Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121046 08/28/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR ED MARTIN Missourians for Matt Blunt Inc. PO Box 144 PO Box 144 Jefferson City MO 65102 8/28/2012 $5,100.00

[emphasis added]

Heh. They can certainly find the checkbook. E-mail might be a something of a challenge.

It took Todd Akin’s infelicitous choice of words and his apalling biological ignorance to shine a great big flood-light on Republican anti-abortion zealotry. Yesterday, The Huffington Post pointed out that there are numerous congressional Republicans who share Akin’s anti-abortion fanaticism:

Each election cycle, the political action committee Republican National Coalition for Life submits questionnaires to GOP candidates about their positions on choice issues and then endorses candidates who advocate a strict no-abortion platform. Selected candidates must be “unconditionally pro-life” and “recognize the inherent right to life of every innocent human being, from conception until natural death, without discrimination.”

Prominent among the 40 congressional candidates that RNC For Life has endorsed this year is Missouri’s Vicky Hartzler (R-4). I suspect that there would be more names here, but the organization doesn’t necessarily endorse in every race – nor are their endorsements for 2012 necessarily yet complete.

In 2010 the Missourians earned the RNC For Life’s imprimatur were: Roy Blunt, Todd Akin, Ed Martin, Vicky Hartzler, Jacob Turk, and Blaine Luetkemeyer. Most of these folks are still around, some safely in office, some up for reelection, and others running yet again for office. Jacob Turk, after failing to take Emanuel Cleaver’s 5th district seat in 2010 is trying again. Mr. Ed Martin, the perennial candidate, is, of course, running for something or the other – I believe that he eventually chose to try for Attorney General, just the place to put a radical anti-abortion zealot.

FiredUp! Missouri also tells us that the usually fairly circumspect (or at least quiet) Sam Graves has indicated his support for Brother Todd:

“It comes down to a decision between a rubber stamp for Obama and an independent thinker,” Graves said. “If he stays in the race, I’ll vote for him.”

Independent thinker, indeed! I guess you could think of many of the characters in Jackass films as “independent” thinkers – but would you really vote for any of them to represent you in Congress? Especially in preference to a solid, centrist Democrat who actually voted against Administration policies as often as she voted for them? (Not that that trait has endeared her to folks like me – but I’m tired of hearing idiots try to claim that poor, moderate-to-a-fault Claire McCaskill is some type of screaming liberal. We disowned her years ago. Her opponents ought to at least try to be honest.)

What this list of fellow travelers suggests is that Todd Akin’s beliefs aren’t really the issue. The real problem is that he has embarrassed the GOP establishment by putting the crazy on display at an inopportune time – and then he defied their efforts to sweep him under the rug. After all, any state where folks routinely vote radical GOP extremists into more than half of their elective offices probably isn’t going to be too finicky about one more whackaloon.    

The campaign finance reports for the Attorney General candidates from the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121078: Missourians For Adam Warren

Information Reported On: 2012 – July Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $10,026.36

Monetary Receipts + $8,415.44

Monetary Expenditures – $12,579.20

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $0.00

Subtotal     ($4,163.76)

Ending Money On Hand   $5,862.60

[emphasis added]

That republican primary could have a sleeper.

And, the republican who is everywhere on our TV sets:

C121046: Missourians For Ed Martin

Information Reported On: 2012 – July Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $300,271.19

Monetary Receipts + $400,525.48

Monetary Expenditures – $121,526.11

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $14,885.65

Subtotal     $264,113.72

Ending Money On Hand   $564,384.91

[emphasis added]

It just goes to show that republican candidates will always have the money they need, no matter how right wingnut they are.

An item from the expenditures:

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

MISSOURIANS FOR ED MARTIN 7/16/2012

Something Else Strategies 112 Lantern Ridge Drive Easley SC 29642 4/20/2012 Consulting Fee $5,000.00

[emphasis added]

Probably a choice of vendor, with no sense of irony. On several levels.

