Gifts Are Year-Round For Lawmakers, Not Just Christmas

Our West County state representatives and senators don’t have to wait until year's end to get gifts. So far, we have public reports for the first 10 months of 2011.

We (the people) won’t know until February what swell Christmas gifts many of our state legislators will get.

Here's a look at lawmakers' campaign contributions and lobbyist gifts for the first ten months of 2011.

Sen. Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield): Of 75 general contributions in 2011, only 10 came from within her district.

• $7,000 from banking and lending companies, including $2,500 from Ray Vinson’s mortgage company. 
• $3,500 from electric utilities with $3000 from Ameren, one of the largest contributions from a single company.     

Cunningham likes sports. Lobbyists spent $380 on tickets for:

• Missouri Basketball
• Cardinals baseball
• Rams football games.
• Plus another $704 in food, beverage and gifts.

In case you missed it: Last year's gifts to Cunningham included Smithfield Farms of Virginia hams. Since Smithfield operates two large super-hog farms in Missouri, they wanted legislation that kept neighboring farmers and land-owners from suing more than once over pollution claims about hog waste. That legislation passed in April 2011.

Cash on hand: Cunningham's contributor reports show she raised more than a quarter-million dollars over the past two years. She was elected to a 4-year term in 2008.

• 2010 shows $244,103 in campaign contributions. After expenses, $195,584 remained.
• 2011 shows contributions of $39,900 plus another $19,035 from other candidates' campaign accounts, for a total of $58,935. 

Rep. Cole McNary (R-Chesterfield): Of 15 campaign contributions in 2011, McNary's report shows exactly one from within his district. Note, McNary’s incoming campaign funds were the lowest of three candidates reviewed here. Contributions included

• $6,450 plus another $1,000 from a Republican campaign fund 
• Out-of-state contributions from Philadelphia, Iowa and California.

McNary and 41 gifts from lobbyists in 2011:

• $1,066 for golf green fees or entry fees for golf tournaments.
• $266 in tickets to attend four Cardinals games
• $749 in food

McNary earns more than $40,000 as a part-time state rep, plus $125 a day (per diem) when the state Legislature is in session. He needs free baseball tickets and free meals? Spends $1,000 to print Christmas and other cards? And he doesn't pay for golf games apparently, saving joining a club on his income.

Rep. Dan Gosen (R-Chesterfield): Of 58 campaign contributions through October 2011, reports show six were from within his district.

• $13,550 in general contributions
• $5,100 from House Republican Campaign Committee
• $1,150 from one of his bigger contributors—three firefighters union associations 
• $1,980 in money and products as contributions from wineries and breweries
• $3,080 from insurance groups

Gosen and 16 gifts from lobbyists:

• Reimbursed lobbyists for eight gifts
• three golf outings totaling $300

Gosen and spending: Hosted an event/campaign fundraiser (during a non-election year) in Hermann, where he has a number of relatives. Gosen's district is Chesterfield.

• spent $2,536 for the fundraiser
• paid $210 to a relative for food

John J. Diehl (R-Town and Country): Potentially Chesterfield's state represenative after the November 2012 elections due to new district boundaries. Only three of 144 campaign contributions in 2011 came from his district, reports show.

• $112,881 in general contributions
• $26,000 from from the House Repbulican Campaign Committee
• $545,933 currently in his campaign account

Diehl and 62 gifts from lobbyists: for $2,385

• $100 for a Rams game
• $95 for a Royals game
• $195 for an undisclosed concert
• $91 for a Cirque de Soleil performance
• $189 for a Cardinals games
• $1,800 went for free meals 

In case you missed it: In 2010, Diehl raised an amazing $471,960 to run against no one, and spent $49,188 campaigning against no one.

Smithfield Farms: Diehl heard from Smithfield Farms too, getting a $1,000 contribution before a vote on limiting lawsuits and another $1,000 contribution afterward from Smithfield. Also, there was $1,000 from Missouri Pork political action committee.

Take-away message: Compared to Diehl, Chesterfield State Representatives McNary, Gosen and Sen. Cunningham are amateurs in the world of fundraising from special interest groups. It's Happy Holidays all year long.

Diehl currenlty represents the 87th District but new district boundaries include part of Chesterfield where Rep. Cole McNary lives and part of Kirkwood where Rep. Rick Stream lives.