Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for Bob Vescovo’s (r) 112th Legislative District reelection campaign:

C131147 02/05/2016 FRIENDS OF ROB VESCOVO David Humphreys PO Box 1404 Joplin MO 64802 Tamko Building Products, Inc President & CEO 2/4/2016 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

Whoa! That’s an instant campaign. But the contributor doesn’t live in the district and can’t vote for the candidate in the election.

For who?:

Rep. Rob Vescovo, a Republican, represents part of Jefferson County (District 112) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2014.

Rep. Vescovo attended Fern Ridge High School and Southeast Missouri State University, where he studied public relations.

In addition to his legislative duties, Rep. Vescovo served as a member on the Jefferson County Port Authority from September 2011 to January 2015. Rep. Vescovo has served as Asst. Cub master for Troop 830 in Jefferson County and currently serves as its Committee Chairman. Rep. Vescovo is self-employed in Business Development.

Born January 6, 1977 in St. Louis, Rep. Vescovo currently resides in unincorporated Jefferson County between Arnold and High Ridge….

It’s not about a long record of legislative achievements either:

98th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
House Bills Sponsored or Cosponsored by Representative Rob Vescovo (112)
[….]

HB519 Vescovo, Rob HCS HB 519 4/30/2015 Public Hearing Held (S)
1101L.02P – Requires state employers to suspend pay or charge annual or sick leave if employees are placed on administrative leave for more than fifteen days
HB788 Vescovo, Rob HB 788 4/20/2015 Reported Do Pass (H)
1907L.01I – Modifies provisions relating to fairness in public construction
HB1180 Vescovo, Rob HB 1180 4/7/2015 Public Hearing Completed (H)
2524L.01I – Creates a procedure for recalling school board members in the Fox C-6 School district in Arnold and requires vacancies on the board to be filled by the county executive
[….]

[emphasis added]

98th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
House Bills Sponsored or Cosponsored by Representative Rob Vescovo (112)
[….]

HB1432 Vescovo, Rob HB 1432 1/27/2016 Executive Session Scheduled – Bill Not Heard
4270H.01I – Requires a hearing to be held within 30 days if a state employee is placed on administrative leave
HB1444 Vescovo, Rob HB 1444 1/7/2016 Read Second Time (H)
4253H.01I – Modifies provisions relating to fairness in public construction
HB1505 Vescovo, Rob HB 1505 1/7/2016 Read Second Time (H)
4729H.01I – Limits the out-of-pocket legal expenses for adopting a child to $500
HB1538 Vescovo, Rob HB 1538 2/4/2016 Referred: Select Committee on Rules
4549H.01I – Designates the month of October as “Brachial Plexus Awareness Month”
HB1539 Vescovo, Rob HB 1539 2/4/2016 Referred: Select Committee on Rules
4459H.01I – Designates March as “Von Willebrand Awareness Month”
HB1540 Vescovo, Rob HB 1540 2/1/2016 Referred: Select Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
4632H.02I – Changes the laws regarding employee welfare and retirement plans to require certain employers to provide a summary annual report
HB2148 Vescovo, Rob HB 2148 1/13/2016 Referred: Workforce Standards and Development
5714H.01I – Modifies provisions relating to fairness in public construction
HB2426 Vescovo, Rob HB 2426 2/1/2016 Read Second Time (H)
6212H.01I – Establishes the Missouri Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act

[emphasis added]

Why would a state representative need a $50,000.00 contribution from someone who doesn’t live in their district?

C131147: Friends Of Rob Vescovo

Committee Type: Candidate
2731 Riebold Drive Party Affiliation: Republican
Arnold Mo 63010 Established Date: 10/17/2013
[….]

Information Reported On: 2016 – January Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $11,933.50
Monetary Receipts + $9,825.00
Monetary Expenditures – $5,018.91
Contributions Made – $1,785.00
Other Disbursements – $0.00
Subtotal $3,021.09
Ending Money On Hand $14,954.59

Okay. Some of the contribution details:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION
CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL
FRIENDS OF ROB VESCOVO [pdf] 1/15/2016

Home Building Industry PAC 10104 Old Olive St. St Louis MO 63141 10/4/2015 $325.00

Friends Of Todd Richardson PO Box 1226 Poplar Bluff MO 63902 12/11/2015 $500.00

MO Optometric PAC 100 East High Street Suite 100 Jefferson City MO 65101 12/17/2015 $300.00

AT&T Missouri PAC One AT&T Center St Louis MO 63101 12/2/2015 $250.00

Leo O’Laughlin PO Box 197 Shelbina MO 63468 12/15/2015 $500.00

Roberta Brouk 1073 Cedar Gulch Robertsville MO 63072 Self Employeed — You win Enterprises 10/19/2015 $100.00

Grow Missouri 308 E. High Street Jefferson City MO 65101 11/4/2015 $1,000.00

Missouri Hospital Association PO Box 60 Jefferson City MO 65102 12/2/2015 $500.00

Pinnacle Entertainment 3980 Howard Hughes Pkwy Las Vegas NV 89169 11/1/2015 $250.00

Citizens for Keith English 1445 B. Woodcrest Manor Ln. Ballwin MO 63021 12/1/2015 $100.00

Rivertown Enterprises, Inc. #1 Oak Ridge Dr. Union MO 63090 10/16/2015 $6,000.00

Robert Vescovo 2357 Green Circle Ct. Chesterfield MO 63010 Retired 11/15/2015 $1,200.00

[emphasis added]

Not particularly grass rootsie, is it? And then there’s the blimp person!

So, why the $50,000.00? Because, in Missouri, they can.

Previously:

Who are the AFP BFFs in the Missouri legislature? (October 16, 2015)

HB 2426: Isn’t that special? (January 28, 2016)