The Lograsso-Jetton Kickback Scheme

The Kansas City Star has a devastating story today on a kickback scheme devised by Speaker Rod Jetton and his General Counsel, Don Lograsso.

In the scheme, strip club owners donated money to a PAC that pays Lograsso consulting fees, and in return, legislation that threatened their industry was assigned to a hostile committee by Speaker Jetton.

Part of Lograsso's job as General Counsel to the House is to advise the Speaker on the assignment of bills to committee.

This matter needs to go to the Public Integrity Unit at the Justice Department right away. Given the open feud between the Jetton faction of the GOP and the Graves/Blunt factions, it would be a conflict for U.S. Attorney Todd Graves to oversee this investigation.

Furthermore, as the investigation continues, it will inevitably involve witnesses with incriminating information about the Graves/Blunt faction. Given that Todd Graves is making millions off an appointment from Blunt, this conflict should simply be avoided, and the matter should be handled by the Public Integrity Unit from the start.