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Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's "Colbert Report," was the featured speaker at last night's annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Here is video from Colbert's roast of the Bush Administration and the press corps. The third video is a "What If" of Colbert as the new White House press secretary.
'Legal money laundering' helps fund Missouri political campaigns
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Saturday, April 29, 2006 at 9:52 AM
State law places limits on how much an individual can give to a candidate's committee. It is also a crime to attempt to hide the source of a contribution by funneling it through a middle man. But a story published yesterday in the Southeast Missourian highlights the creative ways political campaigns use to raise cash -- expecially when it comes to local party committees like the ward organizations which exist in every St. Louis City ward.
Prior to 1994, local party committees were a backwater of Missouri politics, established by law but with few duties except to pick new candidates when a ballot vacancy occurred as a result of death or withdrawal. But when a law limiting campaign donations took effect, the importance of local party committees was magnified by a provision allowing them to become a source of large contributions.
In fact, ward organizations and party committees can donate up to 20 times the amount that any other kind of entity can.
Rudi Keller, who wrote the Missourian story, pointed out how this loophole in the law was exploited in the 2004 Governor's race.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Claire McCaskill received more than 130 donations from local party committees in the days after her primary victory over incumbent Gov. Bob Holden. The money, most of which was donated in $12,000 amounts, replenished her depleted treasury for the fall campaign.
And Republican Matt Blunt, who won the 2004 race, received 65 large local party committee donations -- many for approximately $12,000 -- during the last week of the campaign, a rush of money that helped pay for the crucial final push.
In St. Louis, we've also seen this stategy play out in the pages of candidate's campaign finance reports.
The 58th Democratic Legislative Distric Committee, a committee associated with State Rep. Rodney Hubbard (D-58th District), raised $11,000 last quarter. The committee then donated $6,000 to the state senate campaign of Yaphett El-Amin (five times the limit on contributions from individuals), $650 to the state rep campaign of Jamilah Nasheed (twice the limit for individuals), and $1,500 to the candidate committee of Hubbard himself (nearly five times the limit for individuals).
According to campaign finance reports for Mike McMillan's license collector committee, the 58th DLDC also contributed $1,275 to his campaign. But that contribution is not noted on the PAC's expenditures report.
Also on McMillan's report is a series of $1,275 contributions from entities known as "PIC I," "PIC II," "PIC V,""PIC VI," "PIC VII," and "PIC VIII." All share the same physical address: 906 Olive Street, Suite 600. That matches the address two other McMillan contributors, Steller Properties and Pyramid Contruction. The eight entities contributed almost $9,000 to McMillan's campaign on the final day of the last reporting period.
Developer John Steffen's Pyramid Construction, Pyramid Commercial Contracting LLC, and PIC, Inc. also donated a total of $3,825 to the campaign of Mayor Francis Slay on March 9, according to campaign finance reports.
Urbanist and blogger Steve Pattersonrecently wrote an article examining Steffen and Pyramid's influence on decisions made by Ald. Jennifer Florida (15th Ward) relating to a controversial McDonald's development on South Grand Ave. Patterson noted that contributions from Pyramid's companies and employees totaled nearly seven times the limit for individuals.
Click here to read Keller's insightful story in the Southeast Missourian.
First radio host DJ Wilson mentioned seeing one on his way to host "Collateral Damage" on KDHX 88.1 FM last week. Then we received these images in our email inbox.
Has Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan become the Che Guevara of south St. Louis liberalism?
St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Creg Williams recently announced, as part of his greater plan to turn around the struggling district, plans to require some 8th graders to attend classes through the summer. But weeks after the announcement, parents are still struggling to understand if their kids are part of that requirement.
Williams has said that the summer school plan is meant to help 8th graders who are struggling academically. He and district representatives have said that only those students who are performing poorly will be required to attend summer school. But at other times, the district has said summer classes are mandatory for all 8th graders.
An undated press release on the district's website says, "ALL EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS REQUIRED TO ATTEND SUMMER SCHOOL." But a call to the district's headquarters has a receptionist telling callers this is not the case.
