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Democratic legislators to hear Medicaid testimony in Springfield this week
By Antonio D. French
October 31, 2005 -- State Senators Rita Days and Pat Dougherty and State Reps. Yaphett El-Amin and Margaret Donnelly will be at the St. John's Heart Institute in Springfield on Wednesday for the next in a series of hearings being conducted by Democratic members of the commission charged with recommending changes to Medicaid.
A few weeks ago, Sen. Charlie Shields, the Republican chairman of the Medicaid Reform Commission, cancelled hearings in Springfield and Cape Girardeau. Since then, the four Democratic members set out to independently solicit testimony.
Medicaid, as it is known today, will end in 2007 due to changes that became law this year. The commision is seeking testimony to aid in the creation of a new public system of health care.
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Coleman on the fence about running
By Antonio D. French
 October 31, 2005 -- According to Deb Peterson's column in Sunday's Post-Dispatch, State Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman is still "waffling on the decision" to run in the Democratic primary for state auditor.
As we reported last week, Coleman told an Associated Press reporter that she was in the race. She has also told friends and a few close supporters that she is running. But when asked by Peterson and other Post reporters, she is less clear.
The Post also reports that Coleman said the current state auditor, Claire McCaskill, who is now running for U.S. Senate, told her that she would support her. But some say McCaskill is backing another candidate, wealthy Buchanan County Auditor Susan Montee, who recently jumpstarted her campaign with a personal loan of a half million dollars.
That's about 500,000 reasons that Sen. Coleman may be rethinking her decision.
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Clay's statement on Libby indictment
By Antonio D. French
"This indictment is the result of a larger pattern of deception and abuse of power that this administration used to lead us into an unnecessary war."
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Superintendent asks SLPD not to use dogs with kids
By Antonio D. French
October 28, 2005 -- At a meeting of the 26th Ward Democrats last night, St. Louis Schools Superintendent Creg E. Williams said that he had spoken with Police Chief Joe Mokwa about the use of police dogs when responding to calls at city schools. Williams reported that the chief agreed to no longer use the K-9 units.
According to Williams, the conversation came about after the St. Louis Police Department responded to a fight at Vashon High School this week with dozens of police officers, two K-9 units, and two helicopters. The fight involved 8 teenage girls and resulted from an argument between two of the girls, both of whom were dating the same boy.
Williams said that the large police response was part of a larger image problem with Vashon high. He also said that the use of dogs to control and intimidate young people at the overwhelmingly-black high school was unnecessary. Apparently the police chief agreed.
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[UPDATED] Slay not in, HEJ progress report delivered to secretary
By Antonio D. French
 October 26, 2005 -- Members from Health and Environmental Justice St. Louis picketed in front of City Hall today before attempting to deliver to the mayor a progress report on the city's efforts in preventing childhood lead poisoning.
HEJ was denied a meeting with Mayor Francis Slay. Instead, the progress report was delivered to his receptionist.
UPDATE: Apparently Mayor Slay was in after all. At about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, HEJ members Barb Chicherio and Susie Parker spotted Slay coming out of City Hall and was able to hand him a report card before he was whisked away by aids and security.
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BOA Committee Mtgs this afternoon
By Antonio D. French
October 27, 2005 -- The Public Employees Committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen will be meeting Thursday, Oct 27, at 12:00pm in the Leisure Room (Room 230).
The Public Safety Committee will be meeting in the same room at 1:00. Board Bill 69, establishing a Civilian Review Board, will be discussed.
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Superintendent at 26th Ward Meeting Tonight
By Antonio D. French
October 27, 2005 -- The last meeting of the year for the 26th Ward Democrats is tonight. The ward organization, which meets every last Thursday of the month, will not be meeting in November, because of Thanksgiving, or in December because of Christmas.
Tonights meeting will be at St. Paul AME Church, 1260 Hamilton Ave, at 6:30 p..m. and will feature special guests Craig Williams, St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent, and Flint Fowler, school board member.
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HEJ to picket City Hall TODAY
By Antonio D. French
October 26, 2005 -- Health and Environmental Justice (HEJ) will be picketing outside City Hall today at 3:45 to call attention to the city's poor record on the issue of lead poisoning of our city's poorest children. HEJ will also be presenting a progress report to Mayor Francis Slay, grading the city on its promised goals.
 The issue of lead in the bloodstreams of St. Louis' impoverished (mostly black) children dates back decades and, over the past 30 years, the city has made a shamefully small amount of progress in correcting the situation.
