Pay To Play Comes To The Missouri Senate

Submitted by Roy Temple on Tue, 01/31/2006 - 5:12pm.

We all know about how Speaker Rod Jetton sold committee chairmanships last year, naming Jane Cunningham as Chair of the Education Committee after she raised thousands of dollars from out of state pro-voucher groups, but now, the Missouri Senate is getting in on the pay-to-play action.

Today, a shakedown email went out from Donna English, who is married to Neil English, the Chief of Staff to Senate President Pro Tem Mike Gibbons. Click here for a pdf copy of the full email.

In the email, sent to several dozen Capitol lobbyists, she notifies them of the opportunity to attend a series of "breakfast roundtable discussions" with each of the Senate Committee Chairs, for the low low price of $1,000 per breakfast.

You have to wonder if they even appreciated the irony of starting the breakfast roundtable series with the chair of the Ethics Committee.

Here's the full schedule:

DateCommitteeChair
2/14/2006Rules, Jt. Rules, Resolutions and EthicsSen. Charlie Shields
2/15/2006Ways and MeansSen. Carl Vogel
2/16/2006Financial, Government Organizations and ElectionSen. Delbert Scott
2/21/2006Agriculture, Conservation, Parks, and Natural ResourcesSen. Dan Clemens
2/22/2006Governmental Accountability and Fiscal OversightSen. John Cauthorn
2/23/2006Commerce and EnvironmentSen. David Klindt
2/28/2006Pensions, Veterans' Affairs and General LawsSen. Jason Crowell
3/1/2006AppropriationsSen. Chuck Gross
3/7/2006Aging, Families, Mental and Public HealthSen. Norma Champion
3/8/2006Economic Development, Tourism and Local GovernmentSen. John Griesheimer
3/9/2006TransportationSen. Bill Stouffer
3/14/2006Small Business, Insurance and Industrial RelationsSen. John Loudon
3/15/2006Judiciary & Civil and Criminal JurisprudenceSen. Matt Bartle
3/16/2006EducationSen. Gary Nodler

All Roundtables will be held from 8:00 a.m.--9:00 a.m. at the Jefferson City Country Club. Platinum sponsors are $5,000, Gold Sponsors are $2,500, and Silver Sponsors are $1,000.

Good government from these organized criminals is unavailable at any price.

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senate_pay_to_play.pdf181.27 KB

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"Yes! l/We want to atten

Submitted by ctr477 on Thu, 02/02/2006 - 1:10pm.

"Yes! l/We want to attend the following roundtables and take this

opportunity to discuss issues effecting Missourians:" (emphasis mine).

They should spend the $1,000 on a dictionary.

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PAY TO PLAY MO SENATE

Submitted by gracie on Wed, 02/01/2006 - 9:15am.
I am truly appalled at the Missouri Republican Senators.  We all know that you're the majority party.  This fact does not give you license to blackmail lobbyists.  The way I read this missive from Donna English, "the more you pay, the more we pass your legislation.  And you'd probably be sure you bring others with you.  You don't pay, and your bills are dead."  This is vintage Tom DeLay.  So, my question is, isn't there a prosecutor or the feds that can look into this?  Surely the entire State of Missouri will not allow this type of intimidation!  And what about this Donna English and her "company?"  Who exactly is this, and what kind of contributions has she/company made?  I may not understand a whole lot of this; but I surely know when something stinks!  My condolences to all the unfortunate lobbyists who received this.  Looks to me like they're in a no-win situation.  Gracie
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SENATE COMMITTEE CHAIRS FOR SALE!

Submitted by justab321 on Wed, 02/01/2006 - 12:13am.

The part of the invitation that I liked the best said:

"Yes! We want to attend the following roundtables and take this opportunity to discuss issues effecting Missourians:"

Is it now the policy of the Republicans in the Missouri Senate to charge Missourians "to discuss issues effecting" them?

Does this mean;

I have to pay John Loudon $1,000 to tell him I can't afford my families health insurance? 

I have to pay John Greisheimer $1,000 to tell him how my gas bill from Ameren is devouring my family budget? 

I have to pay Matt Bartle $1,000 to tell him that stem cell research can help cure my grandfathers Parkinson's disease? 

I have to pay $1,000 to ask Gary Nodler if the School funding formula is truly helping my kids education, why are half of Missouri's schools districts still suing the state? 

And worst of all, I have to pay Charlie Shields $1,000 to ask him why the senate rules allow for this?

If only these meetings with our elected officials, who will be discussing "issues effecting Missourians", fell under the sunshine law, I might get the chance to ask them

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Expensive Information

Submitted by Bill on Wed, 02/01/2006 - 9:01am.

You are right.  This would be very expensive information that our "public servants" should be giving out for free.  Let me see,...$2.00 gas, unaffordable insurance, selling out students, school funding formula not adequate or equitable, raising money for school vouchers, the unending opression continues for the working class.  The politic of hate and evil is not going unnoticed here.

Everyday a holiday, Every meal a banquet.

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High Street Project?

Submitted by cgeorge on Tue, 01/31/2006 - 5:53pm.
This is page right out of the DeLay/Roy Blunt K Steet Project. All the more reason that we must pass reasonable ethics/lobbying reform in Missouri.
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