…Now we could do it with conventional weapons, but that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part…

The television ads are everywhere in the republican primary for the 31st Senate District. They’re on our television and we don’t even live in the district. Nothing exceeds like excess. The 8 Day Before Primary Election reports:

REPORT SUMMARY

CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY [pdf] 7/30/2012

1. Total Receipts For This Election Previously Reported $159,592.47

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $158,254.25

8. Total All Receipts This Election $321,745.00

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $108,219.28

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $133,789.91

[emphasis added]

REPORT SUMMARY

CITIZENS FOR LARGENT [pdf] 7/30/2012

1. Total Receipts For This Election Previously Reported $71,430.00

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $72,005.12

8. Total All Receipts This Election $144,110.12

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $97,324.12

14. Total Expenditures This Election $137,159.30

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $32,566.00

[emphasis added]

Still, that’s a lot of money.

Not in the same league:

REPORT SUMMARY

FRIENDS OF MORRIS [pdf] 7/30/2012

1. Total Receipts For This Election Previously Reported $16,222.00

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $6,815.00

8. Total All Receipts This Election $23,037.00

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $8,016.27

14. Total Expenditures This Election $17,163.98

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $5,651.02

28. Outstanding Indebtedness at the beginning of this period $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

John Bolton would consider that particular candidate’s campaign an existential threat.

Some of the details:

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL

CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY 7/30/2012

David Humphreys P O Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko Building Products 7/2/2012 $50,000.00

Committee to Elect Ron Richard P O Box 2523 Joplin MO 64803 7/12/2012 $1,000.00

Cunningham Campaign Committee 1602 Timerlake Manor Pkwy Chesterfield MO 63017 7/2/2012 $1,000.00

Political Action Committee for Health P O Box 60 Jefferson City MO 65102 7/16/2012 $1,500.00

Sarah Atkins 4713 Rock Spring Rd Arlington VA 22207 Consultant 7/16/2012 $50,000.00

CNS Corporation 500 E 9th Street Kansas City MO 64106 7/24/2012 $10,000.00

Fred Sauer 1657 Forest View Dr St Louis MO 63122 Investment Professional 7/24/2012 $1,000.00

Chris Patterson 17415 S 291 Hwy Pleasant Hill MO 64080 Patterson Oil Co 7/1/2012 $2,500.00

LaClede Political Action Committee 720 Olive Street, Suite 1516 St Louis MO 63101 7/25/2012 $1,000.00

Missouri Club for Growth P O Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 7/20/2012 $40,000.00

[emphasis added]

Take those big bucks away and there’s almost nothing left. Now that’s grassrootsie.

…I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure…

From high orbit:

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY 7/30/2012

Thompson Communications

P O Box 5

200 W Jefferson

Marshfield MO 65706

7/24/2012

TV/Radio/Cable $43,750.00

Thompson Communications

P O Box 5

200 W Jefferson

Marshfield MO 65706

7/24/2012

TV/Radio/Cable $39,968.80

The Singularis Group

P O Box 9265

Shawnee Mission KS 66201

7/24/2012

Postcard advertising

$6,633.07

The Singularis Group

P O Box 9265

CarthageShawnee Mission KS 66201

7/17/2012

Postcard Advertising

$5,010.99

Nevada Ad Specialties

4804 Meadowlark Lane

Unit#C

Columbia MO 65201

7/23/2012

Hand Fans $1,971.33

Nevada Ad Specialties

4804 Meadowlark Lane

Unit#C

Columbia MO 65201

7/23/2012

Hand Fans $2,595.81

VictoryStore.com

5200 SW 30th St

Davenport IA 52802

7/6/2012

Emery Boards $631.00

[emphasis added]

Okay, that last one is funny.