"We couldn't put 'all poor performing students required to attend summer school,'" she said. "Someone might sue us."
The district is hoping to clear up some of the confusion at a meeting on Saturday, May 6. Parents of current 8th graders are being asked to attend a 5-hour "orientation" that day from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Vashon High School, 3035 Cass Ave.
One of the things parents will be wanting to hear is what the consequences are for those that do not send their children to summer school. That part has still not been announced.
Johnnie Little, the district's Public Information director, did not return PUB DEF's phone call on this matter.
For some parents, the lack of public information has already led to confusion and anger.
In a letter being circulated around the district, one parent is calling the requirement "a complete contradiction to the most recent information."
The letter says that parents were told that only kids whose grades fell below a certain point would be required to attend summer school. "Now it's everyone, with the 'summer science academy' the only option for the competent students. How nice to give families so much notice so they can make summer plans. But then families haven't even been given the courtesy yet of being told the fall starting date."
Mayor Francis Slay will be delivering his annual State of the City address to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen today.
Expect to hear mentions of the continued growth of downtown businesses and residences, the increased number of rehabs going on across the city, and a slight increase in the city's population.
Do not expect to hear about the stark rise in crime over the past year, the mayor's loss of control of St. Louis Public Schools, or his veto (and redesign) of the civilian review board, which has fostered rumors of a Black Caucus backlash.
The Board of Aldermen meeting begins at 10:00 a.m. The mayor's speech is early on the agenda.
UPDATE: We stand corrected. Jake Wagman is reporting that the mayor did address crime in his speech today. Wagman says the mayor announced plans to seek voter approval for a sales tax that would pay to hire 50 new officers and fund a "Career Criminal Unit" in the city prosecutor’s office.
Rumor has it that State Senate candidate Jeff Smith got the endorsement of the 16th Ward Democrats yesterday. The 16th Ward is not only the highest voting ward in the city but also the political base of Jim Shrewsbury, President of the Board of Aldermen.
Developing...
UPDATE:The St. Louis Oracle is reporting that, as expected, the 16th Ward also endorsed Claire McCaskill for U.S. Senate, License Collector Gregg Daly for Collector of Revenue, and Ald. Mike McMillan for License Collector.
Bill to be introduced to investigate decades-old Civil Rights murders
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Thursday, April 27, 2006 at 3:15 PM
A group of legislators joined today to announce the reintroduction of a bill to create two new Federal offices to investigate and prosecute unsolved murders from the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and '60s.
Among the supporters of the "Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act" are Missouri Congressmen Lacy Clay (D-1) and Kenny Hulshof (R-9), and Senator Jim Talent (R-MO), who co-sponsored the bill last year.
State Auditor Claire McCaskill, a Democrat who is running against Talent for the U.S. Senate, said today that she also supports the bill.
"As a former prosecutor who has made a career of fighting to protect rights and enforce laws, I feel that providing the tools and resources to prosecute Civil Rights-era murders is long overdue," McCaskill said in a statement.
Clay took the opportunity to take a jab at the record of McCaskill's opponent. "The rest of the Missouri delegation needs to improve their NAACP scores, in particular our two Senators who both received an F," he said.
A group of Washington University graduate social work students surveyed students from Vashon High School and the ninth grade center at Williams to establish whether or not they felt safe walking to and from school. The responses were alarming,
According to Tina Rutherford, Sarah Hyduke, Paige Kuske, and Heather Roll, writing for the St. Louis Schools Watch, 48 percent of 164 respondents said they did not feel safe walking to school. Thirty-seven percent said they did not feel safe in their school's neighborhood.
The six main reasons those students did not feel safe were: stray dogs; "crackheads" and drug dealers; gangs; fighting, shootings, or violence; kidnappers and rapists; and that it was still dark out.
"The neighborhood I have to walk through doesn't like my neighborhood, so I sometimes don't even come to school," one student said. "The walk from my school is long [and] I don't have many people to walk home with," said another.
