Matt Blunt

As Ed Martin turns his attention to yet another office in November 2011, we remember what Ed Martin was doing in November 2007. 

TURKEY FREED, MARTIN AXED
St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial, November 21, 2007

It's difficult to believe that Ed Martin's tenure as Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt's chief of staff didn't even last 15 months. The 37-year-old St. Louis lawyer packed a lot of controversy into a very short time.

Mr. Martin was at the helm when the governor's office botched the private settlement over Agriculture Director Fred Ferrell's demeaning "show dog" comments about a female staff member. Mr. Martin wrote shirty letters to Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Laura Denvir Stith in the controversy over the judicial selection process. Spearheading Mr. Blunt's drive against illegal immigrants, Mr. Martin told a meeting of the Missouri Housing Commission that merely by driving by construction sites, "every friggin' developer can figure out who is illegal." And how could they do that? "There's a bunch of Mexicans out there, I guess some of them are probably not legal," he said.

The Post-Dispatch reminds Republicans in the General Assembly that the payday lending reforms proposed by Rep. Mary Still (D-Columbia) and others are patterned after federal legislation credited to Sen. Jim Talent that "limited the financial damage payday-loan companies can inflict on military families."

PAYDAY LOAN HYPOCRISY: MISSOURI GOP FORGETS EXAMPLE SET BY JIM TALENT

...The debate about payday loans shouldn’t be about politics; it should be about fairness and justice.

And that’s why we bring Mr. Talent into the debate. We could bring in former Gov. Matt Blunt, the Republican who sought to remove payday-loan facilities from nursing homes. Or U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, the uber-conservative congressman from Tarkio who sponsored a measure similar to Mr. Talent’s.

Posted very early this morning by The Detroit News: "Republican Matt Blunt, 40, is expected to be named president of the American Automotive Policy Council today, The Detroit News has learned. He was Missouri governor from 2005-09. Blunt hasn't return several phone calls from The News over the past week. An announcement has been drafted and is expected to be released this morning. The council, whose members are General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, was created in October 2009 to 'promote the unique and significant economic contribution of the U.S.-based auto companies to the American economy.'"

As was predicted many months ago, former Governor Matt Blunt forgave a $300,000 loan to Peter Kinder , one day before Kinder's debt committee left over from his 2008 reelection campaign is set to shut down.  

Kinder never repaid a penny of his $300k bailout, but somehow found $220,000 for Thomas Schweich's auditor campaign after Schweich cut a deal with Roy Blunt (and allies) to exit the Senate race. 

Ah, the "back-room politics of the sedentary, uncreative Republican leadership in this state."

Here's an interesting tidbit from a weekend AP story about what's on deck for former Majority Leader Tom DeLay now that he's been convicted on on money laundering and conspiracy charges:

The sentencing hearing, which is set to begin Dec. 20, will feature "numerous witnesses who will talk about the other acts of corruption that Tom DeLay has committed," lead prosecutor Gary Cobb said. The defense, which called only five witnesses during the trial compared to 30 for the prosecution, also could present testimony in the penalty phase.

What a tease!  I'm sure the prosecutors have a number of options to choose from -- some of which may involve our own Roy Blunt, a very close confidant of DeLay's in Washington as the Majority Whip and acting Majority Leader until he lost his leadership post because his own colleagues decided his ties to DeLay and also-convicted superlobbyist Jack Abramoff were too great to ignore. 

Remember, for instance, that one of the key DeLay associates who conspired to illegally funnel corporate money to Texas candidates was Jim Ellis, who ran Blunt's Rely On Your Beliefs (ROYB) Fund during Blunt's rise to power.   Ellis faces his own criminal charges in another case. 

The AP broke down a campaign finance "carousel" in 2005 involving Tom DeLay, Roy Blunt, Matt Blunt and Jack Abramoff.

Also remember that in 2000, DeLay and Blunt worked together on a "financial carousel" (that's what the AP called it) to divert money raised at the Republican National Convention to Matt Blunt's gubernatorial campaign.  Here's how the AP summarized the scheme:

Tom DeLay deliberately raised more money than he needed to throw parties at the 2000 presidential convention, then diverted some of the excess to longtime ally Roy Blunt — now occupying DeLay's former post as House Majority Leader — through a series of donations that benefited both men’s causes.

When the financial carousel stopped, DeLay’s private charity, the consulting firm that employed DeLay’s wife and the Missouri campaign of Blunt’s son all ended up with money, according to campaign documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

Jack Abramoff, a Washington lobbyist recently charged in an ongoing federal corruption and fraud investigation, and Jim Ellis, the DeLay fundraiser indicted with his boss last week in Texas, also came into the picture.

