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DEF is a non-partisan, independent political blog based in the
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on lawmakers, their policies, and those that have influence upon
them, and to educate our readers about legislation and the political
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On Friday, a judge ruled that the elected school board could not settle legal cases on its own. The judge also ruled that the elected board cannot keep its attorneys, Lashly and Baer, from sharing information with the new appointed school board.
The following is a letter sent from elected board president Peter Downs regarding the decision.
Dear Friends,
This afternoon (Friday, August 3), Judge Callahan applied the brakes to the appointed board.
Rick Sullivan, president and chief executive officer of the appointed board had sought to remove the attorneys of the elected St. Louis Board of Education, Lashly & Baer, from all open cases involving the St. Louis Board of Education, which would also have severed the elected board from any involvement in defending those cases, and he had ordered Lashly & Baer to turnover all the confidential legal files on those cases.
The elected board responded to Sullivan that he was exceeding his authority. We pointed out that we had an obligation to the employees and former employees we were defending in those cases, and to ourselves. We said we would consider releasing case files if the appointed board committed to defending and indemnifying the defendants in those cases.
Sullivan's response was to go to Judge Callahan to get an order giving him what he wanted. He did not get it.
Judge Callahan ordered only that the Board of Education not settle any case without also getting the approval of the appointed board, and, consistent with that, he ordered that the Board of Education could not prevent Lashly & Baer from communicating about those cases with the appointed board.
In other words, Judge Callahan rejected Sullivan's claim to be the sole authority in all matters pertaining to St. Louis Public Schools. Callahan left the elected Board of Education in charge of defending the lawsuits against the St. Louis Board of Education, and left Lashly & Baer as the attorney representing the Board. He did give the appointed board veto power over any agreements the elected Board makes to settle any of the cases. In short, he seems to be saying that both boards have a role and they need to work together.
Meanwhile, the elected Board of Education is continuing to work on the long-term improvement of schools. Donna Jones held the first meeting of the School Climate Committee.
The School Climate Committee is concerned with the relationships between facilities and students, teachers, and administrators and how they affect learning. Put another way, the committee's charge is to see if we have created a climate in each school that gives students the opportunity and encouragement to learn.
The committee is concerned with both the physical environment of the building, grounds, and equipment, and the emotional relationships between students, teachers, and administrators. The totality of those constitutes the school climate.
We want to know if buildings are maintained, if they are inviting or depressing, and if they have the proper facilities to teach what is supposed to be taught.
We want to know if the schools have the right equipment and supplies.
We want to know if students can concentrate on learning or if they feel too anxious or fearful to concentrate because of bullying or weapons in the school.
We want to know if teachers respect students and encourage the effort of learning, or whether they dismiss them as unteachable and set low expectations.
We want to know if building administrators do the same thing, and if they encourage teachers to experiment with and supplement the approved curriculum and teaching materials to find ways to enliven teaching and spark the interests of their students.
We want to know of building administrators work respectfully and cooperatively with teachers, or whether they disrespect and bully them.
The charge of the committee is to find out some of our shortcomings and recommend way of assessing school climate (there actually are a bunch of tools for that on the market that they can evaluate) that highlights the weaknesses for each school in a way that will help staff devise strategies for improvement. The assessment could be repeated every couple of years to find out if the school climate is improving.
Anyone wanting to volunteer on the School Climate Committee should contact Donna Jones via the Board office at 345-2304.
Sincerely,
Peter Downs President St. Louis Board of Education
Stacey Newman, executive director of the Missouri Women’s Coalition, is officially announcing today that she is seeking the office of State Representative for the 73rd District. She has filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission formally creating her finance committee with Ray Hartmann, St. Louis, as treasurer.
“The late Harriett Woods, former Lt. Governor and a long time mentor, often told me women run for office because they become upset enough to take action. I am extremely upset with the direction of our state government and will fight for change and true progressive policies,” said Newman.
In 2005 the state legislature cut Medicaid health insurance coverage for more than 100,000 Missourians, including over 40,000 children. Missouri schools are in crisis mode with private school voucher proposals threatening public school funding. In July 2007 Governor Blunt signed restrictions into law forcing many women’s health clinics to close and allowing public schools to teach fact-less abstinence-only sex education. The number of Missouri children living in poverty is on the rise due to numerous social services cuts by the current administration.