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL

CITIZENS FOR LARGENT 7/30/2012

CENTURYTEL INC PO BOX 4065 MONROE LA 71211 7/19/2012 $1,250.00

MO STATE TEACHERS ASSN PO BOX 458 COLUMBIA MO 65205 7/20/2012 $2,000.00

CLAYTON A JONES ATTORNEY AT LAW 405 FOXWOOD DR PO BOX 257 RAYMORE MO 64083 7/19/2012 $1,000.00

ANHEUSER BUSCH 1 BUSCH PLACE ST LOUIS MO 63118 7/17/2012 $1,000.00

LIFE SCIENCES FUND OF GREATER KC PO BOX 1865 JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102 7/17/2012 $12,000.00

MO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PAC 3550 AMAZONAS DR JEFFERSON CITY MO 65109 7/17/2012 $4,000.00

RED ROCK ANGUS 18352 S 1453 ROAD NEVADA MO 64772 7/17/2012 $1,500.00

MHA PAC PO B OX 60 JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102 7/7/2012 $2,000.00

MO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PAC 3550 AMAZONAS DR JEFFERSON CITY MO 65109 7/7/2012 $1,000.00

D C INC 895 BOLGER COURT FENTON MO 63026 7/7/2012 $1,000.00

MISSOURI FREEDOM PO BOX 1792 JEFFERSON CITY MO 64735 7/10/2012 $2,500.00

CENTURYTEL INC PO BOX 4065 MONROE LA 71211 7/10/2012 $1,250.00

HALLMARK CARDS PO BOX 419580 KANSAS CITY MO 64141 7/10/2012 $1,000.00

FRIENDS OF CHRIS MOLENDORP PO BOX 722 BELTON MO 64083 7/5/2012 $5,001.00

MO PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCATES 704 WILDWOOD DR COLUMBIA MO 65203 7/5/2012 $1,000.00

RIGHT CHOICE MANAGED CARE INC PO BOX CINCINNATI OH 45206 7/24/2012 $1,000.00

HCA MO GOOD GOVT FUND 101 E HIGH ST JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102 7/24/2012 $1,000.00

FRIENDS OF CALEB JONES PO BOX 5 CALIFORNIA MO 65018 7/26/2012 $2,250.00

SUPPORTERS OF HEALTH RESEARCH AND TREATMENTS PO BOX 11591 ST LOUIS MO 63105 7/26/2012 $12,000.00

MO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PAC 3550 AMAZONAS DR JEFFERSON CITY MO 65109 7/26/2012 $2,500.00

MO CHAMBER PAC PO BOX 149 JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102 7/26/2012 $2,500.00

SMITHFIELD FOODS INC PO BOX 9004 SMITHFIELD VA 23431 7/26/2012 $1,000.00

[emphasis added]

Some of the same players.

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

CITIZENS FOR LARGENT 7/30/2012

EXEMPLER

815 PARK DRIVE

RAYMORE MO 64083

7/1/2012

CONSULTANT $5,000.00

EXEMPLER

815 PARK DRIVE

RAYMORE MO 64083

7/1/2012

CONSULTANT $5,000.00

CANDIDATE COMMAND LLC

1831 NW VIVION

RIVERSIDE MO 64150

7/10/2012

MAILING $7,755.00

WILSON RESEARCH STRATEGIES

1319 CLAUSEN DRIVE

OKLA CITY OK 73101

7/13/2012

POLL $8,000.00

CANDIDATE COMMAND LLC

1831 NW VIVION

RIVERSIDE MO 64150

7/16/2012

MAILING $8,112.00

WILSON PERKINS ALLEN

1319 CLAUSSEN DR

OKLA CITY OK 73103

7/19/2012

POLL $1,000.00

CANDIDATE COMMAND LLC

1831 NW VIVION

RIVERSIDE MO 64150

7/18/2012

MAILING $8,112.00

CANDIDATE COMMAND LLC

1831 NW VIVION

RIVERSIDE MO 64150

7/24/2012

MAILING $8,112.00

VICTORY ENTERPRISES

4301 E 53RD ST

DAVENPORT IA 52807

7/25/2012

CABLE TV ADS $30,000.00

[emphasis added]

You don’t have to worry about targeting when you have have unlimited throw weight.