Those who said they felt safe walking to school either said it was because they lived close to the school or they just didn't fear trouble. Other comments included: "I have a lot of protection;" "I fear no one;" "I don't have any static with anyone;" and "I got a gun called a 45."
Chris King, editor of The St. Louis American, will be performing with his rock band, "Three Fried Men," at The Schlafly Tap Room this weekend.
King describes his 7-member band's music as "eccentric folk rock." They are scheduled to take the stage Friday at 10:00 p.m. in the Elliott Room on the first floor. The Tap Room is located at 2100 Locust Street downtown.
St. Louis natives and Hollywood players Cedric the Entertainer and Eric Rhone will be speaking tonight at the Webster University School of Business and Technology. As part of the University's "Success to Significance" speaker series, Cedric and Rhone will discuss the business of the entertainment industry.
Cedric is one of the most successful comedians/actors ever to come out of St. Louis. He has starred in numerous films and even performed before the President at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner.
Rhone is the "man behind the man," serving as Cedric’s manager, producer and business partner. He is also a board member of the St. Louis RCGA. The duo have worked together on movie and TV projects including: "The Original Kings of Comedy", "Barbershop", "Intolerable Cruelty", animated features like "Madagascar" and "Ice Age", and a series of Bud Light commercials.
The event starts at 7:00 p.m. and is free, but reservations are requested. Click here to RSVP or view future speakers.
A press release from Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, today announced that the paper's publisher was resigning.
"Even in a job you love, sometimes 10 years is enough," Terrance C.Z. Egger is quoted as saying. "This is a great newspaper with great people in a great city, and I know I would continue to be well satisfied staying many more years as publisher. I'm proud of our accomplishments, and I think the Post-Dispatch has an even more exciting future with our terrific new owner, Lee Enterprises. Still, I have found myself yearning for another good, new chapter of my life."
Two of the five candidates running for an open 4th District state senate seat, and representatives of two others, addressed a meeting of 15th Ward residents last night.
Former State Rep. Derio Gambaro and former 22nd Ward Ald. Kenny Jones told the audience about their past accomplishments as elected officials. Jones also spoke of his experience as executive director of the City's Civil Rights Enforcement Agency -- a position he was fired from after he "had an altercation" with his boss, Mayor Francis Slay.
State Rep. Amber Boykins was represented by her mother, former License Collector Billie Boykins. "She called me at the very last minute and said 'Mommy, I need you,'" said the elder Boykins. Jeff Smith was represented by 15th Ward resident Susie Anderson Bower.
State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin did not attend and did not send a representative. Both El-Amin and Boykins were presumably stuck in Jefferson City on business.
Also in attendence were two candidates for another hotly contested race, but one which does not include any parts of the 15th Ward. Jamilah Nasheed and Shaun Simms (husband of Amber Boykins) were both in the audience.
Court: Law forbiding ex-cons from running for office is Unconstitutional
By Antonio D. French
In a unanimous decision issued today, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision striking down a law prohibiting people convicted of federal crimes from running for elective office.
The trial court had found that the section violated equal protection. The Supreme Court found that the section violated the state constitution's single-subject requirement pertaining to bills.
From the summary: In 2005, the general assembly passed and the governor signed into law House Bill No. 58. As introduced, HB 58 repealed seven sections and enacted seven sections "relating to political subdivisions." The particular subdivisions originally covered were county finances, budget and retirement systems as well as city or district sewerage systems and waterworks.
As passed, HB 58 repealed 130 sections and added 165 new sections to the state statutes. One of the sections added to HB 58 was a section that provided that no one convicted of a federal misdemeanor or felony qualifies as a candidate for elected office in Missouri.
Henry Rizzo, a member of the Jackson County legislature, filed a declaration of candidacy to seek re-election to his office. In 1991, Rizzo pleaded guilty to the federal misdemeanor of providing a false statement to a financial institution. The state sought to disqualify Rizzo for running for re-election pursuant to section 115.348. Rizzo and two Jackson County voters sued, challenging the statute's constitutional validity.