The complicated transactions are drawing scrutiny in legal and political circles after a grand jury indicted DeLay on charges of violating Texas law with a scheme to launder illegal corporate donations to state candidates.

This scheme was featured in a 2005 Ad from American Family Voices and the Public Campaign Action Fund, posted to YouTube by the Missouri Democratic Party.

Stay tuned.

h/t Anti Corruption Republican

The Internets remember a time when former Governor Matt Blunt and Lt. Governor Peter Kinder had nothing but nice things to say about Wind Capital Group's projects in Northwest Missouri.  From the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives' Rural Missouri magazine in 2006:

Carnahan’s Wind Capital Group joined representatives of Missouri’s electric cooperatives, John Deere Wind Energy, the Department of Natural Resources and various statewide elected officials in announcing the ambitious project in a ceremony at the state Capitol on Jan. 31.

“Wind projects fit in well with our desire to develop fuel sources here in Missouri that are good for the environment and can help spur economic growth,” says Gov. Matt Blunt, who welcomed leaders of the project to his office. “This is truly a win-win situation.”

Added Lt. Gov Peter Kinder, “Wind, like ethanol and biodiesel, can be homegrown energy. These renewable and cleaner forms of energy can keep our air and water cleaner now and for the future.”

...Already the players in this project are talking about a second wind farm. Wind farms once considered marginal for Missouri are now becoming a reality thanks to a variety of factors: tax incentives from the recently passed national energy bill, the new wind maps from DNR, improved technology and, most importantly, a ready source of financing from John Deere Wind Energy.

I don't have a lot to add to this interview conducted by KMOX' Charlie Brennan now-Congressional candidate Scott Eckersley regarding Ed Martin's unethical behavior as Matt Blunt's Chief of Staff. You should just listen to it.

But to refresh your memory -- of for those unfamiliar with Martin's record-- this summary of the relationship between Martin and Eckersley from November 2007 in the News-Leader may be helpful:

Lest we forget, Eckersley is a 30-year-old attorney who Martin thought was expendable. He wasn't shown the door with a pat on the back. Nobody called him a "good friend" who did a "great job." No, Martin tossed Eckersley and his reputation on the trash heap. And then, with the full knowledge of the governor, he orchestrated a taxpayer-funded character assassination unlike anything ever seen before in Missouri government.

Chad Garrison of the Riverfront Times and Adam Shriver of St. Louis Activist Hub break it down.

One short year ago, RNC Chairman Michael Steele stopped by the now-defunct Vincent David Jericho radio show on KSGF to talk about their (alleged) shared disgust for Washington politicians.  In their conversation, Jericho unleashed a stinging critique of Roy Blunt and Matt Blunt for being insufficiently conservative hypocrites. 

"Guys like Papa Blunt make us sick to our stomach. They aren’t conservatives, and they sure don’t reflect moral absolute the way that we expect the Republican Party to stand up," Jericho told Steele.  To which the Chairman of the Republican National Committee responded, "I agree with you. And when stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out."

Lt. Governor Peter Kinder donated an additional $120,000 to Ambassador Thomas Schweich's campaign for State Auditor yesterday; this week's contribution comes on top of the $100,000 check Kinder wrote to boost Schweich's numbers on the final day of the fourth quarter of 2009.

All told, Schweich has been required to raise more than $1.2M from the Missouri GOP establishment to fend off House Budget Chair Allen Icet in the State Auditors race, since cutting his deal to drop his bid for the U.S. Senate.

Schweich expected Icet to get lost and let him have a clear primary (one of those things that Schweich used to hate), but it obviously didn't work that way.

Once upon a time, Schweich declared that "the Missouri Republican Party seems to have no plan for responsible Missourians," decried the "back-room politics of the sedentary, uncreative Republican leadership in this state," noted that Matt Blunt "left the governor's office under a cloud that has not yet lifted," and remarked that Roy Blunt "represents the Republican Party of the past, not the party of the future."  But now that he's found himself the choice of said sedentary, uncreative Republican leadership -- and the beneficiary of their financial largess -- Schweich has been somewhat reluctant to say this sort of thing. 

It's apparently a slow news day in the Blunt household, where Roy Blunt and Matt Blunt both complained about the new 10% tax on tanning bed use that takes effect today. Passed as part of the health care reform bill this year, the tax is intended to reduce the rate of melanoma and will generate about $2.7 billion over ten years. 

Roy called it a "job-killing tax hike" without providing any evidence that the change will cost any jobs, and Matt called it "an intrusive and ridiculous thing" to do.  CBS reports that the average tanning session costs $17 (I'm taking their word for it), meaning that the new tax will raise the price by $1.70 per visit.  (That said, I'm sure John Boehner and Charlie Christ probably pay a lot more than that when they go to more luxurious tanning beds.)

