May 22, 2012

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Last chance to file for state office today (AUDIO)

March 27, 2012 By

The day that some lawmakers thought might not happen is happening today.

This is the last day for candidates to file for statewide and legislative offices. Uncertainty about legal challenges to legislative and congressional districts at one time led the legislture to consider delaying the closing of filing…But it never happened.

Secretary of State spokesman Ryan Hobart expects a slight surge in candidate filings today. He says more than 500 candidates have filed so far. Hobart says that’s about average for a presidential election year.

The state supreme court has not ruled on the legality of districts for the Missouri and the U. S. House. The Secretary of State will accept filers in the most recently-created districts.

The field of Republican challengers to Governor Nixon grew to four on the next-to-last day for filing with the filing of Fred Sauer of St. Louis, who is best known for leading fights against stem cell resarch. One notable withdawal the sme day is that of Senator Jane Cunningham, one of the legislature’s strongest conservative voices. Her senatorial district was eliminated int he recent reapportionment. She had filed in another district but has withdrawn.

AUDIO: Ryan Hobart interview　

　

Filed Under: Elections, Featured, Legislature, News, Politics & Government

Big campaign donations targeted (AUDIO)

March 21, 2012 By

A veteran state senator who has seen unlimited campaign contributions let special interests control the process of government hopes to clamp down on the money flow.

Senator Chuck Purgason of Caulfield recalls his astonishment when he first sought office that somebody would write him a check for $275, and then for $600 when he ran for the senate. He says the elimination of donation caps has taken the small businessman and the average citizen out of the mix—and has shifted the balance of political power in Missouri.

A senate committee is considering his plan to limit contributions to candidates for governor to 25-hundred dollars down to 400-dollars for candidates for the House of Representatives..

One of the committee members says the present law has allowed well-heeled donors and political consultants become the kingmakers in Missouri politics.

AUDIO: Committee hearing 15:33

From the senate summary of the bill:

SB 546 – The act imposes contribution limits for individuals and committees in support of candidates running for public office. Surcharges will be imposed upon committees that accept or give contributions exceeding the limits. The limits are as follows for contributions made by or accepted from any person other than the candidate and all committees: • $2,500 for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, or Attorney General. • $1,00 for Senators. • $500 for Representatives. • $500 for any other office, including judicial office if the population of the area is under 100,000. • $1,000 for any other office, including judicial office if the population of the area is between 100,000 and 250,000. • $2,500 for any other office, including judicial office if the population of the area is over 250,000.

Filed Under: Elections, Featured, Human Interest, Legislature, News, Politics & Government

Schweich won’t run for U.S. Senate in 2012, doesn’t know what 2014 will bring (AUDIO)

March 20, 2012 By

State Auditor Tom Schweich will not seek election to the U.S. Senate … at least not this year.

He was elected to his first political office only 14 months ago. Before that, he served as a lawyer, ambassador and cheif of staff for former Senator Danforth after the Branch Davidian seige. (See bio here.)

He says when he was elected as State Auditor, he made a promise to serve his term and said he would not leave the office early to run against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill.

“I think it’s best to keep that promise,” he says.

He also says he doesn’t feel joining an already crowded primary would strengthen the GOP’s position on defeating her.

Schweich says he doesn’t yet know what the future might bring or what he’ll look forward to in the 2014 election cycle, when his term is up.

“I get a lot of satisfaction out the job of being a state auditor,” he says, “ just as I did being a federal pros, just as I did being a diplomat. Right now I’m pleased with what I’m doing, but I don’t know what the future might bring.”

Schweich was asked by Danforth and other key republican leaders to run for McCaskill’s seat. It’s an offer that … at least for now … he’s said no to.

AUDIO: Jessica Machetta reports (1:07)

Filed Under: 2012 Campaign, Elections, News, Politics & Government

House Democrats and Republicans weigh in on new ethics bill

March 20, 2012 By

House Democrats have filed an ethics bill to replace the provisions thrown out by the state Supreme Court, and then some.