“This is not the direction I envision for Missouri,” Newman said. “I advocate providing health care for all Missourians, increasing our public school funding, protecting women’s personal health decisions, and supporting stem cell research and cures.
Stacey Newman’s dedication, passion and diverse background have prepared her to effectively represent the 73rd District:
Democratic National Committee - managed specialized Missouri vote program
2004 John Kerry for President campaign - directed the Missouri Women’s Vote Program
Missouri Democratic Party - coordinated statewide and legislative women’s campaigns
“Coalition Against Blunt’s War on Women – spokeswoman for 22 progressive organizations fighting Gov. Blunt’s attacks on birth control
Co-president of Brady Campaign/Million Mom March – St. Louis - worked closely with Governor Holden’s office against concealed weapons legislation
Missouri registered lobbyist - lobbied for bi-partisan domestic violence and child safety legislation
Stacey resides in Richmond Heights, Missouri and is a retired flight attendant. Her husband, Burt, is an attorney in Clayton who successfully challenged the voter ID law in the Missouri Supreme Court in 2006. Their daughter, Sophie, is a freshman at Clayton High School.
“I am prepared to run, ready to win and pledge to continue the progressive work of Rep. Margaret Donnelly and Sen. Joan Bray who have held this seat for more than 15 years,” said Newman.
Earlier this week, State Representative Talibdin El-Amin and his wife, Committeewoman (and former state representative) Yaphett El-Amin hosted a town hall meeting at Wohl Community Center in north St. Louis. Here are a couple of videos from that event.
Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan will see some familiar faces in court again tomorrow. The St. Louis Board of Education and the Special Administrative Board (SAB) of St. Louis Public Schools will be heading back to Callahan's court as the SAB seeks to pry some of the last remaining power from elected board's hand.
According to a district source, the SAB is asking the court to order the elected board to turn over all files relating to legal cases in which the BOE is currently involved — all those, that is, except legal docs relating to the ongoing case against the SAB, of course.
As we first reported yesterday, State Senator Jeff Smith was issued a summons Tuesday night for gambling at the Isle of Capri Casino in Booneville using someone else's identification, a Class B misdemeanor. Smith told PubDef.net that an Isle of Capri employee gave him someone else's player card so that he could enter the casino even though he didn't have his identification on him (ID is needed for a card).
We also learned last night that that employee had been fired. As it turns out, that "employee" was in fact a lobbyist for the Isle of Capri and that "someone else" whom the card belonged to was State Representative Joe Aull (D-Marshall).
Sources tell PubDef that Smith would have gotten away with playing on Aull's card had it not been for his Blackberry addiction.
Those who have seen Smith either in person or on the big screen know that the freshman senator is more often than not seen with his Blackberry close by his ear. That's a no-no at the card table.
According to a source close to the situation, Smith was thumbing his phone at the Texas Hold 'em table when a gaming official told him that was not allowed (some people use the devices to cheat, you know). They then asked for his ID to make sure his name was not in the list of known cheaters. That's when they noticed Smith was not "Aull" he appeared.
PubDef has filed a request with the Gaming Commission for a copy of the casino surveillance tape to see for ourselves what happened.
With the show of support for the state's newest Democratic elected official, former Republican State Senator Chris Koster — who's also jumping in the field of Democratic candidates for Attorney General — the following question deserves to be asked: What kind of treatment can the party's most loyal block of voters expect in 2008?
Will the Missouri Democratic Party ask its strong African-American base to support yet another statewide ticket with not a single black candidate, but one anchored by a candidate for Governor with a long and controversial history on issues most sensitive to the black community and a candidate for Attorney General who will have been a Democrat only slightly longer than it takes for a Missouri girl to go from an abstinence-only education to the host of an unwanted pregnancy to a single mom with no health care coverage?
In an environment with some supporters of a certain white male Democratic Presidential candidate saying that it would be bad for the party for Jay Nixon to have to campaign in the state's more conservative counties with Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton at the top of the ballot, what will the Dems offer its strongest, most loyal block of voters — or rather, what should black elected officials demand of the party they fuel?
PubDef.net has learned that State Senator Jeff Smith (D-St. Louis) was issued a summons last night after trying to entering the Isle of Capri Casino in Booneville using someone else's identification player's card.