Several candidates running for various offices in the August Democratic Primary showed up or sent representatives to speak before the 15th Ward Democratic Organization last night.
Candidates speaking before the group included Derio Gambaro and Kenny Jones, candidates for state senate, and License Collector Gregg Daly who is now running for Collector of Revenue.
Last chance to register early for College Dems convention at SLU
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Monday, April 24, 2006 at 2:31 PM
Early Registration for the 2006 College Democrats of America National Convention ends today. College Dems from across the country will converge on the campus of St. Louis University from July 20-23 for this annual event.
CDA Conventioners will hear from DNC Chairman Howard Dean and will receive trainings and participate in networking events. Interested parties can register early at http://convention.collegedems.com. Early registration is $40. Housing for Thursday through Saturday nights is $105 to $125.
15th Ward Democrats will be hosting a forum tonight for all the candidates in running in the August Primary election. The event is open to the public and will be at the Carpenter Branch Library (corner of S. Grand and Utah) at 7:30 p.m.
And via the Ecology of Absence blog: The Preservation Board will consider the demolition application for 30 homes in Forest Park Southeast at its meeting at 4:00 p.m. The location is 1015 Locust Street, 12th floor.
Mayor's committee raising (and spending) big dollars
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Thursday, April 20, 2006 at 9:01 PM
Mayor Francis Slay's campaign committee raised $163,300 in the first three months of 2006. After doling out $115,000, he closed the quarter with nearly $270,000 in the bank.
As of March 31, Slay for Mayor had paid nearly $18,000 to Cardinals Ballpark LLC for season tickets, $22,000 to Richard Callow's Public Eye, Inc. for "communication advice," and nearly $24,000 to Neil Swanson, of Kansas City, for expenses related to the mayor's website.
As we reported earlier, the Mayor also made a $40,000 loan to a political action committee backing Darnetta Clinkscale and James Buford for school board.
CLICK HERE to download the April 19 issue of PUB DEF Weekly. Check out the clickable ads.
As always, feel free to print out as many as you like and share them with friends, neighbors and co-workers. And for all you activist types, make dozens -- or even hundreds -- of copies and drop stacks at local coffee shops, watering holes, in City Hall, or on campus (We look best on 11x17 sheets of paper, folded once).
"After careful review of House Bill No. 1944, we have concluded that our coalition of Missouri citizens is opposed to the passage of this bill by your assembly," MEDAC said. "It is MEDAC’s stance that passage of this bill legitimizes the current abuses perpetuated by our local municipalities, allowing them to continue 'business as usual'."
MEDAC pointed to several provisions of the bill which seem to reaffirm local municipalities' right to take private property.
One section reads: "An urban redevelopment corporation operating pursuant to a redevelopment agreement with a municipality for a particular redevelopment area, which agreement was executed prior to August 31, 2006, shall have the right to acquire by the exercise of the power of eminent domain any real property…"
"These practices are precisely the manner in which properties are obtained today and account for one of the primary abuses of the use of eminent domain," said MEDAC.
Steve Patterson, of Urban Review St. Louis, is reporting that the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) amended the Gravois/South Grand/Meramec redevelopment area at their April 4 meeting.
The move helps clear the way for a controversial plan supported by Ald. Jennifer Florida (D-15th Ward) to move a McDonalds drive-thru restaurant across the street from its current location on South Grand Ave.
"I spoke with Chairwoman Judith Doss," said Patterson. "I asked her if she was aware of the opposition to the McDonald's. She was not."
Patterson said Doss indicated the LCRA had a letter of support from Florida and therefore assumed there was no opposition from anyone.
"When I mentioned that none of us were aware of the April 4th meeting she said our Alderman should have told us," he said.
CLICK HERE to see an Exclusive PUB DEF Video from a recent protest of this project.
And speaking of Florida, several people have asked why PUB DEF was not at last night's school board meeting. Well, we were in Orlando. Tomorrow we'll be in Miami. We'll be back from Florida this weekend.