From an HEJ media alert: "Since the City came under public pressure to overhaul its approach to childhood lead poisoning in 2003, it has been asking its critics for more time to demonstrate that its new plan is protecting children. In the past six months, what lean evidence has been made available indicates that the Mayor has lost sight of the basics. The Mayor has been long on self-congratulatory news conferences but short on evidence of progress. Children are still being poisoned. HEJ is raising public awareness with this Progress Report and inviting the entire region to join us in demanding evidence of progress, not just words – this is the Show Me State after all."
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Clay hosts forum on health care Saturday
By Antonio D. French
 October 26, 2005 -- Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay will be hosting a health care forum on Saturday, Oct 29. The forum, titled "Eliminating Health Disparities: Bridging The Health Divide", will be at 10 a.m. at St. Louis University, in the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium, 3674 Lindell Blvd.
The forum will be moderated by Julius Hunter, former anchorman for channel 4 news and current Vice-President of Community Relations at Saint Louis University.
Congressman Clay will be joined by several panelists, including: Bill Dotson: Chief Bureau of Family, School & Community Health, St. Louis City, Robert Freund: CEO, Regional Health Commission, Betty Kerr: CEO, People’s Health Centers, Inc., Dr. James Kimmey: President & CEO, Missouri Foundation for Health, Will Pittz, Northwest Federation of Community Organizations and Lead Author of: "Closing the Gap, Solutions to Race-Based Health Disparities", Dr. Vetta Sanders: Associate Professor, School of Public Health, St. Louis University, and Dr. Consuelo Hopkins Wilkins: President, Mound City Medical Forum.
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EDITORIAL: 'No food stamps allowed' is code for no poor people
By Antonio D. French
[The following editorial, published in last week's print edition of PUB DEF Weekly, was the focus of some discussion on 'Collateral Damage' on KDHX Monday night. In the interest of public discourse, we are making it available to our online readers.]
October 19, 2005 -- The burst of new development taking place in downtown St. Louis is remarkable. New buildings and businesses, new faces of people who actually live there and are not just counting the hours until they can punch the clock and go back home to the county. Most of the credit for this emerging downtown should be given not to politicians but to the actual risk-takers, the developers, the entrepreneurs. People like Craig Heller.
Heller and his LoftWorks company are responsible for some of the first and best developments downtown. Places like the 10th Street Lofts, the Louderman Lofts, and the new Moon Brothers Carriage Lofts.
Heller is also the owner of City Grocers, a quaint little shop at the corner of 10th and Olive that is downtown's only grocery store, and whose expressed goal is to be the shopping destination of choice for the central St. Louis area.
And so it was troubling to hear that, for many downtown residents, City Grocers is not an option for them to buy food. That is because the store does not accept EBT cards, the modern day version of food stamps, given to the poor and working poor of our city so that they can afford to purchase food for themselves and their families.
EBT cards work like debit cards and can only be redeemed for food. But not at the citys only downtown grocery store.
When I asked Heller about this, he said he and his partners just never felt it was necessary. He said people who use EBT cards make up such a small part of their business that they don't feel its worth the trouble.
But a person who works at City Grocer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that she turns people away daily who try to buy food with EBT cards.
Maybe it doesnt feel worth it to Heller or his partners. But for people with no transportation, who live at one of the many low-income residences downtown, it would mean a big difference. The architects of the new downtown must insure that it belongs to all of us, not just those that can afford to buy new lofts.
For some downtown residents, food and how to get it are still daily challenges.
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Slay discusses homeowner issues at 15th Ward town hall meeting
By Antonio D. French
October 24, 2005 -- Approximately 40 people showed up to hear from Mayor Francis Slay and Alderman Jennifer Florida tonight at the Carpenter Branch Library for a town hall meeting in the 15th Ward.
Questions primarily were focused on proposed new developments in the ward, ways to compel property owners to fix up their properties, and the possible use of eminent domain.
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Where's the Alternative?
By Antonio D. French
October 24, 2005 -- The Washington Post reports that Phoenix-based New Times Media, the nation's largest publisher of alternative weekly newspapers (including the Riverfront Times), is buying the owner of the Village Voice and its five sister newspapers, creating a company with 17 weekly publications and a combined circulation of 1.8 million. The new company will keep the Village Voice name but will be run by the two top executives of New Times Media.
