lobbyists

UPDATE: As predicted by the good folks at The Pitch, Lichtenegger now says her Facebook account was "hacked," and is advising her fellow Representatives to change their passwords. 

To my fellows State Repres. My facebook page was hacked as I was driving home today. I understand I'm not alone. Please change your passwords as a precaution

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Rep. Donna Lichtenegger (R-Jackson) has been a member of the Missouri General Assembly for three whole weeks.  But it looks like she's adjusting to her new environment in Jefferson City quite well.

This afternoon on Facebook, a giddy Lichtenegger [or someone posing as Lichtenegger] wrote for all the world to see, "I love lobbyist [sic]! All the free food and stuff you get. This job is awesome!"

Team Tilley doesn't want legislators to accept meals from lobbyists at fine establishments like El Jimi's in Jefferson City (pictured here), but if a lobbyist writes a $100,000 check in the parking lot, that's totally cool

Forgive me for not being impressed with incoming Speaker Steve Tilley's request that his colleagues not accept gifts and meals from lobbyists this year.  Tilley's proposal to ban lobbyist gifts is a good one -- the legislature's lobbyist-funded slush "party" funds are particularly gross -- but his selective concern about the kinds of influence-peddling that "look bad to someone who doesn't know him" is as transparent as it is absurd.

Remember that this is the same Steve Tilley who has cashed $200,000 in checks from Rex Sinquefield this cycle, while opposing even the most basic campaign contribution limits.  The ability to accept enormous donations from right-wing ideologues have obviously served Tilley well, but how is the public supposed to believe that he's going to tell Rex "no" if he thinks that his crazy ideas will hurt the people of Missouri?

From the Department of Great Ideas That Will Never See The Light of Day In Speaker Tilley's House:  Rep. Sara Lampe (D-Springfield) has proposed a two year waiting period for legislators to become lobbyists in Jefferson City. 

A speed bump for legislators wanting to become lobbyists is a very good idea, which spells certain doom for its chances in the General Assembly. 

h/t Show Me Progress

The Roy Blunt campaign says it isn't fazed by yesterday's news that Blunt was a "Top Congressional Partier" in 2009.  Try not to laugh when reading this sentence in a story about the designation by The Beacon's Jo Mannies:

Blunt's campaign says his packed public schedule illustrates that he's far more accessible to the public than his likely Democratic rival, Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

Blunt spokesman Rich Chrismer says it's all that time Blunt spends with the public that's landed him on the list of Top Partiers. But as Blunt and Chrismer know (or should) the events in the Sunlight Foundation database are high-dollar fundraisers -- and exactly zero of Blunt's are in Missouri.

The Turner Report has the scoop on Majority Leader Steve Tilley's ethics reform legislation to be officially announced today. As outlined by Turner, Tilley says he wants to stop:

• Lobbyist gifts and meals for legislatures
• Political consulting while serving in the legislature
• Becoming a lobbyist within 180 days of leaving office
• Prohibition on accepting political contributions for any compensated appointment made by the governor, speaker of the House, or speaker pro tempore of the Senate that requires Senate approval for a period before and after the appointment
• The appointment of legislators to executive department positions within 180 days of leaving office
• Any political donations being made to the governor by any entity that has a pending decision before an executive department or decision making body

And wants "full disclosure" of:

• All members, spouses, and staff of any political employment
• Any financial interest of any general assembly, executive, or statewide offices, including staff and contract agents (though it's not really clear what that means yet)

Tilley is the subject of scrutiny for the way he raises money and runs the House, his very close ties to Rod Jetton, his huge special interest campaign contributions, his ownership of an airplane and business with Rex Sinquefield lobbyist Travis Brown, and questionable actions that benefited friend and financier Tom Burcham.

The Star's Steve Kraske reports that embattled House Majority Leader Steve Tilley will propose a "sweeping ethics package" this year. 

Tilley proposed a sweeping ethics package that would ban all gifts to lawmakers. The law would also ban lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists and prohibit the practice, first employed by [former Speaker Rod] Jetton, of political consulting while in office.

It seems to me that a truly "sweeping" ethics reform package would include a ban on House Majority Leaders co-owning airplanes with lobbyists.

Here's an interesting tidbit from the recent coverage of Rep. Robert Wexler's (D-FL) resignation from Congress to join the Center for Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation: Wexler was contacted by foreign lobbyists more than any other Member of Congress (173 times) in the recent one-year period analyzed by the Sunlight Foundation, followed by Roy Blunt at #2 with 105 contacts.

In order of frequency, Blunt was in contact with representatives from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Peru, Panama, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Equatorial Guinea, Mexico, Morocco and the United Kingdom.

Found on the "Obscenely Wealthy Lobbyists for Roy Blunt" Facebook page: 

Ed. note -- Click here for Fired Up's story about Blunt's April excursions to Naples, Florida for weekends of "leisure," lobster bakes and sandy beach receptions.

Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill has named Abigail Perlman-Blunt, wife of Rep. Roy Blunt, to their list of DC's most powerful corporate lobbyists. 

Abigail Blunt, Kraft Foods. The Obama administration and Congress have signaled a renewed interest in food safety after a string of scares, so Blunt, wife of Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), should have a busy year.

Congratulations!