But don't worry, we'll be blogging like always. And we've still got eyes everywhere.
The candidates seeking to replace term-limited State Sen. Pat Dougherty are Yaphett El-Amin, Jeff Smith, Derio Gambaro, Amber Boykins, and Kenny Jones. Their campaign finance reports for this quarter were due April 15. Over the course of the day, the reports will be made available by the state Ethics Commission.
Jeff Smith, who has led the race for dollars from the start of this contest, raised another $42,000 in the last three months. His campaign now has nearly $130,000 in the bank.
UPDATE: Amber Boykins reported raising more than $21,000 in the first quarter of 2006, including: a $3,000 in-kind donation from the Missouri Democratic Party, $650 each from political action committees called Women About Reform Movement and Loft PAC, $650 from developer Mary "One" Johnson, $650 from state rep candidate Joe Palm, $300 from consultant Tim Person, $300 from 21st Ward Ald. Bennice Jones King, $100 from Board Pres. Jim Shrewsbury, and $100 from a company called "Brown Ass."
After spending $6,763.78, Boykins' campaign had almost $59,000 in the bank as of March 31.
UPDATE 2: Looks like "Brown Ass" is short for a firm called Brown and Associates. The company's office is located in the Chase Park Plaza. The Boykins campaign has amended its report.
UPDATE 3: Yaphett El-Amin now has more than $84,500 in the bank after raising $50,000 since January.
UPDATE 4: Derio Gambaro raised more than $32,500 last quarter (including $3,100 in in-kind donations). After spending more than $37,000, his campaign had $32,243 in the bank on March 31.
Kenny Jones formed his campaign committee after the reporting period for the April 15th reports and therefore will not be filing a report for the period.
So the ranking of the candidates' war chests shapes up like this:
1. Jeff Smith ($130,000) 2. Yaphett El-Amin* ($84,500) 3. Amber Boykins ($59,000) 4. Derio Gambaro ($32,000) 5. Kenny Jones (N/A)
*State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin had the best fundraising quarter of the five candidates, raising over $50,000 since January.
Senator Jim Talent increased his fundraising lead over State Auditor Claire McCaskill last quarter. The Kansas City Star is reporting that Talent raised $270,000 more than his expected Democratic challenger.
Talent, the incumbent and former congressman, reported nearly $5.7 million in the bank at quarter’s end to McCaskill’s just more than $2 million.
"We’re never going to be able to raise as much as Jim Talent," McCaskill spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh conceded.
One of the most closely watched races in the country, the Missouri showdown should also be one of the costliest, with some projecting total spending could again approach – or top – $20 million. In 2002, Talent won the seat despite being outspent by Democratic Sen. Jean Carnahan. Talent spent $8 million to Carnahan’s $12.3 million.
Comedian and radio talk-show host Al Franken will be doing a live broadcast of his Air America radio show from the campus of Washington University next week.
Franken, an outspoken liberal and a favorite target of conservative pundits, will be broadcasting from Graham Chapel (just north of the Mallinckrodt Student Center, 6445 Forsyth Blvd) on Tuesday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The first regular meeting of the St. Louis City Board of Education since the election of parents Peter Downs and Donna Jones will be tonight in the auditorium of Carr Lane Middle School, 1004 N. Jefferson Ave.
During their campaigns, Downs and Jones promised to bring transparency and meaningful public input to board meeting. According to the latest email update from Downs' St. Louis School Watch newsletter, that will be the case tonight.
Downs said he sent Superintendent Creg Williams a list of questions on 31 of the 48 items on the superintendent's consent agenda. He said that Williams offered to meet with him in private to discuss the consent agenda, but Downs said the answers are not for him alone.
"I'm not asking questions for my own personal edification," he said, "I'm asking questions that I think the public wants answered. I know from experience sitting in the audience at school board meetings that whatever questions I think of, other people think of, too, and they have a right to know the answers. It seems to me that the most efficient way to answer people's questions is to do so in public at the regular school board meeting."
