U.S. Senator Kit Bond announced today that Jason Van Eaton and Matt Roney will be heading up his 2008 political operations. The senior Republican is not up for re-election until 2010, but he appears to be preparing to take a leading role in Republican campaigns for president, governor, and other statewide offices.

From the press release:

COLUMBIA, MO – As this session of Congress nears an end, U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced key staff restructuring in his personal and political operations. State Director, Jason Van Eaton, and Director for the Western Missouri District, Matt Roney, will move over to the political arm of Bond’s operation.

“Jason and Matt have been essential to my official office operations. They are trusted members of my staff and I look forward to continue working with them on our political efforts in a very important election cycle,” said Bond.

More on Eaton and Roney:

W. Jason Van Eaton was born and raised in Southwest Missouri. Jason has served in numerous capacities for Bond, most recently serving as Bond’s State Director for over 7 years. Jason has also focused his efforts on appropriations projects, transportation policy, infrastructure, education, economic development, as well as several major development projects. On the political front, Jason worked on his first campaign in 1994 when John Ashcroft was running for the U.S. Senate. In 1998, Jason served as a Regional Director for Bond’s reelection. During the 2000 election cycle, he was the Campaign Manager for now U.S. Congressman Todd Akin in his first run for Congress. Again in 2004 he served as Campaign Manager, this time, for Bond’s reelection.

Matthew L. Roney was born and raised in greater Kansas City, Missouri. Matt has served in numerous capacities for Bond, most recently serving as Director for the Western Missouri District for the last 6 years. Duties included managing a district staff, coordinating appropriations requests, and coordinating governmental involvement in key economic development projects. Matt also served as Political Director for Senator Bond’s successful reelection in 2004.

Shamed Dogan, Republican candidate for State Representative in Missouri’s 88th District, announced Monday that his 3rd quarter financial report will show that he raised over $12,000 from 125 different contributors, including State Reps Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield), Tim Jones (R-Eureka) and Rick Stream (R-Kirkwood); four of Ballwin’s eight Aldermen—Tim Pogue, Jim Robinson, Jane Suozzi and Jimmy Terbrock; St. Louis County Councilwoman Colleen Wasinger; St. Louis City Alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett; and Ferguson Alderman James Knowles.

From the press release:

“I appreciate the help I’ve received from my family, friends, and concerned citizens who share my vision for a smaller, better Missouri government,” Dogan said. “I am also very thankful to Jim Talent for being a supporter and a role model.”

Dogan also received contributions from prominent Republicans including former State Rep. Brent Evans; Ray Wagner of Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Missouri Federation of Young Republicans Chair Monica Durrwachter; St. Louis County Republican Committeeman Kurt Witzel; and St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Dwight Billingsly.

Here’s our earlier video from Shamed Dogan’s campaign kick-off in July:

The Missouri Republican Party and State Rep. Shane Schoeller (R-Willard) filed a lawsuit yesterday against the Missouri Ethics Commission for violating of the Sunshine Law when the commission met earlier this month to discuss campaign finance contributions.

The lawsuit filed in Cole County Circuit Court alleges that the Ethics Commission violated the Sunshine Law on September 11 by holding a closed meeting to discuss matters that its notice, tentative agenda and approved agenda stated would be discussed in open meeting, by closing a meeting without valid legal reasons and by holding a closed session that was not limited to the matters that could be discussed in closed meeting. The lawsuit also says the commission and commissioners “knowingly” and “purposely” violated the Sunshine Law by discussing policy matters which should have been discussed openly with the public having an opportunity to comment.

The Missouri Republican Party is seeking a temporary restraining order followed by preliminary and permanent injunctions prohibiting the Ethics Commission and its Commissioners and its agents from implementing any decision made in connection with the meeting and is seeking a court order voiding all actions taken by the Ethics Commission at the meeting and any actions taken by staff of the Ethics Commission pursuant to directions received at that meeting.

“The Missouri Ethics Commission blatantly violated the Sunshine Law by meeting in secret and denying Missourians their right to be informed about a significant public policy decision that affects the lives of thousands of contributors and candidates. The MEC’s actions run contrary to the notion of open government and that is why Missouri Republicans have stepped up and filed this lawsuit,” said Jared Craighead, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party.

“The Ethics Commission’s violation of the Sunshine Law tarnishes a campaign finance system already damaged by Jay Nixon’s collusion to tank the defense of a new law that injected transparency into the system.”

The Associated Press is reporting that Missouri House Republicans have chosen Ron Richard to take over the chamber’s top position in 2009 — assuming he wins re-election to the House, Republicans hold onto power, and new lawmakers abide by the wishes of their predecessors.

From the AP:

Those numerous assumptions highlight the novelty of the House Republicans’ decision to elect a speaker-designee.

Richard will serve in training for the next 16 months under House Speaker Rod Jetton, then still would have to officially be elected by the full House in January 2009.

Richard, of Joplin, defeated suburban St. Louis Representative Allen Icet in a secret vote by House Republicans.

The GOP currently holds a 90-70 majority over House Democrats, with three vacancies.