An item from the contributions:

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL

MISSOURIANS FOR ED MARTIN 7/16/2012

David Humphreys PO Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko Building Products — Executive

5/31/2012 $250,000.00

[emphasis added]

As we wrote, it just goes to show that republican candidates will always have the money they need, no matter how right wingnut they are.

And from the current Attorney General, Chris Koster (D):

C031159: Missourians For Koster Information Reported On: 2012 – July Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $2,009,737.71

Monetary Receipts + $555,980.61

Monetary Expenditures – $205,917.92

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $0.00

Subtotal     $350,062.69

Ending Money On Hand   $2,359,800.40

[emphasis added]

That’s impressive. It’d be easier to list who hasn’t contributed to Attorney General Chris Koster’s (D) reelection campaign.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C031159 07/12/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Cornerstone Health Care, Inc. 222 S. First St. Rogers AR 72756 7/12/2012 $10,000.00

C031159 07/12/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Sam Fox 7701 Forsyth Blvd. Ste. 600 St Louis MO 63105 The Harbour Group CEO 7/12/2012 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

Ed Martin (r): Almost thirty states filed lawsuits to stop Obamacare. Not Missouri. Our attorney general sat it out. I’m Ed Martin. During my first minute in office, and I mean minute, we’ll have a new legal strategy to stop Obamacare.

This is no time for the wishy washy. Obamacare is a fundamental threat to our health, economy, and future.

I’m Ed Martin. We can’t waste a minute. As attorney general I’ll do whatever it takes to stop Obamacare.

“…Obamacare is a fundamental threat to our health, economy, and future…” Uh, then run for the U.S. House or U.S. Senate (oh, wait…) because a state attorney general ain’t gonna be able to do squat about it.

Dude, in case you were wondering the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled on the Affordable Care Act. Shouldn’t [someone who wants to be] the state’s attorney general be a litttle quicker on the uptake (and there was that issue finding e-mail, too)?

Or, maybe Attorney General Chris Koster (D) is the token Democrat for campaign contributions (Governor Jay Nixon doesn’t count). Nah, they probably want an attorney general who actually understands the meaning of stare decisis.

That’s thirty seconds of my life I’m never getting back. Thanks, Ed, for wasting it.

I can understand why they cut the checks.    

…and for some reason “on life support” just came to mind.

At the staging site for today’s parade in Belton, Missouri:

“Call the Whaaaaambulance” came in a close second.

Attorney General Chris Koster (D) must be living right.

Today, at the Missouri Ethcs Commission:

C031159 06/12/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER AT&T Missouri One At&T Center Room 4200 St Louis MO 63101 6/11/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Hold the phone.

Previously: Campaign Finance: fancy that (June 9, 2012)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121046 06/09/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR ED MARTIN Innovare Health Associates 9915 Kennerly Road Suite J St Louis MO 63128 6/8/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

They must not be fans of Attorney General Chris Koster (D), sanity, or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C031159 06/07/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER William Danforth 10 Glenview Road St Louis MO 63124 Retired Retired 6/6/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Who’s next?

…it would be their perfect world.

The money flows in the Attorney General race.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121046 05/31/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR ED MARTIN David Humphreys PO Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko Building Products Executive 5/31/2012 $250,000.00

[emphasis added]

Think of it as wealth redistribution to the republican right wingnut campaign consultant industrial complex.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: fear can be a powerful incentive (February 18, 2012)

Campaign Finance: Attorney General – pro forma endorsements don’t seem to matter (March 7, 2012)

Campaign Finance: fear can be a powerful incentive – part 2 (March 8, 2012)

Campaign Finance: Ed Martin (r) has another really bad week (March 15, 2012)

Campaign Finance: Après Ed, le déluge (March 25, 2012)

Campaign Finance: Après Ed, le déluge – part 2 (March 29, 2012)

Campaign Finance: Après Ed, le déluge – part 3 (March 31, 2012)

Alongside a breathless post about teh gay agenda:

“Paid for by Misourians for Ed Martin – Randy McArthur, Treasurer”

Uh, most people want an Attorney General who doesn’t wear a propeller beanie.