And then, the third world:

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL

FRIENDS OF MORRIS 7/30/2012

Balentine Rentals 509 Winslow Drive Raymore MO 64083-8331 7/9/2012 $1,000.00

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

FRIENDS OF MORRIS 7/30/2012

Fletcher’s Forms

PO Box 995

Belton MO 64012-0995

7/13/2012

Sign Printing

$6,301.13

Maybe. In another time, on another planet, without Citizens United.

Previously: Campaign Finance: a microcosm of the struggle in the republican universe – 21st Senate District (August 1, 2012)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, contributions by a right wingnut astroturf organization to one each of the republican candidates in the 31st and 21st Senate Districts:

C121090 07/20/2012 CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY Missouri Club for Growth P O Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 7/20/2012 $40,000.00

C051254 07/20/2012 MCGHEE FOR SENATE Missouri Club for Growth P.O. Box 2068 St Louis MO 63158 7/20/2012 $20,000.00

[emphasis added]

They’ll always have all the money they’ll ever need.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: David Pearce (r) and Mike McGhee (r) – July quarterly reports (July 16, 2012)

Campaign Finance: a sign on every lawn (July 16, 2012)

Mail: If you’ve seen one republican candidate driving a tractor in the 21st Senate District… (July 18, 2012)

That must be the strategery.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission.

C121090 07/16/2012 CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY Sarah Atkins 4713 Rock Spring Rd Arlington VA 22207 Self Employed 7/16/2012 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

Previously:

Campaign Finance: throwing down the crazy gauntlet (April 23, 2012)

Campaign Finance: throwing down the crazy gauntlet – the prequel (April 24, 2012)

Campaign Finance: sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t really have a choice (June 16, 2012)

Signs: sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t really have a choice (June 20, 2012)

Campaign Finance: print more signs! (July 3, 2012)

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121090 07/02/2012 CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY David Humphreys P O Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko Building Products 7/2/2012 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

Previously:

Campaign Finance: throwing down the crazy gauntlet (April 23, 2012)

Campaign Finance: throwing down the crazy gauntlet – the prequel (April 24, 2012)

Campaign Finance: sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t really have a choice (June 16, 2012)

Signs: sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t really have a choice (June 20, 2012)

Previously:

Campaign Finance: sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t really have a choice (June 16, 2012)

Campaign Finance: throwing down the crazy gauntlet (April 23, 2012)

Campaign Finance: throwing down the crazy gauntlet – the prequel (April 24, 2012

Signs on Missouri Highway 291 south of Lee’s Summit on the way to Harrisonville – we kid you not:

If he wins the republican primary they’re gonna have to rewrite the campaign how to manuals.

The 31st Senate District republican primary will have serious money in the mix.

From Ed Emery’s (r) first quarter 2012 campaign finance report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 10, 2012:

REPORT SUMMARY

CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY [pdf] 4/10/2012

8. Total All Receipts This Election $50,645.00

[emphasis added]

Where did all that money come from?:

CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOANS RECEIVED

CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY 4/10/2012

Ethelmae Humphreys 2505 East 11th Street Joplin MO 64801 Tamko Bldg. Products — Chairman of the Board 3/31/2012 $50,000.00

Russell Freed 2662 County Rd. 1310 Moberly MO 65270 Orschelns — Marketing 3/29/2012 $100.00

Anne Calzone 33867 Highway E Dixon MO 65459 Homemaker 3/31/2012 $50.00

CZ Engineering, Inc. 33863 Highway E Dixon MO 65459 3/31/2012 $495.00 [in kind]

Some free speech is more equal than others.

Four campaign contributions in Ed Emery’s (r) first quarter 2012 campaign finance report. “My, that’s a mighty big piece of pie you got there Ethelmae.”

When you add yesterday’s $50,000.00 campaign contribution, that campaign treasury almost doubled. You can just feel the grassroots momentum.

