Jeff Roe

OK, not exactly.

But with a base that hates even the whiff of a tax increase, it is somewhat interesting that the Missouri Republican Party's new political director is fresh off a campaign to pass a tax levy for St. Joseph schools.  Chris Roepe was the manager for the successful pro-levy "Our Children. Our Future. Our Decision." campaign, which bested Jeff Roe's "Citizens Against Forever Tax" effort two weeks ago.

Roepe is also the former chief of staff for Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields of St. Joseph, who strongly supported campaign and loaned it money.

The Star's Steve Kraske isn't buying Sen. Kit Bond's claims about a deal to replace Todd Graves as U.S. Attorney:

Despite the new evidence, Bond offered the same explanation he’s offered for months. That is, his staff was doing all this behind his back, without his knowledge and completely out of his earshot.

And Dick Nixon never had anything to do with all those dirty tricks at the White House…right?

Read More »

Hiding behind executive privilege didn't work, and trying to make Governor Nixon the target of the suit didn't work, so settling to avoid a trial may have been the last best option.

The state will pay a former staffer of Gov. Matt Blunt $500,000 to settle his wrongful termination and defamation lawsuit.

Scott Eckersley sued the governor and several of his staff members last January alleging defamation of character, wrongful termination and violations of the state open records law. The lawsuit has cost the state well over a million dollars as Blunt and his staffers used the state’s legal defense fund to pay attorneys fees.

Rather than fight for Missouri's families, GOP state legislators insist on fighting amongst themselves. In a must-read piece for The Beacon, Jason Rosenbaum touches on many of the big fights at the Capitol slowing down legislation: Senate Republicans v. House Republicans, Jason Crowell v. Kurt Schaefer, Jeff Roe v. Rod Jetton, John Griesheimer v. "outside forces", John Griesheimer v. Rod Jetton, Kurt Schaefer v. Rod Jetton, Jason Crowell v. Jeff Roe and David Barklage, Jason Crowell's ego v. Ron Richard's ego, Allen Icet v. Gary Nodler, Kevin Engler v. perpetrators of physical violence... 

[W]ith roughly a month to go before lawmakers adjourn for the year, Republicans seem to be turning their aim away from the Democratic governor and instead targeting each other.

Some Senate Republicans are lobbing stinging attacks, questioning the ethics and motivations of their colleagues. Various factions seem miles apart on two of the biggest bills: 1) an economic development package and 2) a proposal to allow utility companies to recover financing costs for the construction of nuclear power plants....

The animosity among Republican lawmakers has been noticeable, going beyond simple differences of opinion.

Steelman is required to file with the Federal Elections Commission within 15 days of spending $5,000 on behalf of a federal campaign.

If you are running for the U.S. House, Senate or the Presidency, you must register with the FEC once you (or persons acting on your behalf) receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $5,000. Within 15 days of reaching that $5,000 threshold, you must file a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2 [PDF]) authorizing a principal campaign committee to raise and spend funds on your behalf. Within 10 days of that filing, your principal campaign committee must submit a Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1 [PDF]). 

She has coyly relaunched her website, still pretending that she hasn't decided if she's running yet. Except (oops!) she linked to two social networking websites unambiguously titled, "Sarah Steelman for U.S. Senate."

And while we're discussing evasions of federal campaign finance law, how does she explain all of these expenses from her gubernatorial campaign account?

• $22,905.48 to Public Opinion Strategies for "Polling and strategy" in March 2009
• $21,691.58 to Jeff Roe's Axiom Strategies for "Survey, Consulting, Campaign Management" in February 2009
• $20,000.00 to Axiom Strategies for "Consulting, Campaign Management, Research, Expenses" in March 2009
• $37,230.12 to the Catalyst Group for "Fundraising Fees" in February 2009
• $774.42 to Dirt Road Productions for "Media Placement" in February 2009

What sort of polling, consulting, research and media placement are required in early 2009 for a gubernatorial race she lost the first week of August 2008?

Apparently concerned about a lack of enthusiasm for tomorrow's Tea Parties, the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and Heritage Foundation are now sponsoring four contests with $5,000 in prizes to encourage participation.

In Kansas City, the "grassroots" uprising has been so overwhelming that corporate sponsors (i.e. Jeff Roe's lobbying shop + a FOX radio affiliate) were enlisted to bankroll the event.

Reflecting on the brewing hatred between Jeff Roe and Rod Jetton, this morning's story on Shane Schoeller's desire to be Speaker Pro Tem is especially interesting.  As we understand it from Capitol sources, Steven Tilley, Schoeller and Tim Jones have no real opposition for the top three GOP slots in the House -- and all three answer directly to Jetton.

Does this mean that Roe is ceding all power in the House to Jetton?  Or are the Roe-bots simply laying low, until the time is right to mount a challenge? 

(Say, when Tim Jones embarasses himself for the 345th time.)

Just another day in Jeff City:

[Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia] who wrote the new version of the Ameren nuclear plant bill, was offended by the robo-calls his constituents received about the bill. The calls were paid for by Noranda, who hired former House Speaker Rod Jetton as a political consultant to help oppose the Ameren bill....

In debate on the floor, Schaefer asked [Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau], who also employs Jetton as a consultant, if he was paying for the robo-calls. Crowell said no and retorted that Schaefer was getting bad information from two other GOP consultants, David Barklage and Jeff Roe.

Barklage is an Ameren lobbyist. Roe is also being paid to work on the Ameren bill, Crowell said.

“Ameren has got Jeff Roe and David Barklage hired on this thing and they hate Rod Jetton,” Crowell said...

Sigh.

• Outrage with AIG is overflowing. Russ Carnahan and others are pushing legislation to recoup bonuses from bailout firms. [Post-Dispatch] [CNN][CQ]

• Treasurer Zweifel struck a deal with bankers to increase the interest rate banks pay for state time deposits. Under the agreement, banks would gradually phase in the payment of competitive interest rates for state deposits. At the same time, the state’s linked deposit program, which loans money through local banks at low interest to small businesses, will grow to serve companies of 100 or fewer employees. [Daily Tribune]

It appears as though Jeff Roe and James Harris --who've created an entire entity whose purpose is to attack Missouri judges and threaten them with the same treatment they gave Cole County Circuit Judge Tom Brown in 2006-- have achieved their poorly hidden goal.

Congrats to the governor's henchmen on successfully intimidating elected Missouri judges into making wrong decisions.

Fired Up! Missouri was responsible not only for being the first to report on the Blunt administration's firing of Scott Eckersley for his role in objecting to the Governor's unlawful email retention policy, but also for doing much of the subsequent reporting and analysis on the Eckersley scandal as the story progressed.

This page has been created as a one-stop repository for all of the Eckersley information and opinion thus far compiled on Fired Up!  Below, in chronological order, are Eckersley related items from Fired Up! contributors.