Sherlock's blog

Congratulations to Kay Barnes on the League of Conservation Voters' endorsement. They put out a release today that highlights some pretty clear differences with Sam Graves. In it, they write:

Yesterday, Graves voted against a bill (H.R. 5351) to roll back billions of dollars in tax breaks to big oil companies, and to reinvest that money into tax credits for wind, biomass and other clean, renewable energy sources.  That investment will not only help reduce the carbon emissions that create global warming, it will create thousands of American jobs.  The three year extension on wind energy tax credits alone will create a stable market for wind power that will allow companies across the country to expand their operations in places like rural Missouri.  Story Continued »

Sam Graves gives thanks to Bush and Cheney for making him the ONLY Congressman in the country to have them both come in to help raise money.­

Let's show Kay Barnes that we have her back.

This is the question that Kay Barnes is asking on her website right now.

Anyone want to take bets on how long it takes Sam to clean up his financial reports? 

There are more television ads running in the 6th District asking the important questions--

The current SCHIP debate has sparked a lot of emotions on both sides of the issue. This post is not about whether or not you believe that children should have healthcare, but rather questioning the supreme hypocrisy that Sam Graves is showing.  Last evening, many groups organized in front of his Liberty, MO office to urge him to support the program and vote to override Bush's veto. Apparently, Graves believes that some poor children should get health insurance while others should not. Graves mouthpiece Jason Kilndt stated that:

"$5 billion is something we can afford...It's what we can afford and covers the poorest of the poor first."  Story Continued »

What does New York have in common with Missouri?  Many would say that there isn't much, but in a story today in the NY Times, it is apparent that both have Governors' offices that have abused the State's Police Offices for political gain.  However, that's where the similarities end, because all we have to do is look to how the New York Governor handles these revelations and how Matt Blunt does.

Its no secret that Matt Blunt abuses his authority with the Highway Patrol.  Last week the KC Star had an amazingly detailed story of how the Governor and his cronies forced the Highway Patrol to enter the world of partisan politics and attack Jay Nixon.  Story Continued »

Surprise, surprise, Sam Graves appears to be a little bit nervous about his upcoming campaign against the better funded and more popular Kay Barnes.  Last quarter, Kay out raised the incumbent by a very large margin.  Furthermore, she did it by talking to people in the district and getting them to buy-in to her campaign (pretty much politics 101).  However, Sam has long since forgotten that he is supposed to be working with and for the people of the 6th Congressional District.  That is why all of his money comes from Washington DC PACs. 

So what do you do when you are a Washington insider that is in trouble?  You hire a Washington insider fundraiser to shake down more PACs and lobbyists.  Kraske pointed this out yesterday:

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves has hired veteran Washington fundraiser Michael Gula."  Story Continued »

While it comes as no surprise to anyone in Missouri watching the race, today the Washington Post recognized Kay Barnes' fundraising achievements from last quarter. Chris Cillizza opined:

Kay Barnes: The former mayor of Kansas City is one of House Democrats' most prized recruits so far this cycle. And, in her first three months of active fundraising, she lived up to her billing -- raising $330,000 and keeping $316,000 in reserve.  Story Continued »

In a startling development, Matt Blunt has vetoed the economic development bill known as HB 327.  From his press release:

the Governor said he is prepared to summon a special legislative session

Ha! Once again Matt Blunt has failed to exude any influence on his Republican controlled House, and his Republican controlled Senate.  And, now, for the SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS, Blunt is going to have to spend tax-payer money trying to fix problems that the legislature knew were present when crafting the bill. From the AP:

Republican House members knew the bill had problems but passed it anyway, after failing to reach a compromise with some senators  Story Continued »

That's right, folks.  Sandra Thomas has re-filed her committee and is actively preparing for a rematch...in 2010...against Susan Montee...an election where she got 43% of the vote.  I promise you that I am not making this up.  Check out her statement of committee organization filed with the Ethics Commission (pdf). 

As I think about the ramifications of another Thomas run, it makes me smile a bit.  Story Continued »

Goodbye Steve Hunter.  Its hard to believe that it has been almost four years since FiredUp! fit started questioning the conflicts of Steve Hunter and his lobbying gig for the Associated Industries of MO.  Well, today, Hunter got forced out of his job saying (via pay blog site):

“I got tired of reading about it in the damn newspaper,” Hunter said when asked why he resigned his post, effective May 1. “I’d been accused by the labor unions and the state chamber (of commerce) of having a conflict.”  Story Continued »

In response to an appeals court ruling today allowing executions to begin again here in Missouri, Matt Blunt put out this statement:

“One of the most important jobs I have as governor is to help keep Missourians safe," Blunt said. "Capital punishment is a vital deterrent to the most serious of crimes."

There are many reasons that one can be for the death penalty, ranging from an eye for an eye to making the victim's family feel as though justice has been served.  And honestly, those are serious reasons and arguments for having capital punishment.

But to try and play the safety card is simply grotesque.   Story Continued »

Great little gem over on political fix. Apparently Rod is telling folks that he is working for Hanaway's upcoming AG run.  However when asked about it she says:

“I have asked others to ask him to please stop saying that..."

Wow. Talk about a slap in the face.  Maybe Rod should focus his energy on the last couple days of session rather than how to keep the dollars flowing his way. 

As reported earlier today on FiredUp!, Todd Graves admits to being pushed out of the office.  In fact, the NY Times has a great piece that details:

He said that in early 2006, Michael Battle, then the executive director of the office that supervises federal prosecutors, told him he should look for another job. Mr. Battle, who has since resigned, is the same official who told the other prosecutors they were being dismissed.

Mr. Graves said he did not know the exact reason he was urged to resign. But he said it was clear now that he would probably have been among those dismissed if he had not agreed to leave.

“I was pushed,” he said.

Hmmm...very interesting.  If this description is accurate, then why did the Kansas City Star report less than a month ago that:

Graves was not fired, but he voluntarily left his job. In a statement Friday, he said he was surprised to learn from a reporter that his name was on a list.

 Story Continued »

Great article from McClatchy Papers about the GOP's attempt to intimidate the election process in Missouri last year.  As the DOJ unraveling continues, more and more comes out about the politically charged White House and DOJ preparing to influence the election.  Republicans held nothing back, from passing unconstitutional voter ID legislation to sending in GOP hitman Karl Rove right before the election to meet

"with Republican strategists who ``are well aware of’’ the threat of voter fraud. He said the GOP had ``a large number of lawyers that are standing by, trained and ready to intervene’’ to keep the election clean."

Yet when all was said and done:

no significant voter fraud was ever proven

However, the story delves deeper into the long history that the GOP has had here in Missouri.  What began with Kit Bond's lunacy in 2000 continued: