There have been a few changes in the 2016 Attorney General race.

Former Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley (D) [2012 file photo].

Today former Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley (D) announced her candidacy for Attorney General in 2016:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 30, 2015

[….]

FMR. PROSECUTOR TERESA HENSLEY ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR MISSOURI ATTORNEY GENERAL

Kansas City, MO – Today Democrat Teresa Hensley announced that she is starting her campaign to become Missouri’s next Attorney General.

“As a former prosecutor, I saw the pain and the devastation families experience when they’re the victims of violent crime. I saw parents who lost children to drunk drivers, and children who lost their innocence to abuse. But I also saw the power of justice in action. I saw people begin to put their lives back together after justice was served in a court of law,” said Hensley “That’s why I’m running. I have a unique understanding of the power and importance of the Office of the Attorney General. As the state’s top prosecutor, I will seek justice with honesty and integrity for Missouri’s families.”

Shortly after her announcement, Missouri State Senator Scott Sifton and former candidate for Attorney General offered his endorsement, “Teresa Hensley has the prosecutor experience we need in our next Attorney General. Her experience as a prosecutor far exceeds that of the other candidates in the field.”

Hensley stated she looked forward to continuing and expanding the Attorney General Office’s strong tradition of defending victims’ rights and protecting consumers against fraud. She was recognized for that work as Cass County Prosecutor and plans to continue it at the state level. Hensley will also prioritize protection of senior citizens from financial scams, and work with community leaders to create safer, more secure communities for Missouri families.

“As a prosecutor, I want an Attorney General who understands the rights of victims and has the experience of seeking justice,” said Jennifer Joyce, Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis, “That’s why I’m supporting Teresa Hensley to become the chief law enforcement officer for Missouri.”

Said Hensley, “I look forward to traveling the state, hearing from voters from all over, and working to win their support.”

# # #

About Teresa Hensley

Teresa Hensley has devoted her career to fighting for justice, the rights of victims, and protecting those most vulnerable in our communities. These qualities and experience make her ideally suited to become Missouri’s next Attorney General.

Hensley is a life-long Missourian. She began kindergarten at Raymore Elementary and remained at Raymore-Peculiar High School until graduating in 1977. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from William Jewell College and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri Kansas City Law School.

Hensley was appointed to the position of Cass County Prosecutor in January of 2005; she was elected to the position in November of 2006 and again in 2010 for a four-year term that began January 2011. Hensley received the 2010 Missouri Attorney General’s Justice Award for Domestic Violence Prevention. She participated as prosecutor in the Child Abuse Response Team, the Fire Investigation Team, and the DWI Task Force. In 2014, she was selected by the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (MAPA) to serve as Chair of the Missouri DWI and Traffic Safety Best Practices Committee.

Hensley remains active in the day-to-day life of the community. She served as a Raymore Alderman, Raymore Planning and Zoning Board member, and as a member of the Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board, as well as a board member of Hope Haven. She is currently a member of the Bel-Ray Sunrise Lions Club, the Harrisonville Rotary Club, the Harrisonville Business and Professional Women, and Beta Sigma Phi of Lake Winnebago.

Hensley is a family law mediator. She taught social studies at Leavenworth Public Schools in the Alternative Program and criminal law at William Jewell College. Before becoming Cass County Prosecutor in 2005, she was a partner and practicing attorney for fourteen years with the Hensley Law Firm in Raymore with her husband, Kenny.

She grew up in Raymore, Missouri, where her parents and family still reside. She opened a law office with her husband Kenny Hensley in 1991 in Raymore and was there until she became Prosecutor in 2005. Kenny and Teresa were married in 1979 and have one son, Frank, who lives in Los Angeles with his wife Heather.

Kurt Schaefer’s (r) 2016 attorney general campaign filed its July quarterly campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 15th:

C081145: Citizens To Elect Kurt Schaefer Attorney General

  Committee Type: Candidate

Po Box 1614 Party Affiliation: Republican

Columbia Mo 65205 Established Date: 04/04/2008

[….]

Information Reported On: 2015 – July Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $1,326,971.20

Monetary Receipts + $96,097.50

Monetary Expenditures – $38,920.56

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $0.00

Subtotal     $57,176.94

Ending Money On Hand   $1,384,148.14

[emphasis added]

Not a particularly active fundraising quarter, though the cash on hand, at first glance, is impressive. There is $544,822.93 in outstanding indebtedness.

