Missouri Ethics Commission

Lewis Reed Vs. Francis Slay: Mayor's Campaign Attacks Challenger For Out-of-State Donations

As the March primary election nears, the intensity of the mayoral race is increasing -- and so is the inflow of cash. As we reported on Monday, Lewis Reed, the current president of the Board of Aldermen, more than doubled his donations after a weekend of fundraising. But where is the money coming ... More >>

Lewis Reed: Francis Slay Opponent More Than Doubles Donations Over Weekend

On Friday, the biggest news in the race for St. Louis mayor was that one of Lewis Reed's top donors is the "Grim Reaper of Radio" Bob Romanik, a convicted felon with ties to a major racketeering scandal. But just two days later, Reed's campaign now has two more filings out -- and they're ones that ... More >>

Alderwoman Krewson Will Make Her Case Today for Shining a Light on Dark Money

In Missouri, anybody can donate as much as they want to a political campaign, as long as they disclose who they are with the state Ethics Commission. Well, anybody except 501(c)(4) "social welfare" corporations. These non-profits are not required by any law to reveal where they get their cash, but c ... More >>

Cheap Cigs Spent Big Money Defeating Missouri's Prop. B

Tobacco companies financed the bulk of the paid opposition to last week's Proposition B that would have raised cigarette taxes in Missouri.Two off-brand cigarette manufacturers -- Cheyenne International and Xcaliber International -- each contributed more than $900,000 to the Missouri Petroleum Marke ... More >>

Former Gov. Roger Wilson Sentenced to Probation and Fines

Former Missouri Governor Roger B. Wilson, 63, and attorney Edward Griesedieck III, 53, were sentenced yesterday for misappropriation of insurance funds. Wilson received two years probation and a $5,000 fine, and he must pay $5,000 in restitution and perform 100 hours of community service. Griesediec ... More >>

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder Burned by Former Donors

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder lost two big donors last week to his challenger in the Republican primary, Brad Lager. David Humphreys, owner of the Joplin-based Tamko Building Products, cut a check for $250,000 to Lager's campaign last week in what is only the latest slap in the face to Kinder from a forme ... More >>

GOP consultant David Barklage owes the Feds big bucks

Top Missouri GOP Consultant Hasn't Paid His Taxes

courtesy of Fired Up! MissouriDavid Barklage (right) with Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder​As the main political consultant to Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder -- and a key strategist for the Missouri Republican Party -- David Barklage preaches the gospel of financial responsibility and ac ... More >>

Peter Kinder: This Weekend, You Can Meet Him in St. Louis

Peter Kinder is making his first public appearance in St. Louis this weekend -- but we expect he'll be avoiding Verlin's (and the entire Metro East).​Embattled Lt. Governor Peter Kinder -- suddenly more famous for his brief appearance at a bar known for its pantsless parties and alleged wooing of ... More >>

Penthouse Pet Dishes on Peter Kinder: "He Was One of My Best Customers"

Tammy Chapman, featured in this August 1992 Penthouse spread, says Peter Kinder asked her to move into his condo -- which was paid for by his political campaign.​Tammy Chapman, the former Penthouse Pet photographed earlier this year with Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder at a south-city bar k ... More >>

Robin Wright-Jones: State Senator Decries Post-Dispatch "Hit Piece"

Wright-Jones blames reporter for stirring things up on "sleepy summer afternoon."​Updated 9:35 a.m. with reaction from Jake Wagman.In a page-one story Sunday in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, political reporter Jake Wagman exposes several accounting irregularities in the campaign filings of state se ... More >>

Man Says Marketing Firm Promoting Menthol Ciggies Canned Him Because He's White

Image viaThe firm told Hogan STL didn't have a market for any more of these. ​The second sentence of Daniel P. Hogan's federal complaint reads, "Plaintiff is a white male." Not usually the basis for complaining. But Hogan's lawsuit, which just got transferred into Missouri's Eastern federal distri ... More >>

Missouri Legislature Targets Midwives

The Missouri Medical Association is trying to stop midwives -- again.​Four years ago, the Missouri Legislature decriminalized midwifery -- making it legal for a woman who's certified by one of two national midwives' organizations to deliver babies here.But the state's physicians don't like the com ... More >>

The 2010 RFT News Challenge

How Much Are Lobbyists Spending on Your St. Louis Alderman?

kaciestarrtriplett.comKacie Starr Triplett (Ward 6) leads the Board of Aldermen with $1,327 in lobbyist expenditures this year.​Poor St. Louis Aldermen. Sure, their $32,000 a year salary is nothing to sneeze at and roughly on par with what state reps ($36k) and senators ($31k) earn. But when it co ... More >>

Could Anti-Prop B Campaign Be Sneaky Influential?