House Speaker Steven Tilley and Assistant Minority Floor Leader Tishaura Jones

The bill’s sponsor, Minority Floor Leader Tishaura Jones (D-St. Louis) says the bill is identical to one that passed with bipartisan support out of the 2010 Special Committee on Ethics Reform, which was House BIll 2300. That legislation included the same provisions that were thrown out by the Court, and more.

See the legislation, HB 1939

One additional piece is campaign contribution limits. House Speaker Steven Tilley (R-Perryville) says he would want to see those removed in Committee. “I’ve always been opposed to campaign contribution limits because it leads to what we used to have before, where people would give to committees and then committees would give to other people and it was hard to track the money. The system we’ve got now … there’s openness, there’s transparency and there’s accountability.”

Tilley says there is time for the bill to make it through the process. “If the Senate can get something through that addresses the things that I think really were good as far as from an ethics standpoint, I don’t see a problem with the House passing it.”

Jones says another provision would prohibit the investment of campaign contributions in anything other than interest-bearing checking or savings accounts. “You shouldn’t be able to make money off of it … These are campaign moneys. They should be used for campaigning, not for returns on investments and making money off of it.”

Tilley recently invested $900,000 from his campaign fund in a community bank, but Jones says that provision is not aimed at any one lawmaker. “There are other candidates who currently have moneys in CDs and money market investments, so we’re trying to make the playing field even.”

Tilley doesn’t believe that provision is directed at him. “I don’t think so, because nobody’s made any allegations that I’ve done anything inappropriately or unethically.”

He says he will treat the bill like any other, by referring it to committee and letting it make its way through the process.

Filed Under: Elections, Legislature, News, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Missouri Republican caucus system is set in motion (AUDIO)

March 14, 2012 By

The Republican caucuses are underway, with the first event having taken place in southwest Missouri’s Barry County.

Between now and March 24, 141 more caucuses will take place across the state at the county or township level. Some counties have more than one because of population size. Smith says, “Because St. Louis County is right at a million people, 991,000, theirs would just be too large without doing it by township.”

Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party, Lloyd Smith, says most of those will just select delegates and alternates to upcoming conventions. “In some counties they may say we want to bind our delegates to a particular candidate slate. That’s possible, but most counties won’t do that.”

Smith says those participating in local caucuses might not know what candidate a delegate supports. “Whether they’re bound to a particular candidate or not, there may be a lot of expression about who they stand for at the local caucuses.”

The number of delegates that come out of each caucus is based on the number of votes in the last presidential election for the GOP candidate. The largest in the state is Jackson County, who will select 174 delegates. Knox, Schuyler, Scotland and Worth Counties tie for the smallest, and will each select two delegates.

See how many delegates will be selected in each local caucus.

There is no limit to how many can show up at county and township-level caucuses. Smith says those who want to participate will need to provide a photo identification, and signing in verifies that they are a Republican for the purposes of that caucus.

Delegates and alternates chosen at the county level for their congressional district convention April 21 will choose 3 delegates and alternations to the National Convention and 1 presidential elector. Delegates chosen at the county level for the State Convention June 2 vote on 25 at-large delegates and alternates to the National Convention and 2 at-large presidential electors.

Before being chosen, delegates and alternates selected in the congressional district and state conventions will identify the candidate they support. They are then bound to that candidate heading into the National Convention.

Find out when and where the local caucus in your area is.

Smith says this will not be like some state caucuses, where “winners” are announced by the next morning. “I’d say by right at the end of March we’ll pretty well start to have a feel for who probably were delegates that got selected. Even if they’re not bound, we’ll probably have a feel for it.” More firm information will not be available until after the two state-level conventions.

AUDIO:  Mike Lear reports, :58

Filed Under: 2012 Campaign, Elections, Featured, News, Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,
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