The contributions:

Contributions to Kurt Schaefer’s (r) 2016 attorney general campaign reported on its July 2015 quarterly campaign finance report.

Contributions to Kurt Schaefer’s (r) 2016 attorney general campaign reported on its July 2015 quarterly campaign finance report.

Pfizer PAC $5,001.00

Bob McCosh Chevrolet $5,000.00

Missouri Soybean Association $5,000.00

Otto Maly $5,000.00

RightChoice Managed Care $5,000.00

Alliance for Higher Education $2,500.00

CenturyLink $2,500.00

Cerner PAC $2,500.00

Coalition for Advanced Learning $2,500.00

Dealers Interested in Government $2,500.00

Express Scripts $2,500.00

Glazer’s Missouri PAC $2,500.00

Kum & Go $2,500.00

MHA $2,500.00

Missouri Realtors PAC $2,500.00

MO Corn Growers Association $2,500.00

MO Dental PAC $2,500.00

MO Health Care Association $2,500.00

Supporters of Health Research $2,500.00

Orscheln Management $2,000.00

GibbonsWorkman $1,500.00

Kevin Greenberg $1,500.00

MARF $1,500.00

MO Asphalt Pavement Assn $1,500.00

Support Kids Services $1,500.00

ACE Group PAC $1,000.00

Brent Hemphill $1,000.00

Cozen O’Connor PAC $1,000.00

Heal PAC $1,000.00

Microsoft Corp PAC $1,000.00

MOSFA PAC $1,000.00

Neal Bredehoeft $1,000.00

Penman & Winton $1,000.00

Polsinelli $1,000.00

Randy Coil $1,000.00

Robert Alpers $1,000.00

Ronald Russell $1,000.00

Thomas Rafter $1,000.00

Travelers Indemnity $1,000.00

W. E. Shoehigh $1,000.00

Warren Stemme $1,000.00

MFA Oil $800.00

AMEC PAC $600.00

Bristol-Meyers Squibb $500.00

Central Bancompany PAC $500.00

D. C. Inc $500.00

FEAPAC $500.00

Gary Drawing $500.00

Greg Steinhoff $500.00

Hulett Heating $500.00

Jennifer Brant Bukowsky $500.00

MBA Capitol Region $500.00

MO American Water Employees $500.00

MO Beer Wholesalers $500.00

MO Independent Bankers Assoc $500.00

Re/Max Boone Realty $500.00

Socket Telecom $500.00

Toni Wyrick $500.00

Reid & Associates $150.00

There are a lot of PACs in the mix.

Some of the expenditures:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

CITIZENS TO ELECT KURT SCHAEFER ATTORNEY GENERAL [pdf] 7/15/2015

Robert Knodell 110 Venus Holts Summit MO 65043 6/4/2015 Campaign Worker $10,000.00

VPR 2870 S Ingram Mill Road Springfield MO 65804 6/10/2015 public relations $5,291.01

Mike Roman & Associates 2305 Rhawn Street Philadelphia PA 19152 4/1/2015 research $7,500.00

[emphasis added]

======================

Jake Zimmerman’s (D) 2016 attorney general campaign filed its July quarterly campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 15th:

C051130: Citizens For Jake Zimmerman

  Committee Type: Candidate

9046 Old Bonhomme Road Party Affiliation: Democrat

St Louis Mo 63132 Established Date: 06/13/2005

[….]

Information Reported On: 2015 – July Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $797,924.74

Monetary Receipts + $156,129.57

Monetary Expenditures – $30,862.82

Contributions Made – $50.00

Other Disbursements – $2,081.91

Subtotal     $123,134.84

Ending Money On Hand   $921,059.58

[emphasis added]

An comparatively impressive fundraising quarter and a healthy cash on hand. There is $203,890.86 in outstanding indebtedness.

The contributions:

Contributions to Jake Zimmerman’s (D) 2016 attorney general campaign reported on its July 2015 quarterly campaign finance report.

Contributions to Jake Zimmerman’s (D) 2016 attorney general campaign reported on its July 2015 quarterly campaign finance report.