According to a sources at the Missouri Gaming Commission, at 11:45 p.m. last night, Smith was cited for presenting false identification to enter a gambling boat, a Class B misdemeanor.
Developing...
UPDATE: Smith tells PubDef that he and a group of state legislators had taken a guided tour of the casino that evening, learning about the economic impact on the City of Booneville. After the tour, the group decided to head back into the casino for a little recreation when Smith, who had hitched a ride, realized he left his drivers license in Jefferson City.
Smith said an Isle of Capri employee gave him someone else's player card to allow him to enter the casino. Soon after, a gaming officer tapped Smith on the shoulder and asked him to follow him. The officer ticketed Smith and escorted him from the casino.
"It was a case of lapse in judgement," Smith told PubDef. "It won't happen again."
The St. Louis senator says he plans to pay his fine and never leave home without his ID again.
Chief Sherman George City of St. Louis Fire Department 1321 N. Jefferson Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63106-2100 Hand-Delivered
Dear Chief George:
I want to start by making something clear: I support you as chief of the Fire Department and want you to continue to succeed. However, I also believe the department must promote, and fear the issue of promotions, if not addressed fairly and immediately, will severely damage your ability to lead the Department.
To review the facts, a Federal judge has ruled that the current promotional test is valid, does not discriminate, and legitimately tests the skills and knowledge needed to be a captain or battalion chief in the St. Louis Fire Department.
The Federal judge heard all of the testimony and held a full trial on all of the merits. He ruled the plaintiffs "did not produce any evidence of alternative selection procedures of which the City was apprised … which would have been as substantially valid as the 2000 and 2004 Fire Captain and Battalion Chief examinations, but with lesser adverse impact."
In other words, Chief, those opposed to the test have now had their day in court and lost. Ignoring the court’s clear, unequivocal ruling is creating hard feelings among many of the men and women in the department who have waited patiently for promotions. If we — the City and the Fire Department — are not going to live by the court’s ruling, what was the point of all of the litigation?
You said recently that if the positions are in the budget and the list is still active, you would "be happy to request a list from which to promote for both Fire Captain and Battalion Fire Chief." Chief, the City has budgeted for the positions; the list is still active. It is time to do what you said: promote.
This issue has torn the Fire Department apart. I know that you feel yourself boxed in, torn between angry members of FIRE who continue to dispute the tests’ fairness and angry members of the Local 73 who continue to dispute the fairness of not promoting.
For the good of the Department and to avoid a confrontation that will divide our City and hurt everyone involved — including you — I propose the following:
Fill all of the Fire Captain and Battalion Chief positions using the current, active list.
After the promotions are made, the Department of Personnel will close the list and begin the process of hiring a company to conduct a new test.
The process of hiring a company will include new protocols to permit you, FIRE, and Local 73 to have greater input into the wording of the RFP and the selection of a testing consultant from among the RFP responses.
In addition, I would like to use this same opportunity to work with you to address the rifts in race relations that have developed within the Fire Department, whether based on ill feelings about these promotions or from historic grievances.
The City will invest $20,000 a year, and ask Fire and Local 73 each to contribute $5,000, to a fund for the purpose of providing mandatory training in diversity and race relations.
Finally, the racial divide in the Fire Department will not close unless the men and the women of the Fire Department want it to close. So, I will ask FIRE and Local 73, the two firefighter organizations that represent most members of the fire service, to develop together a plan that will spell out concrete measures to improve relations between the two groups, and race relations within the Department.
Chief, I believe this approach is a fair way to allow us to put this matter behind us and work together to improve the quality of the St. Louis Fire Department.
It is time for all of us to set aside any differences for the good of the department and the good of the City.
I look forward to hearing back from you by Friday, August 3, 2007.
St. Louis State Senator Jeff Smith was by Chris Koster's side today as the Harrisville senator announced his crossover to the Democratic Party this morning in Columbia.
"Sen. Chris Koster is one of the most respected and capable members of the Missouri Senate," said Smith in a written statement. "For him to change political party shows that Republicans are in trouble."
Smith is responsible for leading Senate Democratic Campaign efforts for the 2008 elections. His involvement with Koster may ruffle the feathers of some in his party if Koster jumps into the Democratic Primary for Attorney General as he is expected to announce later today.
In another Smith-Koster connection, Elisabeth Smith, Jeff Smith's girlfriend and a former staffer to U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, is handling communications for Koster. (Readers may recall this great video featuring a victory kiss between the Smiths on Election Night 2006.)