The candidates seeking to replace State Rep. Yaphett El-Amin, who is running for state senate, are Joe Palm, Karla May and Talibdin El-Amin (husband). Their campaign finance reports for this quarter were due April 15. Over the course of the day, the reports will be made available by the state Ethics Commission.
Joe Palm loaned his campaign $5,000. He raised just $750 over the last three months (including $325 from a committee formed by State Rep. Rachel Storch when she was mulling a run for state senate). At the end of March, Palm's committee had $3,400 in the bank.
UPDATE: Talibdin El-Amin has $8500 in the bank after raising $10,625 since January. Contributors included State Rep. Rodney Hubbard's campaign committee, AT&T's political action committee, and Ald. Jeffrey Boyd.
Ald. Mike McMillan raised $176,710 over the last three months, according to campaign finance reports filed yesterday. Add another $13,000 in in-kind donations and the total amount raised climbs to over $190,000.
After spending $56,000, McMillan had $236,106.14 cash on hand in his campaign to become License Collector.
McMillan's Democratic opponent in the August primary election is Ken Griffey. The winner of that match-up will face Republican Pat Herod in November. Neither Griffey or Herod have yet filed campaign reports.
State Rep. Maria Chappelle Nadal raised $1,475 during the first quarter of 2006. After spending over $1,800, her campaign had nearly $4,800 in the bank.
University City Councilwoman Sandi Colquitt, who is challenging Nadal after losing to her by less than 200 votes in 2004, has not yet filed her campaign report.
State Auditor and candidate for U.S. Senate Claire McCaskill will be speaking to the Washington University Young Democrats this evening at Friedman Lounge on Wash U's campus. The event is open to the public and starts at 8:00 p.m.
Cecilia Velazquez, the publisher of Red Latina, a local Spanish-language newspaper, has been deported. The AP is reporting that after a five-year legal battle over her immigration status, Velazquez was escorted into Mexico on Friday and will be barred from re-entering the United States for 10 years.
Velazquez said by cell phone Saturday from Mexico City that Red Latina will carry on and she will continue as publisher, possibly from Cancun.
"We are the voice of my population. They need to know what's going on," she told The Associated Press. "I know we can do it. I have the Internet and my cell phone. I can make all the meetings. We need to tell the people 'Don't be afraid. Don't be scared. I'll be back.'"
She lost a series of appeals but had hoped letters of support written by politicians including U.S. Sen. Jim Talent and U.S. Reps. William Lacy Clay Jr. and Russ Carnahan would stave off her deportation.
The Kansas City Star is reporting that federal authorities are investigating Missouri’s network of license fee offices and how they were awarded to political supporters of Gov. Matt Blunt.
One Republican appointment that attracted attention last year was a busy south St. Louis office going to Garrett Lott, who had been fined two years earlier for violating campaign finance laws.
According to the Star, FBI agents also have begun interviews involving lobbying practices in the state Capitol.
It was a busy weekend for citizen activists. Central West End residents gathered to voice their concerns and learn more information about a new high-rise development. Southside residents protested a plan to move a McDonalds across the street from its present location. And this morning, Maxine Johnson, a homeowner in the 3rd Ward, picketed in front of Bethlehem Lutheran Church to call attention to a plan by Better Living Communities (which was founded by the church) and Ald. Freeman Bosley, Sr. to use eminent domain as part of a planned redevelopment.
Click here to see more photos from Johnson's protest.
"We're not loving it!" they shouted. The protesters that gathered today on the corner of S. Grand & Winnebago said they want a McDonalds drive-thru restaurant to stay put and not move across the street behind several homes.
They say the move, which is supported by the ward's alderman, Jennifer Florida, would lower property values and change the character of the neighborhood.
In a joint report with UrbanReviewSTL.com, we present the following exclusive video from today's event. Click here to see more exclusive PUB DEF photos from the protest. Click here to read Steve Patterson's complete story.
Click here to see more exclusive PUB DEF photos from the protest.