David Roberts $5,000.00

Steve Berman $5,000.00

Matthew Fischer $5,000.00

Archein Construction $5,000.00

Michael Staenberg $5,000.00

University Terrace Association $4,800.00

Robern Incorporated $2,500.00

Christopher Giampapa $2,500.00

Hugh Scott $2,500.00

Ed Balk $2,500.00

CLAYCO $2,500.00

Lawrence Chapman $2,500.00

Terry Bloomberg $2,500.00

Howard Jacobson $2,500.00

Don Musick $2,500.00

Hensley Construction $2,500.00

Stone Leyton & Gershman $2,000.00

Paramount Apparel $2,000.00

Cathy Steele $2,000.00

Schlichter Bogard & Denton $1,500.00

Stone & Alter Real Estate $1,500.00

University Square $1,500.00

Anthony Shapiro $1,500.00

City Wireless $1,500.00

Gloss LLC $1,500.00

Stephanie Peterson $1,100.00

Robert Denlow $1,000.00

American Medical Consulting $1,000.00

Roby Robertson $1,000.00

Matthew Landwehr $1,000.00

Mary R Wolff Real Estate $1,000.00

Sheila Greenbaum $1,000.00

John Dubinsky $1,000.00

Kristoffer Boevingloh $1,000.00

Gary Heifetz $1,000.00

Friends of Bill Frick $1,000.00

Phil Calabrese $1,000.00

Karen Levy $1,000.00

Robert Gellman $1,000.00

Vivian Gellman $1,000.00

Charles Sanders $1,000.00

Cerame Trust Management $1,000.00

Sun Associates Kirkwood $1,000.00

Atlantic Apartment $1,000.00

Charles Hatfield $1,000.00

Thomas Zupon $1,000.00

Commercial Bank $1,000.00

Reinsurance Group of America $1,000.00

Dean Franklin $1,000.00

Ken Katzif $1,000.00

David Bohm $1,000.00

BNSF Railway $1,000.00

Kevin Buchek $1,000.00

Donna Moog Landsbaum $1,000.00

William Murphy $1,000.00

George Capps $1,000.00

Express Scripts $1,000.00

Sauter Sullivan $1,000.00

Goralnik-Muskin Properties $1,000.00

Paul Macon $1,000.00

Scott Stern $1,000.00

MOSFA PAC $1,000.00

Aimee Aver $1,000.00

Ron Danna $1,000.00

Steven Funk $1,000.00

Kim Jacobs $1,000.00

Pagedale Business Center $1,000.00

Dudley Von Holt $900.00

Jeniphr A. E. Breckenridge $750.00

Christopher O’Hara $750.00

Andrew Volk $750.00

Shelter Insurance $750.00

Steven Sherman $700.00

Jennifer Connolly $500.00

Thomas Loeser $500.00

Seph McNamara $500.00

Cynthia Allen $500.00

Chesterfield Place $500.00

Creve Coeur Real Estate $500.00

Deerfield Apartments $500.00

Pebble Point Apartments $500.00

Daniel McCuaig $500.00

Tamar Fernandez $500.00

Paul Sonderegger $500.00

Paul Forman $500.00

Jason Growe $500.00

Thomas Litz $500.00

Andrew Smolik $500.00

Robert Goldson $500.00

Daniel Engle $500.00

Andrew Voss $500.00

Suzanne Fischer $500.00

Richard Fister $500.00

Charles Friedman $500.00

Douglas Baron $500.00

Edward Cohen $500.00

Lawrence Friedman $500.00

Barbara Geisman $500.00

Bob Hull $500.00

Kenton Knickmeyer $500.00

Raymond Massey $500.00

Thomas Snider $500.00

Isaac Young $500.00

Matt Fillo $500.00

Terry Stone $500.00

Daryl Crone $500.00

Janette Lohman $500.00

Khristine Heisinger $500.00

Jay Baumohl $500.00

Mark Sableman $500.00

MACO Development $500.00

William Koenigsdorf $500.00

Kay Drey $500.00

Daniel Cox $500.00

Sanford Jaffe $500.00

Kirk Presley $500.00

Sara Seabaugh $500.00

Robert Wagner $500.00

Murphy Orlando $500.00

Gordon Ankney $500.00

Robert Elgin $500.00