Previously: Campaign Finance: throwing down the crazy gauntlet (April 23, 2012)

How are the other republicans in the primary doing when it comes to raising that campaign cash?:

Scott Largent (r), another one of the three individuals running in the primary, filed his first quarter 2012 report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 15, 2012:

REPORT SUMMARY

CITIZENS FOR LARGENT [pdf] 4/15/2012

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $4,400.00

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $2,730.05

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $31,260.13

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOANS RECEIVED

CITIZENS FOR LARGENT 4/15/2012

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

MISSOURI INDEPENDENT ACCTS PAC 4243 NE LAKEWOOD WAY STE 101 LEES SUMMIT MO 64064 2/1/2012 $500.00

ISLE OF CAPRI CASINOS INC 600 EMERSON RD SUITE 300 ST LOUIS MO 63141 2/1/2011 $300.00

MISSOURI DENTAL PAC 3340 AMERICAN AVE JEFFERSON CITY MO 65109 2/1/2011 $250.00

BRENT HEMPHILL & ASSOC PO BOX 156 JEFFERSON CITY MO 65102 2/1/2012 $250.00

CPA PAC 540 MARYVILLE CENTRE DRIVE SUITE 200 ST LOUIS MO 63141 2/1/2012 $100.00

CITIZENS TO ELECT MIKE KEHOE PO BOX 105527 JEFFERSON CITY MO 65110 3/29/2012 $1,000.00

FRIENDS FOR MENZLINGER PO BXO 65 MONTICELLO MO 63457 3/29/2011 $1,000.00

PARSONS FOR STATE SENATE 3892 HWY 123 FAIRPLAY MO 65649 3/29/2012 $1,000.00

[emphasis added]

Nope, no grassroots momentum there, either.

EXPENDITURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE

CITIZENS FOR LARGENT 4/15/2012

B. Itemized Expenditures All Over $100

AXIOM 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF KANSAS CITY MO 64116 3/23/2012 CONSULTING $1,250.00

EXEMPLER PO BOX 11 RAYMORE MO 64083 3/30/2012 CONSULTANT $1,000.00

[emphasis added]

Ah, the republican campaign consultant industrial complex. Does anyone get the feeling that they’re not very popular with folks in Joplin?

And the next candidate in the primary, David Morris (r):

C121182: Friends Of Morris

308 East High St Ste 103 Committee Type: Candidate

Jefferson City Mo 65101 Party Affiliation: Republican

(573) 635-3100 Established Date: 04/05/2012

[emphasis added]

Contribution in Excess of $500 Received Within 48 Hours

C121182 FRIENDS OF MORRIS [pdf] 4/19/2012

David Morris PO Box 563 Peculiar, MO 64078 Morris Auto Sales Owner 4/17/2012 $10,000.00

Pass the popcorn.

A tip of the hat to Randy Turner.

Mongol General: ….Conan! What is best in life?

Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women….

Do it with dollars. Unlimited money in politics has that effect on people.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121090 04/23/2012 CITIZENS FOR ED EMERY David Humphreys P O Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko Building Products 4/23/2012 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

The republican primary candidates in the 31st Senate District:

State Senator – District 31

Republican

Scott Largent 1904 RUSTIC WAY

CLINTON MO 64735 295 2/28/2012

Ed Emery PO BOX 123

LAMAR MO 64759 568 2/28/2012

Dave Morris PO BOX 563

PECULIAR MO 64078 3/27/2012

Pass the popcorn.  

Chris Benjamin (D) and David Pearce (r – advocate of automotive deer hunting), the two candidates for the open seat in the 31st Senate District, have had groups sending a lot of mail.

A nice, positive, Democratic mail piece in support of a candidate with the right qualifications for tough times:

Working families paid for this positive piece.

Same day, same photo, nasty republican mail piece, just for contrast.:

Paid for by the Missouri republican state committee – the usual suspects.

Here’s the “B” side of the republican mailing:

Yeah, right. A shill for banking PACs and a rubber stamp for the republican leadership in the General Assembly is looking after the little guy. Give us a break. And you’d think he’d get a new tie at this stage of the campaign.