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Clay urges Gov. Blunt to halt execution
By Antonio D. French
 October 24, 2005 -- Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay today urged Missouri Governor Matt Blunt to halt the execution of Marlin Gray, which is scheduled to be carried out on Wednesday.
In his letter to the Governor, Clay said, "A review of Mr. Gray's appeal raises serious doubts about the testimony of key witnesses and the conduct of the prosecutor during both the trial and sentencing phases of the case. There is also reason to believe that key evidence was suppressed. And finally, multiple sources have confirmed that police used violence and coercion to obtain confessions, which were then admitted at trial as evidence."
Clay pointed to similarities between the Marlin Gray appeal and the case of Larry Griffin which the Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce recently agreed to review. (Griffin was executed in 1995 and is now believed to have been innocent.) "The similarities in the Griffin case and Mr. Gray's appeal are striking. As Governor, you have the power to stop this potentially tragic mistake by preventing another wrongful execution in Missouri. I pray that you will have the vision and courage to act now, before it is too late," said Clay.
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Editor on 'Collateral Damage' Tonight
By Antonio D. French
October 24, 2005 -- Catch PUB DEF Weekly's editor, Antonio French, Monday, October 24, on KDHX 88.1's 'Collateral Damage' along with civic blogger Steve Patterson as they discuss the news, politics, and happenings of St. Louis with hosts DJ Wilson and Fred Hessel.
The show starts at 7 p.m. and, if you miss it, it will also be available as a podcast.
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Slay-Florida Town Hall Meeting Tonight
By Antonio D. French
 October 24, 2005 -- Mayor Francis Slay will join 15th Ward Alderman Jennifer Florida for a Town Hall Meeting tonight, Monday, October 24.
The meeting will be at the Carpenter Branch Library, on the corner of Grand & Utah, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Organizers say that all are welcome and encouraged to ask questions.
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Complimentary Issue
By Antonio D. French
Things Fall Apart: Censorship and turmoil at the city's oldest black newspaper
By Antonio D. French
[What you're missing. This story appeared in last week's print edition of PUB DEF Weekly. Subscribe today.]
October 18, 2005 -- The editorial staff of The St. Louis Argus was furious with the paper’s publisher last week after what they describe as a clear case of censorship.
In the three weeks prior to the October 13 edition, editor George Jackson [This is not his real name. He is a journalist that works for another newspaper while moonlighting at The Argus] ran two stories by contributor Peter Downs on Applied Scholastics International, a vendor to area schools, and their relationship to the controversial Church of Scientology. These stories caught the attention of executives at A.S.I., who soon contacted The Argus’ publisher, Eddie Hasan.
Mary Adams, Senior Vice President of A.S.I., contacted Hasan and complained about Downs’ story. According to documents obtained by PUB DEF, Adams and Hasan met on Tuesday, October 4. In an email to Hasan a few days later, Adams wrote “I am not really interested in revisiting the articles that were written by Peter Downs and will send you an article about a recent event held here at the campus that I think will be pertinent and of interest to your readers.”
In the email, Adams went on to tell Hasan about an event A.S.I. would be hosting featuring singer Isaac Hayes, who is a Scientologist. “Would you send a reporter and photographer to interview him at that time?” she wrote. “I would prefer that it is someone other than Mr. Downs. We met with him yesterday, but would like to have further dialogue before he writes concerning Applied Scholastics again.”
Read the full story
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Smith Campaign gets some help tonight
By Antonio D. French
October 24, 2005 -- Looks like The Smith Campaign is the first out of the gate -- with a little help from some young friends.
Instead of having their regular Monday meeting, Washington University Young Democrats will be hanging out with Jeff Smith, candidate for state senate, at his southside apartment, stuffing envelopes for a mass mailer tonight. This makes Smith the first candidate in this race to replace the term-limited Pat Dougherty, to send out (or even print, for that matter) campaign literature.
The Democratic primary election is still 10 months away. The other announced candidates in the race are State Representatives Amber Boykins and Yaphett El-Amin, both from north St. Louis City.
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Nadal fundraiser today
By Antonio D. French
 Citizens for Maria Chappelle-Nadal will be holding a campaign kick-off and fundraiser on Sunday, October 23, at Wei Hong Bakery, 8148 Olive, in U-City.
Nadal (Dem-72), who is seeking her second term and is expected to have some opposition (the strength of which is still undetermined), will also be celebrating her recent appointment to the Democratic National Committee by political ally Chairman Howard Dean.