image via​​It seems that Prop B is the issue that just won't die. Voted in by a 60,000-vote margin a week and a half ago, there's already talk of state legislature gutting the new regulations come January. Here at Daily RFT we did a little electoral math of our own. Like, actual math. ... More >>

Sinquefield Gives $200,000 to Politician Who Ran Unopposed, Wants to End State Income Tax

Tilley: Young power broker has Sinquefield to thank for part of his fortune. ​Last Tuesday, financier Rex Sinquefield won the first round of an effort to rid St. Louis and Kansas City of income taxes. On Wednesday, the man whose million of dollars in campaign contributions are transforming Missour ... More >>

Rex Sinquefield: Victory for Prop. A Costs Him $8.67 Per Vote

Rex Sinquefield appreciates buying your vote.​Rex Sinquefield spent at least $11,218,000 of his own money to ensure the passage of Proposition A, the ballot initiative that will require St. Louis and Kansas City residents to vote every five years on whether to keep their cities' earning tax.As rep ... More >>

Edward Jones Dome Officials Get Fat on Freebies -- You Foot the Bill

In 2008, sports authority staff and their guests helped themselves to six kegs of beer.​Eliot Davis, you're welcome. Feel free to use the above headline for your next You Paid for It installment. State auditor Susan Montee is out today with a less-than-flattering review of the management at the St ... More >>

Rex Sinquefield Gives $3.9 Million to Earnings Tax Repeal; Has Now Given $10.7 Million

One campaign contribution filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission over the past 48 hours stands out from the others. See if you can pick it out below:​With yesterday's gift of $3.9 million, financier Rex Sinquefield has now given in excess of $10 million to his pet project of overturning the ear ... More >>

Anti-Puppy Mill Prop B Fundraising Goes to the Dogs

MOFed: This doxie wants you to vote for America.Fundraising in support of Proposition B, the anti-puppy mill initiative that will be on Missouri's ballot come November 2, is far outstripping the funds raised by those who oppose its passage, reports the St. Louis Beacon. The Humane Society of th ... More >>

Missouri Puppy Mills Protest: Don't Call Us Puppy Mills!

Last week, Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan approved Proposition B for placement on the November ballot, preparing the way for state voters to approve restrictions on dog breeders -- in essence, banning puppy mills. It's dog lovers v. dog breeders on Proposition B​But don't ready your vo ... More >>

Who's Funding Lt. Governor Peter Kinder's Lawsuit Against Health Care Reform?

Kinder has set up a limited-liability company to fund his lawsuit. ​That's the question the Missouri Democratic Party is asking of the state's top Republican, who last month announced his plans to file a lawsuit to stop federal health care reform. In a statement yesterday, Brian Zuzenak (head of t ... More >>

County Republicans Desperate for Black Leader, Turn to Controversial Chris Arps

move-on-up.orgChris Arps​The St. Louis Area Young Republicans are hosting their April meeting tonight with guest speaker Chris Arps. Arps was also the guest speaker a couple weeks back out in west county when the Wild Horse Township Republicans invited him to speak to their group. So who is Arps a ... More >>

Claims of Cynthia Davis' Ass-Clownishness Substantiated

house.mo.govCynthia Davis may have won last week's highly-coveted Ass Clown of the Week award (though she was only Keith Olbermann's Worse Person in the World for the week, not Worst), but was it deserved?Some of our commenters thought that Keith didn't go far enough. Despite popular opinion, Daily ... More >>

Hearing for Missouri Bail Bond Bill Canceled

The strange and violent world of St. Louis' bail bondsmen

Grudge City

O’Fallon, Missouri: Home to petty feuds, poisonous politics – and prickly postcards.

All Aboard!

We get political with Kerry and Dean, feel the bite of a "Mad Dog" and discover something amazing about Prius ownership. Plus, confidential to Unreal readers: Parking downtown is easy!

Bill's Bills

The St. Louis school board might have to pony up for the defense in Roberti v. Haas

Backslapp

Her Honor takes her hits, and her friend Judy takes a pass

Bud Bank Shot

King of Beers plays the angles to put money in Krewson's pocket

We Deserve Better

Letters from the week of October 31, 2001

Feeding Frenzy

Two developers, three cities, the airport and the county are engaged in a dogfight over 438 acres of prime North County land. And there's plenty of sleaze to go around.

The Ethics Cop

Mike Reid knows firsthand what it's like to bend the rules

The Ethics Omission

Enforcers of Missouri's campaign-finance laws would rather hide than seek.

Filthy Riches

The Ashcroft and Carnahan campaigns profit from money laundered through a new and deliberately confusing fundraising scheme

Hand-Me-Down District

After 32 years, Bill Clay is retiring from his congressional seat. He wants to leave it to his son, but a crowded, eccentric field of candidates is contesting the will.

THE BIG FIX

A desperate St. Louis pays top dollar to gamble on a risky convention-center hotel