‏@tonywyche

Shorter Catherine Hanaway statement: “Why couldn’t you just let me have this by myself.” #MOGov 4:11 PM – 28 Jan 2015

Michael Bersin ‏@MBersin

@tonywyche Shorter Catherine Hanaway statement: “Why couldn’t you just let Rex have this by himself.” #MOGov | Fixed it for you. 5:57 PM – 28 Jan 2015

Pass the popcorn.

It doesn’t quite look like a grassroots movement yet.

The list of contributors from State Auditor Tom Schweich’s (r) (who may or may not run for Governor in 2016) January 15, 2015 fourth quarter campaign finance report:

FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH [pdf] 1/15/2015

11. TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED AT FUND-RAISERS AS REPORTED INLINE 8 ON FORM CD1A $0.00

12. TOTAL ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSON GIVING $25 OR LESS $0.00

13. TOTAL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $100 OR LESS $0.00

14. TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS (NOT COMMITTEES) GIVING $100 OR LESS $0.00

[emphasis added]

Nope, no small amount donor grassroots there.

Rodman, Steven $10,000.00 12/16/2014

Sumners, Jerry $10,000.00 12/22/2014

Miller, Roger $10,000.00 12/29/2014

Danforth, John $10,000.00 12/29/2014

Bodine, Jesse $10,000.00 12/29/2014

Woodside, John $5,100.00 12/11/2014

Shubert Design $5,100.00 12/29/2014

Thompson Coburn LLP $5,000.00 12/26/2014

Parson for Senate $5,000.00 12/30/2014

Schweich, Julius $3,000.00 12/23/2014

Lamping, Caryn $2,500.00 12/30/2014

Herzog, Peter $1,500.00 12/30/2014

Bartelsmeyer, F.W. $1,200.00 12/11/2014

Klamer, J. Mark $1,000.00 12/2/2014

Story, Sam $1,000.00 12/2/2014

Palans, Lloyd $1,000.00 12/9/2014

Nouss, James $1,000.00 12/30/2014

Baumer, A M $1,000.00 12/30/2014

Deiermann, Mark $760.00 12/17/2014

Ebert, Robert $500.00 12/30/2014

Lapaglia, Louis $500.00 12/30/2014

Guariglia, Dale $350.00 12/12/2014

[emphasis added]

That’s it.

Contributors from State Auditor Tom Schweich’s (r) January 15, 2015 fourth quarter campaign finance report.

No small amount donor grassroots there either.

C111150: Friends Of Tom Schweich

3220 West Edgewood Ste E Committee Type: Candidate

Jefferson City, Mo 65109 Party Affiliation: Republican

[….] Established Date: 08/12/2011

  Termination Date:

Information Reported On: 2015 – January Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $924,160.09

Monetary Receipts + $85,510.14

Monetary Expenditures – $7,412.14

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $0.00

Subtotal     $78,098.00

Ending Money On Hand   $1,002,258.09

[emphasis added]

That’s a lot of money, but it ain’t chess.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: trying to keep pace (January 17, 2015)

Campaign Finance: the giant chess piece in the room (January 15, 2015)

Sorting it all out (January 12, 2014)

You’re gonna need a bigger bandwagon (January 2, 2014)

Today via Twitter:

Tom Schweich ‏@TomSchweichMO

Nearly 200 Missourians have now signed an open letter asking State Auditor Tom Schweich to run for #mogov in ’16. [….] 4:30 PM – 2 Jan 2015

That probably won’t trump a billionaire signing his open check book.

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for one of the probable republican candidates for governor in 2016:

C111150 12/30/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Shubert Design Inc 161 Gaywood Ph. Manchester MO 63021 12/29/2014 $5,100.00

C111150 12/30/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Roger Miller 8025 Maryland Ave Unit 15C St Louis MO 63105 Gateway Packaging Chairman 12/29/2014 $10,000.00

C111150 12/30/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH John Danforth 911 Tirrill Farms Rd Saint Louis MO 63124 Bryan Cave LLP Partner 12/29/2014 $10,000.00

C111150 12/30/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Jesse Bodine 50 Creekwood Lane St Louis MO 63124 Bodine Aluminum Retired 12/29/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Still no weekly retainer.

A weekly occurrence, that is.

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 12/23/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Jerry Sumners Sr PO Box 604 Aurora MO 65605 Service Vending Company CEO 12/22/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Previously:

Campaign Finance: yet, it’s not weekly (December 16, 2014)

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 12/16/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Steven Roodman 2700 Turnberry Drive Marion IL 62959 Anesthesia Associates of Southern IL Physician 12/16/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

It’s not like he’s way behind Catherine Hanaway (r):

C111150: Friends Of Tom Schweich

3220 West Edgewood Ste E Committee Type: Candidate

Jefferson City, Mo 65109 Party Affiliation: Republican

[….] Established Date: 08/12/2011

  Termination Date:

Information Reported On: 2014 – 30 Day After General Election-11/4/2014

Beginning Money on Hand $929,249.67

Monetary Receipts + $28,564.41

Monetary Expenditures – $33,653.99

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $0.00

Subtotal     ($5,089.58)

Ending Money On Hand   $924,160.09

[emphasis added[

Previously:

Campaign Finance: layaway (December 15, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Ooooh, we bet that made Catherine Hanaway (r) really, really nervous! (December 12, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Would direct deposit be more convenient? (December 9, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Every Tuesday (December 2, 2014)

Campaign Finance: through rain, through snow, through gloom of night… (November 25, 2014)

Campaign Finance: weekly retainer (November 18, 2014)

Campaign Finance: keeping up appearances (November 11, 2014)

Every time Rex Sinquefield signs a check a campaign consultant gets their wings… – part 2 (October 28, 2014)

Every time Rex Sinquefield signs a check a twenty-something campaign consultant gets their wings… (October 22, 2014)

Campaign Finance: making a choice (October 15, 2014)

Campaign Finance: a choice (October 1, 2014)

Campaign Finance: wachet auf (September 17, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Which side are you on? (June 30, 2014)

Campaign Finance: waking up at the end of the quarter (June 25, 2014)

Campaign Finance: different friends (June 14, 2014)

Campaign Finance: This probably qualifies as an oxymoron… (May 22, 2014)