William Killian $500.00

Irv Rothenberg $500.00

N D Consulting $500.00

Rava Consulting $500.00

Enterprise Holdings $500.00

Joan Ellyn Silber $360.00

Michael Scully $350.00

Russell Iungerich $300.00

Rush Robinson $300.00

Jason Wheeler $300.00

Francine Cantor $270.00

Francis Buckley $250.00

Kathleen Sorkin $250.00

Howard Smith $250.00

Michael Litwack $250.00

Susan Block $250.00

William Danforth $250.00

Scott Wilson $250.00

Harry Hulings $250.00

David Capes $250.00

Brian Stone $250.00

Rodney Harrison $250.00

John Phillips $250.00

Paul Flotken $250.00

Robert Rothschild $250.00

Edward Goldberg $250.00

Eileen Hulsey $250.00

Scott Claassen $250.00

Mary Still $250.00

Mary Buenger $250.00

Gregory Patterson $250.00

Steven Cousins $250.00

Martin Israel $250.00

Seth Albin $250.00

Dan Ball $250.00

Christopher Bauman $250.00

Alex Berger $250.00

M. Susan Carlson $250.00

Barry Cervantes $250.00

Charles Elbert $250.00

Leonard Frankel $250.00

Robert Newmark $250.00

Susan Talve $250.00

Dan White $250.00

Kimberly Yates $250.00

Ivy Arai Tabbara $200.00

Christopher Thau $200.00

Jason Linder $200.00

Bruce Ryder $200.00

Linda Shapiro $200.00

William Holtz $150.00

Ashley Hanna $150.00

Humberto Reboredo $150.00

Amanda Kelley $150.00

Paul Donnelly $150.00

Michael Meredith $150.00

Benjamin Uchitelle $150.00

Timothy O’Connell $125.00

Valery Starr $125.00

Zileta Lolly Bennett $118.00

Catherine Schroeder $118.00

Morris Sterneck $100.00

Aaron McMurtray $100.00

JAC Consulting $100.00

Richard Halpern $100.00

Ray Dobinsky $100.00

Alan Sachs $100.00

James Graves $75.00

Shiran Kochavi $50.00

William Curtis $50.00

Zach Vigna $50.00

William Curtis $50.00

Kathleen Sorkin $25.00

Some of the expenditures:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

CITIZENS FOR JAKE ZIMMERMAN [pdf] 7/15/2015

Benjamin Murray 3616 Cleveland Avenue St. Louis MO 63110 4/1/2015 Campaign Worker $10,000.00

Solvency Group 826 University Place Detroit MI 48230 4/14/2015 Fundraising $3,500.00

Solvency Group 826 University Place Detroit MI 48230 5/14/2015 Fundraising $3,500.00

[emphasis added]

======================

Scott Sifton’s (D) 2016 attorney general campaign filed its July quarterly campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 15th:

C091061: Scott Sifton For Missouri

  Committee Type: Candidate

Po Box 4396 Party Affiliation: Democrat

St Louis Mo 63123 Established Date: 02/19/2009

[….]

Information Reported On: 2015 – July Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $440,679.28

Monetary Receipts + $100,033.91

Monetary Expenditures – $27,570.82

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $25,000.00

Subtotal     $47,463.09

Ending Money On Hand   $488,142.37

[emphasis added]

Rough fundraising parity and a competitive cash on hand. There is $110,000.00 in outstanding indebtedness.

The contributions:

Contributions to Scott Sifton’s (D) 2016 attorney general campaign reported on its July 2015 quarterly campaign finance report.

Contributions to Scott Sifton’s (D) 2016 attorney general campaign reported on its July 2015 quarterly campaign finance report.

