FBI

Speaker Ron Richard (R-Joplin) and Birther Rep. Tim Jones (R-Eureka) got really grumpy this morning on the House floor this morning when Rep. Mike Talboy (D-Kansas City) asked why the FBI was asking questions about why Jones' "stacked taxes" bill didn't pass last year.  Listen:

Jones' outrage is ironic, considering the fact that he was the one who publicly stated the FBI was asking questions about his bill. According to Jones own account, he told the FBI to talk to Speaker Richard and Majority Leader Steven Tilley (R-Perryville).

In what must surely be just happenstance, House Floor Leader Steve Tilley and former Rep. Tom Burcham announced a legislative deal to end Burcham's predatory lawsuit racket exactly one day after Rep. Tim Jones informed the Associated Press that the FBI was interested in legislation Tilley blocked to benefit Burcham last spring.

Chad Livengood has the story in today's Springfield News-Leader:

A Farmington attorney has dropped lawsuits against several Missouri cities after cutting a deal with two Republican legislative leaders who have promised to close a legal loophole that allows cities to seek extra sales taxes.

Tom Burcham said he dropped the lawsuits after House Floor Leader Steven Tilley and Senate Floor Leader Kevin Engler promised to help pass legislation barring cities from asking voters to approve sales taxes for operations and capital improvements above the current limits.

Tilley blocked legislation sponsored by Jones last year that would have stopped a series of predatory lawsuits filed by Burcham which focused on some ambiguity in state law about stacked sales taxes. (An explanation of that dispute and Burcham's mixed results in winning suits against municipalities is here.) Jones' legislative fix was supported by Speaker Ron Richard. However, Richard said, "The majority leader wouldn’t let me put it on the calendar." 

Speaker Ron Richard (R-Joplin), the Most Powerful Man In Missouri, doesn't have any idea why Birther Rep. Tim Jones (R-Eureka) said he told the FBI to take their questions about Jones' sales tax bill to Richard and Majority Floor Leader Steve Tilley.

House Speaker Ron Richard (R, Joplin) says he doesn't know why the FBI is asking question about the bill's failure.

"No, that does seem kind of strange...I had no idea...I haven't had any inquiries with anybody, other than just members of our House Caucus on that issue, but I have no idea," Richard said.

The Associated Press reports today that the FBI contacted Birther Rep. Tim Jones (R-Eureka) "about a month ago" to ask about Majority Leader Steve Tilley's blocking of legislation that would have resolved a sales tax issue for Missouri municipalities. 

The FBI has been asking questions about why Missouri House leaders blocked legislation earlier this year affecting millions of dollars worth of sales taxes charged by cities.

State Rep. Tim Jones told The Associated Press on Monday that he was contacted by telephone in October by an FBI agent inquiring why colleagues spiked the sales tax legislation he sponsored.

The agent "said they've been talking to a lot of people and they were interested in why the bill did not proceed further," said Jones, R-Eureka. "I told them, `You probably need to talk to the (House) speaker or the floor leader or both of them and find out what their official positions were on the bill."

The legislation, sponsored by Jones, would have shut down a racket by  former Rep. Tom Burcham, who just happens to manage "several political funds that shuttle money for Tilley and other top Republicans." 

The Capitol was buzzing today with speculation about which legislative leaders may be involved in reported FBI investigation.

• Connecting the dots. Because the reports clearly identify "prestigious committee assignments" as being allegedly for sale, most of the conversations have focused on the majority's leadership that possessed the power to assign members to committees.
   
• Are the investigators interested in systematic corruption?  Or specific actions around the already-publicized greasing of legislation, like school vouchers or Jetton's village law?  In the Spring of 2008, House members hotly debate a proposal for tax credits that would divert state funds to private schools.  Some Republicans were accused at the time of accepting contributions from school-choice supporter Rex Sinquefield in exchange for their support of the program.

  In September 2007, House Speaker Rod Jetton was personally responsible for legislation to allow developers to create new government units called "villages", and was publicly questioned about the money that flowed to allow its passage.

Tim Flook will.

Here's what Flook said in response to news of the FBI pay-to-play investigation at the State Capitol:

“It’s the nature of political cycles that periodically the FBI comes in to check under the hood,” Flook said. “My feeling on it is, for the sake of system, I hope nothing comes of it.”

That sure is brave of Mr. Flook to stand up for the much-maligned "system". If there's anyone who needs a friend in Jefferson City right now, it's special interests with lots of money.

Generally speaking, I find any sort of system that "periodically" requires FBI involvement to be problematic, but that's just me.

For the sake of the system! 

As you've probably seen by now:

FBI agents are investigating Missouri lawmakers in connection with several alleged “pay for play” schemes in which legislative favors are bestowed only after campaign donations are made...

The political culture in the state Capitol, those lawmakers talking with agents contend, has become tainted by pay-for-play activities in which virtually any legislative benefit — from committee assignments to gaining a hearing for a bill — comes with a price tag attached.

The price, they alleged, is typically a campaign contribution to a party or an individual lawmaker’s political committee.

Only one party in Jefferson City has been responsible for committee assignments and bill hearings for the last seven years.  

Maybe the chickens are coming home to roost for former GOP Speaker Rod Jetton and his General Counsel, Don Lograsso?  We'll see.