Andy's Fundraiser Fallout: GOP Director Craighead No Longer Neutral? Mike Kehoe Perilously Close to Violating Statute?

Judging by newly surfaced photographs of attendees from Wednesday night's Andy Blunt-hosted Kenny Hulshof fundraising event, a couple prominent Republicans might have some explaining to do.  

A photo (left) shows Missouri Republican Party Executive Director Jared Craighead and auto sales baron Mike Kehoe leaving the Hulshof fundraising event together.  Interestingly, while the wives of both Craighead and Kehoe were listed on the host committee for the event, Jared's and Mike's names were absent.  

Why?  For Craighead, likely because it would be frowned upon for the chief staffer of the MOGOP --which is purportedly neutral in the contentious gubernatorial primary-- to be publicly backing Hulshof's run.  But with photographic evidence now in hand, it's fairly implausible for Party brass to claim non-involvement.

Kehoe was probably trying to obscure his attendance at the Hulshof event for a different reason.­ Kehoe is a Blunt appointee to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission since 2005 and is therefore covered by a statute that prohibits certain activities and states:

Prohibited acts by certain commissioners.

226.033. Any commissioner appointed or reappointed after March 1, 2004, shall not:

(1) Host or manage a political fund-raiser or solicit funds for any candidate who is seeking a statewide or nationally elected office;

Given that Kehoe attended the event and had his wife listed explicitly as a host of the event, it appears he was acting as a de facto event host in violation of the intent of the statute.  So Kehoe would probably have preferred that the public not know of his involvement at the fundraiser.  Too bad for him, then, about the photo.

I wonder if any of the event attendees were actually proud for others to know of their attendance? 

*A tip of the hat to VWSV.