MO Optometric PAC $3,000.00

Express Scripts $2,000.00

James M. Dowd Law Firm $1,500.00

McCormack Baron Salazar $1,000.00

BNSF Railway $1,000.00

Geneva Shearburn $1,000.00

Polsinelli $1,000.00

UNITE HERE Union Local #74 $1,000.00

Anheuser Busch Companies $1,000.00

Charles Nester $1,000.00

PHLV $1,000.00

Sheet Metal Workers $1,000.00

Patricia Scaglia $1,000.00

Randy Alberhasky $1,000.00

MOSFA Pac $1,000.00

Travelers Indemnity $1,000.00

Evergreen Investments $1,000.00

Realtors PAC $1,000.00

Mid States $1,000.00

GibbonsWorkman $1,000.00

Joan Callis $1,000.00

FEAPAC $1,000.00

Vehicle Protection Association $1,000.00

Reliant Care Management $1,000.00

Luxco $1,000.00

Shelter Insurance $750.00

MO Truck PAC $750.00

Gregory Bratcher $600.00

Rush Robinson $500.00

James Ash $500.00

Quality Building $500.00

John McArthur $500.00

Robert Tomaso $500.00

Joy Doll $500.00

Centurylink $500.00

Dave Fenley $500.00

Missouri Dental PAC $500.00

Susan Philpott $500.00

Jack Martorelli $500.00

MO Asphalt Pavement Assoc $500.00

Paul Kalsbeek $500.00

Dan Burkhardt $500.00

Commercial Bank $500.00

St. Louis Labor Council AFL-CIO $500.00

MBA Capitol Region $500.00

Roger Wright $500.00

MLPA Legislative Fund $500.00

Phil Scaglia $500.00

Don Schlapprizzi $500.00

Fire Fighters Local 42 PAC $500.00

Heat and Frost Insulators $500.00

Steven Torline $500.00

MO American Water Employees $500.00

Responsible Building PAC $500.00

Travis Noble $500.00

Wes Rogers $500.00

Amy Wachs $500.00

Gregg Lombardi $500.00

American Family Insurance $500.00

Robert Haar $500.00

Independent Bankers Association PAC $500.00

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers $500.00

Gas Workers Local 5-6 $500.00

Rick Brenner $500.00

Branch 343 National Association of Letter Carriers $350.00

Douglas Kennedy $300.00

Mary Creamer $250.00

Lucky Maynard $250.00

David Richardson $250.00

Larry Ward $250.00

David Clithero $250.00

Eric Trelz $250.00

Bob Stuber $250.00

Zane Cagle $250.00

David Sobelman $250.00

Jeff Demerath $250.00

Dick Deshon $250.00

SITE Improvement Association $250.00

Larry J Pitts $250.00

Douglas Schmidt $250.00

Susan Block $250.00

William James $250.00

Claire Owen $250.00

Missouri Association Of Municipal Utilities $250.00

Harry Wilson $250.00

Kenneth Slavens $250.00

Teresa Maledy $250.00

IBEW Local Union 1439 $250.00

John Crossley $250.00

Eli Karsh $250.00

Michael Nepple $250.00

Schuchat Cook and Werner $250.00

Rita Baron $250.00

Wally Bley $200.00

Nancy Copenhaver $200.00

Frank Keefe $200.00

William Demarest $200.00

Ben Lewis $200.00

Nancy Patterson $200.00

Gary Myers $200.00

Kathleen Mueller $200.00

Sidney Johnson $200.00

Richard Greenberg $200.00

Pauli Kendrick $200.00

Jordan Ault $150.00

Judith Mann $150.00

Michael Moroni $150.00

Brianna Lennon $150.00

Vernon Scoville $150.00

Mike Heins $125.00

Saul Pwanson $125.00

Patrick Witte $100.00

James Gates $100.00

Nancy Mogab $100.00

Margaret A. Eaton $100.00

Wyse Law Firm $100.00

Shulamith Simon $100.00

William Demarest $100.00

William Schlosser $100.00

Courtney Cole $100.00

Michael McNeil $100.00

Susan Plassmeyer $100.00

Doug Beck $100.00

Sarah Pleban $100.00

Glaziers, Architectural Metal and Glassworkers $100.00

Luxemberg Realty $100.00

Vernon Scoville $100.00

Pamela Coffin $100.00

Patrick Witte $100.00

William Richter $100.00

Bob Fanning $50.00

Rebecca Blackwell $50.00

Kathy Rieck $50.00

William Schlosser $50.00

Rea Kleeman $50.00

Max Wolfrum $50.00

Rea Kleeman $50.00

Timothy McBride $50.00

Richard Sifton $35.00

Ron Gibbs $25.00

Rebecca Blackwell $25.00

Ed Weisbart $20.00

Ed Weisbart $20.00

Ed Weisbart $20.00

Also:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOANS RECEIVED

SCOTT SIFTON FOR MISSOURI [pdf] 7/15/2015

13. TOTAL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $100 OR LESS $3,430.00

[emphasis added]

