As this ad runs on TV featuring a clip of Aldermanic President Jim Shrewsbury saying how he deliberately does not invest in the City of St. Louis, his latest campaign finance reports show he remains committed to that philosophy.
Of the $289,221.41 that his campaign has poured into this race in the last 30 days, more than 80% of that was paid to out-of-town firms.
Shrewsbury’s mailers appear to have been printed by a Washington D.C.-based firm called The Strategy Group for $23,817.95. While his campaign commercial appears to have been produced and placed on local TV by a Denver-based company called Media Strategies. All told, more that $235,000 was paid to non-local companies.
In all fairness, much of the $190,000 (less at least the normal 15% fee for media buying) paid to Media Strategies for Shrewsbury’s media buy will probably pass back through St. Louis through the three largest television stations (KSDK, KMOV, and KTVI), most of which (if not all) are owned by out-of-town companies.
But some local vendors did get a few dollars from the Shrewsbury campaign. Printer Creative Litho got $331.47 for a small job, web designer Brian Marston received $2,500 for work on the campaign website, and Aboussie & Associates, the firm of longtime political operative Joyce Aboussie received $10,000 for “voter contact“.
*Shrewsbury’s opponent in Tuesday’s election, Alderman Lewis Reed, is a client of local firm A.D. French & Associates
March 4th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
If Reed had the finances he too would have used an out of town consulting firm. Big campaigns with big budgets do that.
March 4th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Antonio - speaking of campaign finance reports, why hasn’t the 21st Ward Regular Democratic Organization filed a report?
March 4th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
I find myself hating the new game of bloggers who claim to be independent and casting a critical eye on the political arena but aren’t either when paid off by a candidate. In the arena of Aldermanic President, PubDef has become part of the political game of half truths, manipulative dissemination of information, and negative campaigning on behalf of Mr. Reed. Don’t hate the players, hate the game.
March 4th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
What is half-truth about stating the fact that the guy spent a quarter million dollars outside of St. Louis? I wonder if all those union guys know where Shrewsbury is spending his money at.
March 4th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
The post included many lies. Claiming that Aboussie did a push poll for Shrewsbury for one.
He also contradicted himself by pointing out that the TV money came back to St. Louis. If Reed had more money he would have bought more TV.
Reed also spent plenty of money outside of St. Louis. a Houston, TX company received more than 15,000 and a lot of money was spent in St. Louis County as well.
It seems like both campaign spent about 25% of their money outside of St. Louis. French just tried to manipulate the numbers, that’s all.
March 4th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Yes, I got it. Lets all hire Antonio, then we wouldn’t have to read about this “news.”
March 4th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Don’t kid yourself. These bloggers are nothing more than extortionists. Either pay me money (i.e. advertising or “consulting” fees) or else I’ll write about you on my blog.
Frenchy has set the entire stl blog community back with his shameless greed, the effects of which will be felt long after this election is over.
March 4th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Anony 6:27-
If you want to talk about people “setting back” our communities, what do you say about Joyce Aboussie and the people who hire her (e.g Jim Shrewsbury) to conduct smear push poll campaigns?
They’re the ones who are destroying thoughtful discussion of the issues and the electoral process in general with their shameless tactics.
Also, last time I checked, there wasn’t much of an STL political blogging community before PubDef hit the scene…
March 4th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Good thing Shrewsbury had enough sense to hire competent people instead of paying Antonio French over $9,000. Otherwise he’d be in the same boat as Reed!
March 4th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
You know what, not one story about actual news, which would be Blairmont and the end of the triage method also known as The Team Four Plan. This is directly relevant to the election and even more applicable to African Americans as McKee is doing blockbusting. Instead, we have zero sum political infighting, not even partisan politics, while the suburban lobby carves up what remains of the North Side. The author of the groundbreaking Team Four Report sits in his wonderful Loop condo, happy with his campaign money, working for the Man which coincidentally compelled him to begin publishing the Public Defender. Irony is alive and well in St. Louis’ machine system. Those reformers quickly assimilate into the status quo when it becomes cost effective.