"The Republican Party has become anti-research, anti-working families and anti-progress – while Democrats seek to move Missouri forward, Republicans want to hold our state back. Sen. Koster’s decision to leave the GOP is another sign that Republicans have become out-of-touch with the average Missourian," said Senator Smith.
Koster's change in party brings the number of Democrats in the Senate to 14 Democrats, with 19 Republicans and 1 vacancy.
And fueling allegations by Republicans of a Koster-Nixon conspiracy is a report from a source at this morning's Columbia announcement that Chuck Hatfield, Jay Nixon's former chief of staff, not only attended the event but physically carried the podium behind which Koster made his historic announcement.
Just a reminder: Koster will hold a press conference in St. Louis today at 3:00 p.m. in front of St. Louis University High School. Check PubDef.net later today for video.
After quickly spreading like wildfire, first on independent blogs, then newspaper blogs, then to TV, all that remains for the rumor of Republican State Senator Chris Koster's crossover to the Democratic Party to become fact is... well, a press conference.
How about three press conferences in three parts of the state?
At 9:00 this morning, Koster will make a "major political announcement" at the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Then at 11:30, Koster will make either the same "major political announcement" or an even bigger one (like he's converting to Islam or joining the NAACP) outside the Cass County Justice Center in Harrisonville.
And last but (hopefully) not least, at 3:30 this afternoon, the Chris Koster Show comes to St. Louis as the by-then-Democratic State Senator makes his "major political announcement" in front of his high school alma mater, Saint Louis University High School, 4970 Oakland Ave.
In the meantime, Democrats around the state are already taking shots at their soon-to-be newest member.
This flier was emailed to us this morning. It outlines some of the controversial legislation that Koster supported as a Republican. The disclaimer at the bottom says it was paid for by the Boone County Democratic Central Committee.
UPDATE @ 9:55 AM: The following is a statement from Jared Craighead, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, on Koster's decision to "abandon" the Republican Party:
"Republicans are surprised that Senator Koster who has championed so many Republican causes, participated in leadership of the Senate Republican Caucus and served as a member of the Republican State Committee would decide suddenly that he is a Democrat. Chris is a personal friend of mine but I fear he has blinded himself with his desire for higher office and the hollow promises of Jay Nixon’s political machine rather than keeping his commitment to the constituents who elected him to represent them.
I expect that Chris will resign from the Senate immediately and stand for election as a Democrat in a special election so that the people of the 31st Senatorial District have an opportunity to decide whether they want him representing them now that he has totally reversed his positions on important issues like gay marriage, Second Amendment rights and Medicaid reform.
If I had to guess, Chris will likely quote Winston Churchill to describe his decision saying, 'some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others change their principles for the sake of the party.' But I would remind Chris that Churchill also remarked on the occasion of a party switch that it was the only instance he could recall of a rat swimming towards a sinking ship – that sentiment seems particularly applicable in this case.
Simply stated, Chris has done the political calculus and does not believe he can win a Republican primary and does not believe that Jeff Harris is a formidable opponent."
Rumor has it that State Senator Chris Koster (R-Harrisonville) will announce this week that he's leaving the Republican Party to become a Democrat.
Koster, who already has $644,000 in the bank, according to his last campaign finance report, is also expected to announce that he will be running for Attorney General on the Democratic ticket.
Readers will recall PubDef.net reported spotting Koster at the state senate campaign kick-off of Democrat Rodney Hubbard earlier this month. If true, Koster's crossover could have far-reaching implications in the 2008 races.
Developing...
UPDATE @ 9:18 p.m. — Reactions to Koster's rumored defection are already coming in. Democrat Jeff Harris, the Columbia State Rep who is also running for Attorney General, tells PubDef.net he welcomes Koster to the Democratic primary contest.
"We have been planning to run against Chris Koster-- the Republican -- since day one in this campaign," said Harris. "And I am STILL running against Chris Koster THE Republican, only now it’s in the Democratic Primary."
"I am running AS a Democrat because I AM a Democrat -- always have been and always will be."
Gov. Matt Blunt's office today raised questions about information in the Supreme Court Candidates’ applications that was withheld by the Appellate Judicial Commission. The commission asserted Friday the applications they delivered to the governor's office were complete, but a review found that documents were missing or removed from the original applications submitted by the candidates.