Some of the expenditures:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

SCOTT SIFTON FOR MISSOURI [pdf] 7/15/2015

Show-Me Victories 409 N 15th St Saint Louis MO 63103-2454 4/13/2015 Retainer $12,800.00

Previously:

Campaign Finance: now we know where the rest of the million dollars went (October 15, 2014)

Why would anyone trust Kurt Schaefer? (April 14, 2015)

===========

There is another (January 27, 2015)

Campaign Finance: also in under the wire (April 1, 2015)

Campaign Finance: now that’s personal commitment (April 2, 2015)

===========

Sen. Scott Sifton (D): running for Attorney General in 2016 (November 10, 2014)

Campaign Finance: the long road to 2016 (November 12, 2014)

Campaign Finance: St. Louis (November 25, 2014)

Sen. Scott Sifton (D) at the Back to Blue Dinner in Cass County – April 25, 2015 (April 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: right at the end of the quarter (July 3, 2015)

Self funding at the end of the quarter, via the Missouri Ethics Commission.

For a 2016 Democratic Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor:

C141569 07/02/2015 BRADSHAW FOR MISSOURI Brad Bradshaw 1736 E. Sunshine, Suite 600 Springfield MO 65804 Self Physician/Attorney 6/30/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Ad for a 2016 Democratic Party candidate for Attorney General:

C091061 07/02/2015 SCOTT SIFTON FOR MISSOURI Scott Sifton 7834 Oakwyck Drive St Louis MO 63123 Husch Blackwell Attorney 6/30/2015 $35,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s personal commitment.

The Cass County Democratic Committee held its annual Back to Blue Dinner in Belton on Saturday evening. Senator Scott Sifton (D), a candidate for Attorney General in 2016, was one of the featured speakers.

Senator Scott Sifton (D) speaking at the Cass County Democratic Committee annual

Back to Blue Dinner in Belton, Missouri on April 25, 2015. [photo: Jerry Schmidt]

Video by Jerry Schmidt.

Previously:

Back to Blue Dinner in Cass County – April 25, 2015 (April 27, 2015)

Jim White (D) at the Back to Blue Dinner in Cass County – April 25, 2015 (April 27, 2015)

Wes Shoemyer (D) at the Back to Blue Dinner in Cass County – April 25, 2015 (April 27, 2015)  

Cass County Democrats held their annual Back to Blue Dinner in Belton on Saturday evening. As is their custom, they had a full slate of candidates and guests speaking to the crowd. A sample:

Jim White, the Democratic Party candidate in the 4th Congressional District.

Jim White (D): …And this is what I’m running on, investing in our citizens. We want to invest in their economic well-being. Fifteen bucks an hour and a union. A living wage for all workers. [applause, cheers] At the poverty level today there is only one household that can work for minimum wage and even reach the poverty level – and that’s a household with a single person and only if they work forty hours a week, fifty-two weeks a year, which, of course, they’re not gonna get to do. Uh, we all know that the path to the middle class has always been led by organized labor….

Patty Johnson, former Democratic Party legislative candidate.

Patty Johnson (D): ….We’re here because we care about the Democratic Party and because we care about Democratic principles. And how many of you here tonight have worked on someone’s campaign, made phone calls, walked door to door, or did parades? So you all believe, too.  And I’m just here to remind you tonight how important your work is and to thank you all so much for all that you’ve done for all of us who’ve run for office and how much we still need for you to do.  Jim [White] is going to need all your help. And I know we have a candidate for Attorney General  here – and he’s going to need your help. So I’m asking you here tonight to remember why you’re here. The reason that you’re a Democratic is because you care about people, because you want everyone to have the same opportunities that we had growing up. You want your children to have an education, you want good jobs for them when they get out of school, and you all, we all want to have a decent retirement… [….] …We need your hard work.  We need you to keep going. And I think that it’s already been referenced that you all realize there’s an election coming up in November of twenty-sixteen. The work for that election starts here tonight. You all have done something toward that because you’ve contributed money for tables and advertising and we appreciate that because that money goes to help us to help our candidates. And here in Cass County, God knows, we need a lot of help. [laughter] And I also want to recognize Janet Burlingame, too. And I want to recognize her for her courage and integrity in running her race for County Clerk and remaining a Democrat and staying true to her principles. For her [applause]…because that’s what makes us different than Republicans, we actually believe in something. We actually work towards those things we believe in.  And I wanted to leave you all with a small visual tonight. We are surrounded by Republican darkness. And we can sit here and curse the darkness or we can light a candle. I choose to light a candle. And I hope you’ll leave here tonight with me and take that light out to the people who are sitting still in the darkness and who need our help and guidance to come back to light and the Democratic principles we believe in.  So, thank you all so much for being here. [applause]….