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BOA meeting interupted by shouts of "Pass Board Bill 69!"
By Antonio D. French
For a few minutes, Friday's Board of Aldermen meeting was turned into a forum by backers of a proposed civilian review board.
Members of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression, who are pressing for adoption of Board Bill 69, staged a vocal demonstration shortly after the start of the meeting. When Alderman Terry Kennedy (D-18), the sponsor of BB 69, introduced two members of the Coalition, Jamala Rogers and Zaki Baruti, as his special guests, the gallery erupted with shouts of "pass board bill 69!" from at 20 or so members of the coalition. This went on for over a minute.
After the meeting, Kennedy told PUB DEF Weekly, "Of course I didn't know that they were going to do that or that it was going to happen that way."
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Clay joins Republicans to pass Cheeseburger Bill
By Antonio D. French
Democratic Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay, Jr. (D-MO) joined Republicans yesterday to pass the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act of 2005. If made law, the bill (also known as the "Cheeseburger Bill") would prevent people from suing restaurants and food sellers for obesity-related problems. The bill passed 306 to 120, with 80 Democrats voting for it and only 1 Republican voting against it.
Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-MO) voted against the bill.
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Bond votes to keep his pay raise
By Antonio D. French
Senator Kit Bond was one of only 6 senators to vote against an agreement to give up annual pay raises for U.S. senators. The agreement came out of the need to control the growing budget deficit and from the rising cost of Hurricane Katrina and the destruction of the Gulf Coast.
“This proposal will have little impact on the deficit,” Bond told the AP. “If Congress is serious, we should put together a deficit reduction package that freezes COLAs governmentwide, including Congress.” Bond called for a broader deficit reduction effort that includes a close look at entitlements and other appropriations.
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Coleman says she's running for Auditor
By Antonio D. French
 The Associated Press is reporting that Missouri Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman has said that she is running to replace incumbent Claire McCaskill as state auditor.
“I’ve decided that I am running,” Coleman said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I just haven’t decided when I’m making the (official) announcement.”
Coleman, 51, has not formed a campaign committee and so far has reported raising no money for the auditor’s race.
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Talent credited with saving food stamps
By Antonio D. French
The Washington Post today reported that the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee dropped $500 million in proposed food stamp cuts, thanks in part to the protests of Jim Talent (R-MO) and Rick Santorum (R-PA). According to the Post, the cuts could have meant a loss of benefits for 300,000 working families.
Both Talent and Santorum had previously supported these cuts. It is believed that in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many senators were swamped by phone calls and emails questioning how the Senate could possibly cut aid to the poor when the nation suddenly has so many more people in need.
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Smith returns illegal contribution, says local support is higher than indicated
By Antonio D. French
State senate candidate Jeff Smith reported a contribution of $2,400 from Marcus and Amber Raichle on his Oct. 15 campaign finance report. The limit for contributions in a state senate race is $1,200. In an email to PUB DEF Weekly, Smith says that $1,200 has already been returned to Mr. and Mrs. Raichle.
In the same email, Smith took issue with an earlier PUB DEF analysis which showed 42% of his contributors from the last reporting period were from outside of St. Louis.
Smith said that the percentage of supporters from inside his district is much high if you include the number of people who donated less than $100. These people's names are not required on Missouri campaign finance reports.
"We obviously have a great deal of grass-roots support as evidenced by the 500+ volunteers we had in our last campaign and the 150+ who have already offered to volunteer in this effort," said Smith. "Once I do my kickoff fundraiser here in a few weeks and send out a mass mailing this weekend, I expect the number [of out-of-town donors] to go down even further, to around 25%."
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Callow, Kasoff paid for Slay's website
By Antonio D. French
Richard Callow is not very callow at all. He is quite experienced in many areas, including website design apparently. On July 27, Callow's firm (and web-posting moniker) Public Eye was paid $4,000 by Mayor Francis Slay's campaign committee for services presumably related to MayorSlay.com, which features the mayor's own blog.
Also receiving payment from Slay's committee was Nick Kasoff, a local radio talk show host whose aggressive email defenses of all-things-Slay some attribute to the decline of the once-popular StLouist. Kasoff Enterprises received $400 for "website audio," according to campaign finance reports submitted this week by Slay for Mayor 2005.
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The Smith Campaign has lots of outside support
By Antonio D. French
 Jeff Smith, the young college professor who almost beat Russ Carnahan for Congress and is now running for state senate, is very good at raising money. In the last quarter alone, he has raise more than both of his expected opponents combined.
