Sen. Bartle Testifies Before Federal Grand Jury
The Associated Press [updated]:
Republican Sen. Matt Bartle, of Lee's Summit, testified for a little less than an hour Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Kansas City. Bartle says he is not a target of the probe.
The senator told reporters that he believes there is a link between the demise of his 2005 legislation, which never made it to the House floor, and a $35,000 contribution by the adult entertainment industry to a political committee with connections to an adviser for former House Speaker Rod Jetton.
Michael Mahoney has more: Bartle would not be specific about his testimony. But he did tell reporters of 2005 anti porn bill he sponsored and how it was killed.
The bill first ran into trouble when then-House Speaker Rod Jetton assigned it to an unfriendly committee in the house.
Bartle says the State Senate passed anti porn measure also ran into trouble just days after opponents to the measure donated a 35,000 check to a group called Committee for Honest Campaigns.
Bartle says he believes there is a link between the contribution and the death of the bill.
“It looks really bad” said Bartle. Speaker Jetton has repeatedly said there was no connection between the contribution and the fate of the bill.
Bartle’s appearance before the grand jury is the first public evidence that federal investigators are taking a look into how the Missouri Legislature works.
Image credit: Michael Mahoney