Senator Scott Sifton,  a Democratic Party candidate for Attorney General in 2016.

Senator Scott Sifton (D): ….And I, I gotta tell you, I know that the previous speaker was asked, uh, to keep her remarks brief. I was thinking of maybe showing you what a Senate filibuster is like, but I, I’m actually saving it for when the “right to work” bill comes to the floor of the Senate. [applause, cheers] There is only one way that bill is gonna come to a vote in the Senate and that’s if the Republicans exercise the nuclear option. I am proud to have been the last Democrat standing against the seventy-two hour waiting period, which was the last time the Republicans exercised the nuclear option. [applause] And there is no way in the world they will get me to sit down voluntarily when “right to work” comes to the floor. I will debate it all night long. [applause]….

Former Senator Wes Shoemyer (D):  ….I don’t think that an insurance company that runs around calling their name Farm Bureau represents nobody in the agriculture world. [applause] [….]

….There are some things that really torque me about, uh, what Republicans have claimed and claimed to be….I recall when I was in Jeff City there was a piece of legislation that came up and, for, drug testing for TANF recipients. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Think about it. Now this was the only folks in the whole State of Missouri that got a check signed by the state treasury or federal treasury that we thought ought to pee in a cup to get their money. Think about it. I mean, I’ve had, the day I pee in my cup to get my farm payment probably it would be a good time we could do it for the folks on TANF, wouldn’t it?  When Clark [inaudible] wants to pee in a cup for his forty million on his stadium [inaudible} I’ll pee in a cup, too. [applause, cheers]….

Former Senator Wes Shoemyer (D).

Previously:

Susan Montee (D) at the Cass County “Back to Blue” dinner on Saturday, April 30th (May 4, 2011)

Cass County Democrats 2012 Back to Blue Dinner: State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (D) (April 29, 2012)

Cass County Democrats 2012 Back to Blue Dinner: Susan Montee (D) (April 30, 2012)

Cass County Democrats 2012 Back to Blue Dinner: Teresa Hensley (D) (May 1, 2012)

Sen. Paul LeVota (D) – Back to Blue Dinner – Belton, Missouri – April 13, 2013 (April 14, 2013)

AG Chris Koster (D) – Back to Blue Dinner – Belton, Missouri – April 13, 2013 (April 14, 2013)

The Johnson County Democratic Committee held its annual Kirkpatrick dinner in Warrensburg yesterday evening with Senator Harold Caskey (D) as the honoree. Statewide office holders, candidates, colleagues, friends and over two hundred Democrats gathered for the speeches, the dinner, and an auction.

Candidates took the opportunity to circulate around the room before dinner, talking with and listening to party activists:

Jim White, the Democratic Party candidate in the 4th Congressional District.

Secretary of State Jason Kander, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016, was the keynote speaker.

Senator Scott Sifton (left), a candidate for Attorney General in 2016, speaking with former Senator Bob Johnson.

Attorney General Chris Koster was also a featured speaker.

A Johnson County Democratic Party activist again slipped a sign on the stage while Chris Koster spoke to the audience during the dinner.

Ruth and Larry Moore, friends of Harold and Kay Caskey, spoke of their longtime friendship.

The evening included reminiscences of the personal and political past, humorous stories and quips – some which may or may not be true, a considerable amount of laughter – and a few groans, serious words about the future of Missouri and the country, and a good bit of Democratic Party politicking.