Smith raised more than $25,000 in the period between July 1 and September 30. His opponents, Amber Boykins and Yaphett El-Amin, both veteran state representatives, only combined for approximately $22,000 in contributions.
So where is all that money coming from? Well, 42% of the contributors on Smith's latest report come from outside of St. Louis. Some from as far as San Francisco, Washingon D.C., and Boston. Smith even received a $500 contribution for former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle's New Leadership for America PAC.
The issue of outside influence will likely be a common theme from opponents of Jeff Smith, who just weeks ago moved into the district in which he is now running.
Ironically, the same issues surrounded his last opponent, Congressman Carnahan, who is originally from Rolla, MO and was called a carpetbagger by some of his opponents.
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The Smith Campaign has bad PM
By Antonio D. French
According to the Missouri Ethics Commission, Steve Brown, treasurer for Jeff Smith 2006, has "bad PM". For some struggling to read Brown's chicken scratch on Jeff Smith's latest campaign finance reports, bad PM means bad penmanship. But Brown points out that "bad PM" actually means bad postmark, meaning that the commission could not make out when the report was mailed.
Brown does consede that his penmanship could use some improvement though.
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The El-Amin Campaign is on the board
By Antonio D. French
 The campaign of State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin (D-57) is getting off to a slow start, but contrary to earlier reports she has raised some money. Her campaign has raised $5,225 since announcing her candidacy for the 4th district state senate seat on September 27. With an additional loan for $10,000, the El-Amin Campaign now has $15,225 on hand.
Among El-Amin's contributors were Congressman Lacy Clay, James Buford of the Urban League, Earl Wilson, Jr. of the Gateway Classic Foundation, DKW Construction, Pyramid Construction, and Eddie Hasan, El-Amin's father. It is unclear from campaign finance reports where El-Amin's $10,000 loan came from.
Fundraising efforts of El-Amin's opponents in the race, State Rep. Amber Boykins (D-60) and college professor Jeff Smith, are also off to good starts. After she made a $15,000 loan to her campaign, Boykins reported more than $35,000 cash on hand on her Oct 15 report. But Smith still leads all with more than $62,000 on hand, after raising another $25,000 in the last 3 months.
Some had speculated that El-Amin, who is not term-limited yet as Boykins is, was not serious about running for the seat and might just be maneuvering for some other political gain.
Many have also said that in a race with 2 northside black candidates and 1 southside white candidate (especially one with a proven ability to raise lots of money), that neither black candidate would have a shot at winning.
With more than four months before candidates can even formally file to run for this office, there's still a lot of time for deals to be struck.
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SLS Watch now at PUBDEF.net
By Antonio D. French
PUB DEF Weekly is pleased to announce it is now hosting a blog for Peter Down's informative St. Louis Schools Watch.
The URL is http://slswatch.pubdef.net and it will be updated often, so check it regularly.
This continues the relationship between PUB DEF and SLS Watch that dates back to 2003 when Downs and PUB DEF publisher Antonio French ran for the St. Louis Board of Education together. In 2004, PUB DEF began archiving some of Downs' email updates. These are still available online at http://www.pubdef.net/schoolswatch.html
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Boykins loans campaign $15K, while dad exceeds limits
By Antonio D. French
 According to campaign finance reports electronically filed by Amber Boykins' campaign for state senate, the four-term state representative (D-60) made a $15,000 no-interest loan to her campaign.
It's not uncommon for candidates to do this to jumpstart sluggish fundraising efforts. It is also not uncommon for candidates to start their fundraising with personal friends and family. So it comes as no surprise that Luther Boykins has donated to his daughter's campaign.
What does stand out is that -- unless this is a typo by Boykins' campaign treasurer -- he made two $600 contributions, both on August 18. If that's true, he exceeded the maximum allowed contribution for a state senate campaign.
That loan to her campaign, plus contributions received, brings Boykins' total cash on hand to $35,614.04.
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Wash U Dems greet Bogetto tomorrow
By Antonio D. French
Jane Bogetto, the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 8th special election for the 94th House District seat vacated by the death of Rep. Richard Byrd, will be speaking to the Washington University Young Democrats Monday, October 17, at 9:00 p.m. in The Barry Room (upstairs Wohl).
The 94th District includes parts of Kirkwood, Des Peres and Sunset Hills.
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PUB DEF returns
By Antonio D. French
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