Breaking News: Missouri Ethics Commission to Prosecute Blunt

According to a news release from the Missouri Democratic Party, the Missouri Ethics Commission announced today that they have referred a complaint filed against Gov. Matt Blunt for violating Missouri's campaign finance laws to the Attorney General's office. This is believed to be the first time since the Ethics Commission was formed in 1993 that they have found probable cause to refer an ethics complaint against a sitting governor to a prosecutor.

The complaint, which was filed by the Missouri Democratic Party, charges that Matt Blunt failed to report an illegal in-kind contribution of a tour bus to his gubernatorial campaign by Mike Kehoe, who he recently appointed to the Highway Commission. Only after the ethics complaint was filed did Blunt's campaign pay Kehoe for use of the tour bus. However, even then the campaign only paid a third of the bus's fair market value, again constituting an illegal in-kind contribution well above the legal limit.

"It's fitting that on the very day the Ethics Commission announces they have found probable cause to refer an ethics complaint against Matt Blunt for prosecution, that Gov. Blunt and his chief of staff are in Sun Valley, Idaho thanking political contributors," said Missouri Democratic Party spokesman Jack Cardetti. "Clearly this is an administration that shows little regard for ethical guidelines and acts as if they are above the law."

According to the Republican Governor's Association website, Blunt and his chief of staff are currently attending a two-day event at Sun Valley Resort to thank special interests that give political contributions to the Republican Governor's Association Finance Committee, which spent more than $2.5 million on Blunt's gubernatorial campaign.

Submitted by Roy Temple on July 25, 2005 - 11:53am

Press and Prosecutors Should Watch for Commission Tampering

Submitted by Jefferson Thomas on July 26, 2005 - 8:38am.

Now that Matt Blunt is the target of an Ethics Commission enforcement action, Missouri press and law enforcement should keep an eye out for "Commission tampering" by the Blunt Administration.

Missouri law makes it illegal for the Governor, his staff or political operatives to tamper with the Ethics Commission in its investigation and prosecution of Blunt. 

Section 105.955 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri provides that "the governor, either directly or indirectly, shall not participate or interfere with the activities of the commission in any manner not specifically provided by law and shall not in any manner interfere with the budget request of or withhold any moneys appropriated to the commission by the general assembly."

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Blunt Wishing He Had Given Fee Office to... Ethics Commission

Submitted by Jefferson Thomas on July 25, 2005 - 9:53pm.

After the Missouri Ethics Commission made a finding of probable criminal activity on the part of Matt Blunt and appointed Jay Nixon to bring a formal charge, I'm guessing Blunt is wishing he had locked down the Commission with the gift of a lucrative Revenue Department fee office--- much like US Attorney Todd Graves. 

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Keep feedin' the rope...

Submitted by Hinnus_Asinus on July 25, 2005 - 9:43pm.

...and hope the GOP gets enough to hang themselves! Panic buttons, anyone?

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Cool! MDP'S Got Him in a Vise Now!!

Submitted by SoaperGirl on July 25, 2005 - 1:36pm.

You'd think at some point the repugs would start to realize they need to clean up their act.  Of course, we know their shills have to rely on wild accusations and smear campaigns for their success.

I'm very pleased that the MDP is relying on solid evidence which makes the politics clean and honest.  Not a thing wrong with that!

Good for them!  Excellent work guys!  Keep Roving On!  As Roger Wilson (chairman of the MDP) said, the repugs will give us plenty of amunition.

One thing I'm wondering though...despite both the RNC and mogop's running foul ethics violations, what is the NDP and the MDP doing in regard to future campaigns?  I'd love to be in on their strategizing sessions!  I wish.

Spence Jackson is beginning to look every bit as ridiculous as Scott McClellan for the White House.  I'm not even going to go there on Hannity, Limbaugh, and all their others of their type.

Hey Spence, want some mustard to go with that all the phoney baloney you keep dishing out?  Heh, heh.  :>)  Good work MDP!

SoaperGirl

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Hey SoaperGirl, I thought you were down on the MDP?

Submitted by Cole on July 28, 2005 - 5:15pm.

Soapergirl,

Always love your insightful posts.

If recollection serves me, I thought you were under-impressed with the crew  in Jeff at the Mo. Democratic Party.

Are they doing better or have you changed your mind?

Regards

Cole

 

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The Whirl of Shredders?

Submitted by Timahoe on July 25, 2005 - 12:28pm.

Now that Matt Blunt is the target of a criminal prosecution, law enforcement officials and the press should listen closely for the whirl of paper shredders in the Governor's Office. 

And the Blunt Administration should keep in mind that obstruction of justice and destruction of evidence are punishable by... jail time.

They won't be able to blame this one on an extra tidy intern.

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Blunt Crime Scene Photos

Submitted by Jefferson Thomas on July 25, 2005 - 12:17pm.

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Hey Spence, What's for Dinner?

Submitted by Roy Temple on July 25, 2005 - 12:07pm.

From the AP story at the time the MDP filed this complaint:

Jackson said the Democratic Party was in a "desperate search for contrived issues and, of course, will lose this stupid complaint."

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