Nah. Roy Blunt (r) is probably too busy in smaller meetings with his constituents on K Street.
A familiar face tracking Senator Claire McCaskill (D) at her public town hall in Parkville this afternoon:
I track, therefore I am.
You’d think those wealthy right wingnut benefactors would invest in higher quality equipment for their minions. You’d think. Maybe blurred video and high noise audio is part of the cachet.
Teresa Hensley @VoteHensley
Big News: Today Teresa proudly accepted the endorsement of the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police! [….] 8:01 PM – 20 Sep 2016
And look who was there, a tracker for the right wingnut America Rising LLC (he identified himself to us the last time we saw him):
A campaign tracker with America Rising LLC (a branch of a right wingnut opposition research entity) at a campaign announcement for Teresa Hensley, the Democratic Party nominee for Attorney General – Kansas City – September 20, 2016 [photo: Jerry Schmidt].
The tracker got in the photographer’s line for his shot. Of the many things you can do to a photographer which they’ll shrug off? This isn’t one of them. Trump league. Harsh words were proffered.
Laborers’ Local 663 hosted a meet the Democratic Party candidates event in Odessa, Missouri this afternoon. For a portion of the event a campaign tracker (with video camera) from the right wingnut America Rising LLC stood by the entrance filming.
….America Rising LLC and America Rising PAC were founded in Spring of 2013, in response to perceived Democratic superiority in the field of opposition research. The related but distinct corporate entities are both commonly referred to as America Rising, and the entities are often confused….
[….]
….The America Rising joint enterprise was founded as an opposition research shop described by the Wall Street Journal as “the unofficial research arm of the Republican Party.” America Rising PAC describes itself as “an organization on the right for the sole purpose of exposing the truth about Democrats through video tracking, research, and communications,” and spends its time attacking democrats, progressives and environmentalists.
America Rising co-founder Matt Rhoades previously worked for DCI Group and was Mitt Romney’s campaign manager for the Republican nominee’s failed 2012 presidential bid. America Rising’s other co-founder Joe Pounder is a long-time Republican strategist and opposition researcher, and a former research director at the Republican National Committee….
A campaign tracker with America Rising LLC (a branch of a right wingnut opposition research entity) outside an event attended by Democratic Party candidates in Odessa, Missouri – September 10, 2016.
We were there, too, so we thought we’d talk to him:
Show Me Progress: Hey, how are you doing?
Tracker: Good, how are you?
Show Me Progress: So, are you a tracker?
Tracker: Uh…yes.
Show Me Progress: Yeah, so who are you with?
Tracker: America Rising LLC.
Show Me Progress: America Rising LLC. [….] I’m with Show Me Progress. Okay. So do you, do you go around to different Democratic events or are you following a particular candidate? [pause – blank grin on the face of the tracker] You don’t, yeah, they’re, they don’t want you to talk about it. [….] Well, have fun, whatever.
Tracker: Yeah, enjoy the event. [crosstalk] Heh.
Show Me Progress: Yeah. [raise camera for photo, tracker raises video camera] Yeah, go ahead and, and track, that’s awesome. [shutter click] Have a good day.
Tracker: You, too, sir.
Whatever they’re paying their trackers isn’t enough. Trackers should organize for better pay, better working conditions, health benefits and retirement. That tracking stuff probably gets old really fast.
From time to time someone will reply to a post via Twitter and I don’t catch that reply right away. Sure enough, this evening I was checking for replies and, lo and behold, look what I found, from Representative Mark Parkinson (r):
“…If so, you are an idiot…” Heh. That wasn’t very nice. But, that’s okay, it’s still really nice to know that Representative Parkinson (r) reads Show Me Progress.
Well, there was a tracker. That’s indisputable. But Representative Parkinson (r) may have a point about that budget stuff since Representative Hoskins (r – noun, verb, CPA) couldn’t even pay his taxes on time.
…A common, but perhaps unfortunate fact in politics today is that political parties use videographers, or “trackers,” to record the political activities of candidates for offices…
Well, okay, but if trackers are “icky” and republican don’t use them, the question remains:
…With this tracker stuff out in front of the public does that mean we won’t be seeing any darkly lit shaky videos or grainy photographs along with shock headlines and disturbing music in cable television commercials in the 121st District before the November election? Just asking.
Update: Heh. Representative Parkinson (r) posted via Twitter:
@MBersin (d-noun, cellist-verb) smp is read to track the negative mentions of R’s. The R with the most wins (it means we are effective). about 6 hours ago via web in reply to MBersin
Ah, I get it. There’s a tie for first place in the mention department and someone will take the lead if they post more on Twitter.
Courtney Cole, the Democratic Party candidate challenging Denny Hoskins (r – noun, verb, CPA) in the 121st Legislative District, had a letter to the editor published in today’s edition of the Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal:
Now that candidate filing is over, I am truly honored to be officially running for state representative. I have been listening to the concerns of the people around the district, and I am convinced now, more than ever, it is time for a change.