"It's time for somebody who has stood up to establishment.  Everyone's saying it - I've done it. I can stand up to the establishment and just have the mettle to do it, but actually prevail.  That's what I've done."

Scott Eckersley on why he's "the right person" to represent the Seventh District in Congress

KY3's Dave Catanese reported last night that right-wing radio host Vincent David Jericho is no longer working for KSGF, based in Springfield.  Jericho, you may remember, made national news with RNC Chairman Michael Steele in August; Jericho accused Rep. Roy Blunt of infidelity and said former Governor Matt Blunt "betrayed every single Missourian that worked so hard to get him elected." 

From Catanese's story about Jericho's departure from KSGF:

In August, Jericho, who had been on the air with KSGF for more than five years, made national news during an interview with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. Steele said he agreed with the often bombastic host on a point he was making about politicians "who can't behave themselves." "When stuff gets in the crapper, you got to clean it out," said Steele, leaving the impression to many that he was referring directly to Congressman Roy Blunt.

Jericho has also been a vociferous critic of Blunt and 7th District executive director Mavis Busiek. "If you don't kiss Mavis Busiek's ring, and if you aren't 800 years old, they don't let you in," Jericho said on his program during the Steele interview.

Listeners were 'left with the impression' that Jericho and Steele were talking about Blunt, because, you know, Jericho was talking about Blunt, and Steele agreed with him.

Today marks the two year anniversary of Ed Martin's replacement as chief of staff for former Gov. Matt Blunt. 

Hours after his ceremonial pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey, Blunt was repeatedly asked to explain Martin's departure. Blunt refused to offer direct answers, and then finally said:

"If you're confused then that's my intent."

Martin's departure came in the wake of intense criticism about how he handled the firing of Scott Eckersley, the former staff attorney who said he was fired after advising Blunt’s office not to delete emails. After dismissing Eckersley, Martin "orchestrated a taxpayer-funded character assassination unlike anything ever seen before in Missouri government."

The legal battle of the email records and Eckersley's wrongful termination suit would eventually cost taxpayers more than $2 million.

Justice Department lawyers wrapped up their case today against former John Ashcroft aide and Jack Abramoff associate Kevin Ring.

The case, which went to the jury this afternoon after four hours of closing arguments and three weeks of trial, explored relationships between Justice Department officials and Team Abramoff...

Four years ago today, the Associated Press published a comprehensive breakdown of the collaboration between Roy Blunt and Tom DeLay to move campaign cash between "secretive" committees. 

Tom DeLay deliberately raised more money than he needed to throw parties at the 2000 presidential convention, then diverted some of the excess to longtime ally Roy Blunt — now occupying DeLay's former post as House Majority Leader — through a series of donations that benefited both men’s causes.

When the financial carousel stopped, DeLay’s private charity, the consulting firm that employed DeLay’s wife and the Missouri campaign of Blunt’s son all ended up with money, according to campaign documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

Jack Abramoff, a Washington lobbyist recently charged in an ongoing federal corruption and fraud investigation, and Jim Ellis, the DeLay fundraiser indicted with his boss last week in Texas, also came into the picture.

Randy Turner flagged an interesting pair of hefty campaign donations yesterday:

Texas home builder Robert Perry, who bankrolled the Swift Veterans for Truth campaign that gunned down John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, is meddling in Missouri politics again.

A 48-hour report filed today [link] with the Missouri Ethics Commission, shows Perry and his wife Doylene donated $100,000 to the Seventh District Congressional District Committee.

On March 3, 2008, the Perry contributed $100,000 to the Missouri Republican Party which funneled the money through various district committees and eventually into the successful re-election campaign of Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, and the unsuccessful campaign of attorney general candidate Michael Gibbons.

Buried in today's story about the news of a second child for former Gov. Matt Blunt is a profound statement about his priorities while in office:

“Candidly, the biggest difference is when you’re outside politics, what you do is more relevant to the question at hand,” [Blunt] said. “You spend a greater portion of actual work time on relevant issues around problems, rather than on politics and the 24-hour news cycle.”

I, for one, am shocked to learn that as governor, Blunt focused on politics and not "relevant issues around problems."

So news broke on Friday that Scott Eckersley's wrongful termination suit had been settled. Defendants Matt Blunt, Ed Martin and three other former staffers finally settled the suit, but only after it cost the state $2 million to resolve. After such a long, embarrassing ordeal, you might think that Ed would lay low for a little while.

You would be wrong.

Why lay low when you can get your name in the paper for a major non-event like writing a letter?

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.