Meanwhile, in the 121st Legislative District race, we also received this positive piece on behalf of Jim Jackson (D) from Working Families. Hmmm. Another candidate with the right qualifications for tough times.

See, Denny Hoskins (r – “noun, verb, CPA”), how an independent mailer that’s positive can work for a candidate?

Previously, on Show Me Progress:

David Pearce (r) in the 31st Senate District: his GOP enablers have chutzpah!

Look who’s paying for this. Again:

Yep, repeat the stupidity enough and hope no one pays attention to reality. Well, we did [pay attention to the reality]. David Pearce (r – advocate of automotive deer hunting actually voted for the healthcare cuts – and the Missouri republican party celebrated it. Attacking your opponent for something you did, now that’s chutzpah!

Now this is republican arrogance. “Confidence in state government” is equated with the legal problems of the Missouri republican party? That’s rich.

Here’s the case cited in the mailing:

04CV130560 – THOMAS GREEN V MISSOURI REPUBLICAN STATE COM

GREEN , THOMAS , Plaintiff     represented by     CARMICHAEL , JAMES E , Attorney for Plaintiff

…SAINT CHARLES,MO…

MISSOURI REPUBLICAN STATE COMITTEE , Defendant    

ANN WAGNER, CHAIRMAN MO REPUBL

STATE COMMITTEE

204 EAST DUNKLIN

JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101

Just to spell it out for you, the folks sending the mailing are the enablers of the folks who were sued (and then settled). Chutzpah!

This is a joke, right? “Anti-gun radicals” in the 31st Senate District? Who are these idiots trying to fool. It’s embarrassing. Really. The desperation just smells.

You all know what to do: Chris Benjamin (D)

The “B” side.

It’s her! Hillary! Where’s Obama?

There’s going to be a lot more like this. The republican way – throw crap against the wall and hope something, anything, sticks. The republican campaign mode is just like their governing mode – laughably stupid and incompetent, except that some good people suffer…

The graphics would make a good movie poster for a Sergio Leone western…

Who paid for this? The usual suspects:

Additional concrete proof that the Missouri republican party is completely irony impaired:

There’s an itty bitty tiny teeny footnote which refers to SB 539 in the 2005 session of the Missouri General Assembly. Let’s look at the Journal of the House [pdf] for April 7, 2005 (page 935):

…On motion of Representative Stefanick, SS SB 539 was truly agreed to and finally passed by the following vote:

AYES: 089

Avery Baker 123 Bearden Behnen Bivins

Brown 30 Bruns Byrd Chinn Cooper 120

Cooper 155 Cooper 158 Cunningham 145 Cunningham 86 Davis

Day Deeken Dempsey Denison Dethrow

Dixon Dusenberg Emery Ervin Faith

Fares Fisher Flook Franz Goodman

Guest Hobbs Hunter Icet Jackson

Johnson 47 Jones Kelly Kingery Lager

Lembke Lipke Loehner May McGhee

Moore Munzlinger Muschany Myers Nieves

Nolte Parson Pearce Phillips Pollock

Portwood Pratt Quinn Rector Richard

Roark Robb Ruestman Rupp Sander

Sater Schaaf Schad Schlottach Self

Smith 118 Smith 14 Stefanick St. Onge Sutherland

Threlkeld Tilley Viebrock Wallace Wasson

Wells Weter Wilson 119 Wilson 130 Wood

Wright 137 Wright 159 Yates Mr Speaker

[emphasis added]

What’s that you say? David Pearce (r – advocate of automotive deer hunting) actually voted to “…cut healthcare funding for our most vulnerable citizens…”

Yep. You got it. The Missouri republican party paid for a mail piece attacking Chris Benjamin (D) for something the Missouri republican party advocates and for which David Pearce (r), their chosen candidate, accommodatingly voted.

That’s chutzpah.

The “B” side of the mail piece.

The best definition of chutzpah? Murdering your parents then asking for leniency from the court because you’re an orphan…