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HARPOOL CALLS ON CHAMPION TO CLEAN UP HER ACT

By Admin, Section News
Posted on Sat Sep 23, 2006 at 09:54:40 AM EST

Champion Should Cut Ties With Lobbyist Jewell Patek

from The Latest News, Harpool 2006

SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri Senate candidate Doug Harpool today called on Sen. Norma Champion to sever ties with a scandal-plagued lobbyist who may be under federal investigation.

"Norma Champion is paying lobbyist Jewell Patek thousands of dollars to raise money from special interests for her campaign," Harpool said. "It is time for Norma Champion to cut her ties to Jewell Patek and be honest with Springfield voters about her relationship with such a questionable character."

Campaign finance reports reveal:

*Champion paid Patek nearly $1,800 in August 2006 for "envelopes and postage."
*In June 2006, Champion paid Patek $6,000 for "consulting."
*Between August 2005 and January 2006, Champion paid Patek $7,882 for "monthly charge [and] expenses."

Patek, a former state representative from Chillicothe, runs Election Day Enterprises LLC, the company Champion pays.

Patek has been linked to a growing statewide scandal over the awarding of license-office contracts to cronies of Gov. Matt Blunt. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last April that Patek "has raised money for Blunt and other Republicans" while "lobbyist Jillian Lair, who works with Patek, is engaged to James Harris, the Blunt deputy who screens appointees for state boards and commissions."

Harpool believes Jefferson City politicians and special interest lobbyists have become too cozy and that elected officials have become too financially tied to lobbyists. "Those ties have prevented our elected officials from addressing important issues facing Missouri citizens, like the rising cost of health care and inadequate funding for schools."

Harpool's Return to Public service initiative -- which can be reviewed in its entirety at Harpool2006.com -- outlaws financial ties between elected officials and lobbyists and would make it illegal for Champion to hire Patek to raise money for her campaign.

Meanwhile, local investigative journalist Randy Turner, of Joplin, reported this week that much of Champion's campaign money comes from gambling and liquor concerns, and was funneled through a party committee to hide it from voters.

(Eds: Find Turner's report here -- http://rturner229.blogspot.com/2006/09/liquor-distributor-casinos-funnel-funds.html)

A shell organization apparently formed by superlobbyist Harry Gallagher to distribute campaign contributions for one of his clients chipped in the maximum $650 to Champion's reelection campaign, according to documents filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

The documents show the donation to the Springfield Republican from Competitive Enterprise Growth PAC was made July 27, the day the PAC registered with the Ethics Commission. The PAC has received only one contribution, according to the Ethics Commission -- $27,000 from one of Gallagher's clients, Glazer's Wholesale Drug, a Dallas-based company which distributes liquor, beer, and wines.

The address for Competitive Enterprise Growth is 101 E. High St., the same address as Gallagher's lobbying firm, Gallagher & Associates. Gallagher's long list of clients, in addition to Glazer's, includes R. J. Reynolds and the Poultry Federation.

Ms. Champion also received $350 from another Gallagher client, the Missouri Insurance Coalition PAC, according to her most recent filing with the Commission.
The biggest contribution, according to that filing -- $3,200 -- came from the 31st Republican Senatorial Committee from Raymore.

The most recent disclosure document from that committee, filed July 16, showed $10,000 in contributions -- all from casino interests:

*$5,000 from Harrah's Operating Company
*$3,000 from Isle of Capri Casinos
*$1,000 each from Ameristar Casino Kansas City and Ameristar Casino St. Charles.

Champion also added a $650 contribution from MORESPAC, the fourth contribution she has received this year from organizations that list the mailing address of P. O. Box 1865, Jefferson City, an address used by another superlobbyist, William Gamble, whose clients include Ameristar Casinos.

The June 4 Turner Report, reviewed Champion's April quarterly report, which showed a $500 contribution from the Missouri Physician Assistant PAC, $600 from Missouri Assisted Living PAC, $500 from MO Plan and $300 from the Missouri Pharmacy PAC. The first three all share the P. O. Box 1865 address, while all four are represented by Gamble's lobbying firm, Gamble & Schlemeier.

P. O. Box 1865 is also the mailing address for: Independent Colleges and Universities of Missouri, Missouri Association for Councils of Government, the Missouri Hotel and Motel Association, Missouri Beverage Association, Missouri Fire Service Alliance, and the Missouri Railroad Association, according to various internet listings and the listings of the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Champion's contributions from MO Plan, the Missouri Physician Assistant PAC and the Missouri Assisted Living PAC and Missouri Pharmacy PAC all came on Jan. 5, according to Ethics Commission documents.

Harpool2006.com

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HARPOOL CALLS ON CHAMPION TO CLEAN UP HER ACT

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