March 4th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Im a long time blogger here, I know mr. french, He knows who I am, When he see’s me. Now, I do have to say that pubdef does seem like its leaning toward reed and not staying in the middle! I like this site, I like mr. french’s work, but there is not fair and unbalanced news on this site, Im not saying shrewsbury hasnt done wrong, I think reed has alot to hide that isnt reported here like shrewsbury’s dirt! IF THE DECUSSION IS DIRT, THEN BALANCES IT OUT, PUT REEDS MESS ON HERE OR I WILL!
March 4th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Educate me. If I win where do I go to find out more about the Blairmont deal, McKee, etal? I remember reading some(Urban Review?) but will need more details; whose ward? tough to go against the alderman in their ward, tho I’m thinking I will welcome others input when I have issues in mine. Of course easy for me to say that now; we’ll see.
All else being equal, elected Alderman should make decisions affecting their ward, except when larger issues of judgment or conscience involved; i.e. will never vote for eminent domain in anyone’s ward.
March 4th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
First of all, Doug. Everything you know about the Team Four Plan, you learned from reading my article on it. As a matter of fact, most of everything you know about St. Louis politics, I wrote.
Secondly, you and your group of single-issue new arrival city “progressives” must excuse the hell out of me for actually working to make change in this city that I have called home all my life.
Long after you’ve grown out of your “the northside is cool” phase, I will still be here working to rebuild my community and increase our representation in city government.
Besides me, do you even know any other northsiders?
Everybody else, feel free to express your opinions all you wish. I welcome them.
But I’ll be damned if I take shit off clueless Douglas Duckworth, who would serve himself best by studying this blog and others a little more before he criticizes anyone who exerts their own energy to keep his out of touch ass informed about the politics of his new community.
And to everyone else, if you think I there is some piece of news out their on any candidate that is not being reported here, shoot me an email and let me know about it. Or better yet, email me AND the reporters from the Post-Dispatch, the Arch City Chronicle, the Suburban Journals, the local TV news stations, and the numerous other blogs — you know, this isn’t the only source for news in this city. So maybe your frustration can be spread around a bit. Or better yet, start your own blog. They’re free.
March 4th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Bill, don’t worry. There will be no need for you to read a word about Blairmont or anything else besides comic books and cereal boxes.
March 5th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I don’t think this blog has ever purported to be “fair,” “balanced,” and/or “unbiased.” Not only that, but this blog’s author has taken all manner of providing notice that he runs a consulting firm employed by candidates for public office.
The author of this blog has never claimed to be “unbiased” or “objective.” That’s why I read this site - to get a perspective I wouldn’t otherwise get from the purportedly “unbiased” and “objective” Post-Dispatch and local television media. While I don’t necessarily agree with everything written on this site, I value the perspective.
As an aside, if anyone can clue me in on how to become an “extortionist blogger,” please do so. I think that right now, if I called Francis Slay up and demanded money in exchange for not writing bad things about him on my blog, he’d probably laugh at me and hang up. If anyone out there can help me get past a hearty laugh and hang-up, so that I can get some serious cash, please do so. I could use the money.
March 5th, 2007 at 1:11 am
Antonio, thank you for what you do and thank you for shutting Doug up. However I fear it will not last.
March 5th, 2007 at 1:55 am
I agree time to get a real politic blog for St. Louis politics. French is not independent. In the Pres. Ald. race it is clear who he is pushing. For school board just check his archives, it is Purdy and Downs that tell him what to do. He picked apart Williams for them. After this election I think you will see a big decline.
March 5th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Antonio- I asked yesterday, I’ll ask again today, since you didn’t respond.
Where is your 21st Ward Regular Democratic Organization Campaign Finance Report?
Too busy taking clips out of context and making up lies about Shrewsbury? No time to fulfill MO Ethics Commission rules and regulations?
March 5th, 2007 at 8:03 am
Antonio-
Don’t sweat Doug, all he has ever done is complain about whatever he thinks is cool at the moment. He was Patterson’s lap dog for a minute, then he was courting you and now I hear he is sucking up to Michael Allen. The boy is just looking for a father figure. So, don’t be too hard on him.