These are tough times for all of us, and we need tough, serious-minded people representing our needs. I will fight to bring jobs and continued prosperity to Johnson County, instead of engaging in the negative political theater that is so common today. We deserve better than that.
As I travel all over Johnson County during this campaign I look forward to meeting everyone and sharing our views. I am energized and ready to earn the honor of serving the great people of Johnson County. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about our district.
….Did I whine and cry to the media when this happened to me? NO! It’s a free country, I will always protect Freedom of Speech and our freedoms to be on PUBLIC land.
If she doesn’t like having her picture taken, then maybe being an elected official is not a good fit for her. – HOW IRONIC!
There might be a little irony in there somewhere, just not in the way some think.
It appears that Representative Denny Hoskins (r – noun, verb, CPA) is a clueless pilgrim in the land of republican false equivalence. Here’s a recent Facebook post from our intrepid pilgrim, taking on the corporate media powerhouse which is Show Me Progress:
Denny Hoskins IRONIC – I guess that is the best word I can use to describe my opponent. Her Treasurer’s husband is a blogger for a Pro-Dem Ultra Liberal website and likes to follow me around and takes pictures and record my speeches. Numerous people at the County Courthouse also state that a young lady has been going through my personal and business financial records/history at the courthouse.
Did I whine and cry to the media when this happened to me? NO! It’s a free country, I will always protect Freedom of Speech and our freedoms to be on PUBLIC land.
If she doesn’t like having her picture taken, then maybe being an elected official is not a good fit for her. – HOW IRONIC!
Using all caps is the Internets equivalent of shouting.
You’ve got to be paying way too much for shoddy opposition research (or maybe it’s free). Your information is out of date.
I don’t necessarily like or dislike covering Denny Hoskins at public events, that just goes with the turf of blogging. I will say that it can sometimes be interesting. That’s what we do, we cover politics and government in Missouri. We’ve been granted media credentials at campaign, political, presidential, and vice-presidential events.
“…Numerous people at the County Courthouse also state that a young lady has been going through my personal and business financial records/history at the courthouse…”
We didn’t ask for the records that broke that story. Thanks for the suggestion, though, we’ll file it for future reference. That’s why they’re called public records. Is Denny Hoskins saying that he’s never been apprised of the public records concerning Jim Jackson or Courtney Cole? Just asking.
“…Did I whine and cry to the media when this happened to me?…”
Really, did you want to go so boldly on the record with that statement? Just asking.
To recap:
At Show Me Progress we cover campaign, public, and government events. We sometimes cover fundraisers when we get an invitation to do so. We either wear ID in the form of a photo credential or we present a business card with our contact information, clearly identifying our affiliation with this blog. Our identification informs those at the events that we cover that what they say to us is on the record. We utilize the public record, the Missouri Sunshine Law, as well as other public resources to access public information. Further, there’s nothing keeping Representative Hoskins from signing up on this blog and participating consistent with our user guidelines.
A tracker, on the other hand, is a paid political operative who may or may not identify his or her associations/affiliations.
Show Me Progress: How are you doing?
Tracker: Hello. How are you?
SMP: Good, good. So, are you a tracker or something?
Tracker: Uh, you could say that I guess.
SMP: Yeah. I’m with Show Me Progress. [I handed him my business card. He took it.]
Tracker: Oh!
SMP: Yeah. So, so, where are you from?
Tracker: Uh, I’d rather not say.
SMP: Oh, okay, that’s cool. [sound of camera shutter]
Tracker: You like the license plate? [In response to me photographing the back of the car.]
SMP: Actually? Interesting.
Tracker: Um, hm.
SMP: Yeah, so, uh, so have you been doing this for long or working in, in politics and stuff like that? [crosstalk]
Tracker: Uh, yeah, I’ve been working in politics for a while. [crosstalk]
SMP: Yeah. Good, good. Uh, where are you from, just in, are you from Missouri or just?
Tracker: I’d rather not say.
SMP: Okay, that’s cool. Well, listen, have a good evening, all right?
Clear enough for you now? Or is that irony definition thing still a little fuzzy for you?
Besides, Missouri republican political blogs that aren’t a part and parcel to the top down hierarchical republican political establishment are a dime a dozen…oh, wait, sorry about that. My mistake.
Representative Denny Hoskins (r – noun, verb, CPA) was on the radio today complaining about mean people, or something:
….Representative Denny Hoskins: Well, one of the other things I wanted to talk about was just the, uh, article in last Friday’s paper…
Marion Woods, KOKO radio: I saw that.
Representative Hoskins: …talking about trackers.
Marion Woods: I saw that.
Representative Hoskins: Yes, yes, and, uh…
Marion Woods: Where did that come from anyway?
Representative Hoskins: I don’t know. I, uh, think some people have active imaginations.
Marion Woods: [laughter]
Representative Hoskins: Is it [inaudible][crosstalk]…
Marion Woods: You have no tracker, do you?