The missing documents include one candidate’s statement of judicial philosophy, another candidate’s list of cases as required by the commission and background check authorizations for all three candidates.
"Upon review, we found that the three Supreme Court candidate's application materials you sent to our office last Thursday were incomplete," said the Governor’s Chief Counsel Henry Herschel in a letter to Judge Laura Denvir Stith, the chair of the Judicial Appellate Commission.
After initial research that included a request from each candidate for copies of their original application, it became clear that the commission removed or withheld pertinent information from the applications provided to the governor.
Missing documents include:
one candidate’s list of cases tried
one candidate’s statements of judicial philosophy
background check authorization forms for all three candidates
The commission asked each applicant twenty-five questions including a request for a list of ten legal cases they have tried. The materials sent to the governor's office did not include an answer to this question by one of the candidates. After contacting the candidate, the governor's office was provided with a two page addendum that had been provided to the commission but was missing from the application. This addendum listed only four cases that had been tried by this candidate.
Additionally, one of the candidate's statements of judicial philosophy, provided to the Appellate Commission as an addendum, was omitted. This was particularly enlightening as it addressed head on the question of judicial philosophy by one of the candidates.
The applications from the commission also failed to include the signed permission waivers for background checks and the background checks themselves. It is not known whether the commission ran background checks on the candidates or why copies of the authorization forms were removed from the application files.
The governor's office previously requested all available information from the Appellate Judicial Commission and has expanded that request to include information about why relevant material was excluded from the provided materials. The request is part of the exhaustive interview process in motion to help Gov. Matt Blunt determine who of the three candidates will serve as Missouri’s next Supreme Court Judge.
In Missouri, the governor does not appoint a judge to the Supreme Court from citizens at large. Instead an Appellate Judicial Commission, made up of the presiding chief justice, three lawyers chosen by the Missouri Bar and three people appointed by governors, selects a panel of three candidates. Gov. Blunt has appointed only one of the three commissioners, and the others were appointed by former Gov. Bob Holden. The governor has 60 days to appoint one of the three nominated candidates to the Supreme Court.
For the second year, State Senator Jeff Smith brought his A-game to Fairgrounds Park, but this time a lot more people joined him.
While Smith showed his love for the game, others showed their love of an incumbent senator. Several faces who were not at "Candidate Smith's" event last year came out Saturday to support "Senator Smith's" 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
New faces included: Mayor Francis Slay, Attorney General and candidate for governor Jay Nixon, State Sen. Chuck Graham, License Collector Mike McMillan, Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, and Committeewoman Mattie Moore.
One of the few elected officials that did show up at last year's event (and gave us this priceless endorsement video) was 22nd Ward Committeeman Joe Palm, who again made an appearance.
Organizers estimate that over a thousand people — roughly five times the turnout last year — came out Saturday.
Nixon played referee for a game in which Smith played. His team, which included aide and rumored state rep candidate Chris "I can guard anybody" Carter, came in third place in the 17-and-over age division.
First place in each age division got bikes, second place got tickets to Six Flags, and 3rd place teams received gift certificates to area businesses. All players got either backpacks or school supplies.
Supporters of Shamed Dogan's run for the Missouri House seat of the term-limited State Rep. Neal St. Onge (R-Ellisville) gathered at the Ballwin home of Henry and Becky Viola for his official campaign kick-off Saturday.
Former U.S. Senator Jim Talent, along with St. Onge, who supports the 28-year-old Dogan's campaign to replace him, State Rep. Jeff Grisamore (R-Lee's Summit), Ballwin Aldermen Tim Pogue and Jim Terbrock, former State Rep. Sherman Parker, and blogger John Combest were all on hand to show support.
State Representative Connie Johnson and an awkward State Senator Harry Kennedy joined celebrity doctor Ian Smith, comedian J. Anthony Brown, old school hip-hoppers Biz Markie and Slick Rick, St. Louis Ram legend Marshall Faulk, and other celebrities at the 50 Million Pound Challenge event at Union Station this weekend.
The Challenge is a party with a purpose, promoting physical fitness and health among African Americans while bringing some great (and free, thanks to State Farm) music performances to cities all across America.
Organizers called the St. Louis event a huge success, with thousands of people showing up and tens of thousands of pounds pledged to be lost.