March 5th, 2007 at 8:09 am
It looks to me like Mr French does what a lot of bloggers do…find a candidate that they can support and then do whatever they can for that candidate either paid or unpaid. After all bloggers are one-man shops just offering us their view on the world and not getting a dime in return. Thanks Antonio French, Steve Patterson, Steve Wilke-Shapiro, Travis Reems, Michael Allen, the “Oracle”, the “Arch Pundit”, “Sharkfu” and all the rest for giving us information we wouldn’t otherwise have, and your take on the world.
March 5th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I agree time to get a real politic blog for St. Louis politics.
To 1:55 anon–
Feel free to start one any time you like, or at least advertise with a blog you deem worthy.
Blogs take a bunch of time, not sure how much money, and, to clue you in, most blogs are like reading an editorial page of the newspaper.
This blog does do a good chunk of reporting, and that is a bonus. I assume you are an adult, so you have the ability to discern between editorial and reportage. There was even a movement? called ‘new journalism’ that sought to further mix the opinion and fact gathering.
March 5th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Except this blog claims to be “newsworthy” and instead, Antonio is making up lies about Shrewsbury.
March 5th, 2007 at 9:04 am
I appreciate the efforts of Antonio French for reporting the “facts”. Even though Mr. French may support Lewis Reed (which is a wise choice if you care about the future of the city), the reporting of Shrewsbury’s expenditures is factual and accurate. I have been greatly concerned over shrewsbury’s lack of support for our city (in so many ways beyond his campaign expenditures). Grabbing a salary from us seems to be the only objective shrewsbury has. So, don’t blame Mr. French for reporting the facts - blame shrewsbury!
March 5th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Except it is not factual, it is a lie. Both campaigns have spent roughly 25% of their money out of the city. Reed even explains that most of Shrewsbury’s money went to a TV buy.
The piece on the advertisement is taken way out of context as well.
March 5th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
To Anonymous #2:
The 21st Ward Regular Democratic Organization did not receive nor make any contributions during the period which would require an 8-Day report. So we will be filing our next report on April 15, as is required. You will just have to wait till then.
March 5th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
No response to being called a liar?
March 5th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Antonio,
Rather than personal attacks, you could respond to my inquiry: why have you written nothing on Blairmont, or even linked to it? Will you give an answer?
For someone who is working so hard to make a change, one would expect this to be at the top of the agenda. Others have written on Blairmont who are less effected by Paul McKee’s actions.
You are a stakeholder by your own admission: “…will still be here working to rebuild my community and increase our representation in city government.” Paul McKee’s blockbusting, accompanied by inaction from 1200 Market Street, is a direct attack on your own stated goals of revitalization and increased representation. This is why I do not understand your silence.
March 5th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Anonymous 11:25 today, it looks like Jim spent more than 25% of his money out of town. The media consultant spent the money in town not Jim. He wrote checks to out of town companies, and the out of town agencies spent the money in St. Louis. Also I don’t see how Lewis has spent 25% with out of town companies, maybe 10%. I don’t count anyones money being spent in St. Louis county as “out of town”.
March 5th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Well if you are going to jump on Jim for working in part-time in the county (same as Lewis) then you should consider St. Louis County out of town money.
The money spent on the media buy was spent in St. Louis. A candidate can’t go buy that him or herself, they have to go through a company, it was spent in St. Louis as directed by Shrewsbury. I am sure he didn’t say “go buy me media wherever” and they just decided to buy it in the St. Louis market, genius.
March 5th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Please keep your political — and even ethical — criticisms about me limited to me. My family is off limits and I will temporarily shut down the comments section of this blog if that boundary is not respected.
Thank you.
March 5th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
The first amendment is a wonderful thing, eh? I have never felt mislead by this blog site. It seems anyone with common sense can see it for what it is. Keep it up and thank you!
March 6th, 2007 at 12:37 am
Antonio you have some nerve. Stay away from your family. Look at your own blog and what you have written. You speak other peoples families. Grow up chunky butt.
March 7th, 2007 at 2:07 am
sounds like a bitch made that last statement