UPDATE: The other new leaders are:

Senate Assistant Floor Leader - Sen. Jack Goodman
Senate Caucus Leader - Sen. Luann Ridgeway
House Floor Leader - Rep. Steven Tilley
House Pro Tem - Rep. Brian Pratt

UPDATE 2: A statement from Gov. Matt Blunt:

“I congratulate Sen. Jack Goodman, Sen. Luann Ridgeway, Rep. Bryan Pratt and Rep. Steven Tilley on their new leadership positions in their respective chambers. I also congratulate Rep. Ron Richards and wish him well in his leadership role.

“I look forward to working with the new leaders in both chambers in the coming year to continue to build on our commitment to increasing funding for education, enforcing the laws against illegal immigration, protecting Missouri children from Internet predators and building on a strong economic climate that has helped Missourians create nearly 85,000 new jobs since January 2005. I believe that every Missourian deserves the opportunity to have a good job, raise a family, and to pursue their dreams.

“Again I look forward to working with the House and Senate leadership on both sides of the aisle to put the Missourians’ best interests ahead of partisan politics and to put Missouri’s families first.”

The White House has announced that controversial Presidential aide Karl Rove has resigned.

Rove said his resignation, which he submitted to President George W. Bush on Friday, was not forced. He said when he leaves the White House at the end of August he plans to spend his time writing a book and teaching.

As long as he gives up rapping…

CNN reports that Rove and Bush are expected to speak before boarding Marine One at the White House at 10:35 a.m. Bush will head to his Crawford, Texas, ranch where he will remain for the rest of the week.

UPDATE: Maybe he was forced out…

This is obviously a fake photo. But a damn funny one!

Still fuming over Senator Chris Koster’s defection to the blue team, the Missouri Republican Party today issued a statement calling on the former GOP senate leader to return the hundreds of thousands of dollars he raised as a Republican.

“The Missouri Republican Party’s telephone lines in Jefferson City have been ringing off-the hook since Koster turned his back on Republicans who not only gave their money to Koster but also sacrificed their time and energy on his behalf over the years,” read the statement.

“The hard working people of Cass County have been betrayed by Chris Koster and we are demanding that he return our hard-earned money so that it can used to support real Republicans instead of being used by a charlatan and turncoat like this disgrace of a senator,” said Ronald Johnson, the Cass County Republican Committee chairman who’s committee has donated over $4,000 to Koster over the years.

“Koster smashed a solemn trust and if he has one shred of decency or moral character left, then he should return every penny he took from us,” he continued.

The MRP also continues to call on Koster to resign his Senate seat. GOP Communications Director Paul Sloca said Koster should run as a Democrat in a special election.

“The voters of the 31st Senatorial District have a right to expect him to resign his seat,” said Sloca.

“While Koster resumes accepting donations from his liberal friends in Big Labor and among his fellow trial attorneys, his once loyal and hard-working Republican supporters are being left out in the cold both financially and politically.”

“Crack-smoking Republicans” beware. A local entrepreneur is tossing his hat in the Presidential primaries once again. But this time, ex-Republican Blake Ashby is targeting his own.

PubDef produced this video for Ashby and will be following his campaign over the next year as he takes his message across America.

Republican Leslie Farr has lost his bid to get his party’s nomination for a second run against Congressman Lacy Clay in the 1st District. Mark J. Byrne easily defeated Farr, who had recently become at odds with several leaders of his party, with 73% of the vote to Farr’s 15%.

State Rep. Sherman Parker, who had been the State House’s sole black Republican, has lost his bid against incumbent Congressman Todd Akin in the 2nd District. Parker’s candidacy was always considered a longshot at best, but an arrest just a week before the election made his victory nearly impossible. Parker got just 12% of the vote yesterday.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has launched a website aimed at keeping up a steady stream of attacks on Missouri Auditor and U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill.

McCaskill is maintaining a small lead in the polls over Sen. Jim Talent, who does not appear to be directly linked to this attack site.

CluelessClaire.com attacks statements made by the Auditor on subjects ranging from gay rights and abortion to wiretapping and the Iraq War.

The NRSC has launched similar webites attacking other Democrats. BobsBaggage.com attacks New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. TheReidWorld.com attacks Sen. Harry Reid. FancyFord.com attacks Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.

RightMissouri.com, a Republican blog, has praised the former chair and vice-chair of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus for their support of a bill that would trade tax credits for the funding private education.

“Huge kudos go out to State Reps. Ted ‘Kick Their Butts’ Hoskins and Rodney Hubbard — both St. Louis Dems and the only Dems in Missouri with an ounce of principle and conviction,” said the blog.

PUB DEF was the first to report yesterday that the Black Caucus, by a vote of 11-3, voted Hoskins out of its chairmanship. Hoskins, who sources say chose not to attend the meeting where the vote took place, was replaced by State Rep. John Bowman. Hubbard resigned his vice-chairmanship before a vote could be taken to remove him. He was replaced by State Rep. Connie Johnson.

The blog also quotes an article in today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Hoskins commented only briefly Thursday, saying that he has decided to leave the caucus entirely. ‘They don’t do nothing, so I won’t be missing anything,’ he said.”

Several members of the Black Caucus have told PUB DEF that the change in leadership is the best thing that could have happened for the group. They said that Hoskins’ leadership style and questionable fundraising tactics had tarnished the group’s reputation and steered them in a direction away from their primary mission.