Representative Hoskins: No, I, I have not hired any tracker. My campaign has not hired any tracker. [crosstalk]
Marion Woods: I didn’t know there was such a thing as a tracker.
Representative Hoskins: Yes, you know, until I got into politics I didn’t realize that there was, either. But, you know, back in two thousand eight when, um, you know, you had Ike Skelton running and, and you had, you know, other people. Now, even, you know if I’m at event with, uh, state Senator Stoufer or, or Vicky Hartzler…
Marion Woods: Um, hm.
Representative Hoskins: …I mean there will be a tracker there. Uh.
Marion Woods: There will be.
Representative Hoskins: Yes, usually there’ll be a tracker there videotaping them and taking pictures of, of everything they say. Um, you know, same thing goes for Ike Skelton. When he’s around lots of times there’s a, there’s a tracker there. When Roy Blunt came through on his job’s tour…
Marion Woods: Uh, huh.
Representative Hoskins: …and was down at Heroes [Warrensburg restaurant] there was a tracker there that was recording and, and taking pictures.
Marion Woods: Is now, is that tracker from the other party from where you are?
Representative Hoskins: Lot.
Marion Woods: Is that the way that works?
Representative Hoskins: Lots of times. Lots of times it’s from the other party. But, I have not hired any tracker to, to, I, I could, you know, care less about where Courtney is going [Woods: laughter] or when she’s in Excelsior Springs and when she’s here and…
Marion Woods: Yuh.
Representative Hoskins: So it, you know, it’s one of my least priorities I guess I should say…
Marion Woods: [laughter]
[….]
Representative Hoskins: So, when, you know, articles come out in the paper and, you know, Courtney’s says that I’ve stooped to some, having, following her, she’s lying.
Marion Woods: Yeah.
Representative Hoskins: I’ll call a spade a spade, she’s lying. I’m not having anybody follow her…
[….]
Marion Woods: I, I, I never have understood that why, why, uh, why we have to have the dirt slinging and things like that that goes on. Uh, that doesn’t.
Representative Hoskins: No it doesn’t, it doesn’t serve any purpose. But like I’ve said before, you know, this hundred twenty-first district has been a swing district. [crosstalk]
Marion Woods: Yuh.
Representative Hoskins: And we’ve been honorably represented by Republicans and Democrats. And it’s the number one, um, due to that fact and, and the fact that I won by a hundred twenty-two votes this past time….
“…I don’t know. I, uh, think some people have active imaginations…”
Uh, we were there. There was a tracker. We asked him. We photgraphed him.
SMP: …So, are you a tracker or something?
Tracker: Uh, you could say that I guess…
In fact, he has a unique license plate:
…Tracker: You like the license plate? [In response to me photographing the back of the car.]
SMP: Actually? Interesting…
So, I suppose there must be some way to track that down. And if we did, we could check that identity against campaign payments to individuals to see who might be paying him. I mean, the tracker must at least be getting mileage, right? He did say he worked in politics:
…Tracker: Uh, yeah, I’ve been working in politics for a while…
And who is virtuous?
“…I, I, I never have understood that why, why, uh, why we have to have the dirt slinging and things like that that goes on. Uh, that doesn’t….”
“…No it doesn’t, it doesn’t serve any purpose…”
Dirt slinging in politics? You think for some people it depends on the truth? Or who is doing it? Does anyone remember candidate Denny Hoskins complaining about this lie?:
The Missouri republican State Committee is hurling an outrageous amount of money on behalf of Denny Hoskins (r – noun, verb, CPA) in his quest to take the open seat race in the 121st Legislative District over Jim Jackson (D).
The typical republican campaign startegery – throw lots of money at their problems
The problem for Hoskins and the Missouri republican State Committee is that they’re so desperate to attack a Democrat on guns that they neglected to check with the National Rifle Association before they created their attack piece. Either that, or they can’t read. Which brings up the issue of the total lack of republican support for education. But, I digress.
The republican way – when in doubt, attack and damn the facts
Well, it looks like they got the same rating. Here’s a word problem for all you logic whizzes: If Jim Jackson and Denny Hoskins have the same “A” rating from the NRA, and “Missouri gun owners can’t trust Jim Jackson to defend our gun rights”, doesn’t that mean that “Missouri gun owners can’t trust Denny Hoskins to defend our gun rights”? Just asking….
![A campaign tracker with America Rising LLC (a branch of a right wingnut opposition research entity) at a campaign announcement for Teresa Hensley, the Democratic Party nominee for Attorney General - Kansas City - September 20, 2016 [photo: Jerry Schmidt].](https://i0.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/c65p2663.jpg?ssl=1)
![An America Rising LLC campaign tracker in the background [August 2016 file photo].](https://i1.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160818-img_9735.jpg?ssl=1)
![An America Rising LLC campaign tracker in the background [August 2016 file photo].](https://i2.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160818-img_9746.jpg?ssl=1)
