Which Republican Supports an Impartial Judiciary?

Which Republican lawyer state representative dislikes the selection of fair and impartial judges - Rep. Bryan Pratt.

Which Republican lawyer state representative respects a neutral, fair and impartial third branch of the government called the judiciary - Rep. Brian Yates.

Since Matt Blunt has been in office, extremist Republicans have entertained themselves with attacking the Missouri Plan (a plan to remove partisan politics from the selection of judges). Thanks to Sunshine Requests, we found that most of the attacks were orchestrated within Blunt's office through the Adam Smith Foundation and other make believe groups.

This year HJR 10 is current method of attack on the neutral judiciary. The Missouri Plan allows for a nominating commission to be composed of 3 lawyers from around the state (voted on by lawyers in non-partisan elections), 3 non-lawyer/citizen appointments by a Governor and the chief judge of the Supreme Court. The nominating commission interviews ALL candidates and sends three qualified folks up to the Governor. Merit, not politics, decides who is a judge in Missouri.

HJR 10 introduces more politics into the selection of judges, not less. Republican appointed judges (who have since retired) are opposed to HJR 10. Democratic appointed judges (who have since retired) are opposed to HJR 10. The Missouri Bar (every lawyer in the state is automatically a member of the Missouri Bar) is opposed to HJR 10. HJR 10 allows the governor to reject panels (instead of having to select someone from the list of three qualified candidates). HJR 10 allows for the senate to get involved with the citizen appointments to the nominating commission (more politics). HJR 10 changes the length of terms to four years from the current six years. That equals more politics because a six year term on the nominating commission only allows a two term, popular governor (like Governor Ashcroft) to appoint all the lay members to the nominating commission, not an unpopular governor (like Governor Blunt).

HJR 10 makes the "hearings, debates and votes" open to the public. Not even Governor Blunt wanted to have his interviews open to the public. Can you imagine any company, government or non-profit in the world that would want to have open job "hearing, debates and votes"? Open "hearings, debates and votes" would make the process less effective in picking judges, but much better at turning it into a political circus.

Why is this important? Most importantly, no one wants more partisan politics involved in our judiciary. Not the KC Chamber of Commerce, not citizens who would have to appear in front of partisan judges (Republican or Democratic) and not lawyers. The Missouri Plan has been copied around the country for a reason - it is good public policy to take partisan politics out of the selection of judges.

From the partisan politics side, both Yates and Pratt are running for Sen. Matt Bartle's seat. Both Pratt and Yates are lawyers (both at Shook Hardy & Bacon). One of these representatives is busy attacking the judiciary; one of these representatives is standing up to crazy attacks by the extremists in his own party. Voters, lawyers and donors will have to look at the votes of Pratt and Yates and decide who to support.

Musings About Eastern Jack

Jeff Roe is talking trash about Eastern Jackson County races over at The Source.

A slightly more intelligent analysis can be found over at the Jackson County Democratic blog.

Where do you think Missouri Democrats should focus their resources? Matt Bartle's senate seat or the three empty Missouri house seats?

Grisamore (47th) Takes Money from Pay Day Loan Companies and Faces Tough Opposition

KC Blue Blog does a great analysis of Rep. Jeff Grisamore taking money from pay day loan companies.

EXCLUSIVE: Vulnerable State Representative Jeff Grisamore (R-Lee's Summit) took over $2,000 in contributions from Predatory Loan Companies and their lobbyists.

Also, The Blue Blog has learned that since Grisamore has taken office in 2006, three or more Predatory Loan Companies have appeared inside his Lee's Summit district.

Grisamore's endorsement of Predatory Loan Companies and their practices is out of touch and unacceptable to the voters inside his district and across the State of Missouri.

By taking these dollars from Predatory Loan Companies, Grisamore is saying it is ok to have 400% interest rates on loans, and ok to have loan sharks inside our communities across Missouri, unchecked and unaccountable for the destruction they do to the lives and communities they prey on.

Here's the good news. There's a great, young, hard working Democratic candidate taking on Grisamore. Jason Norbury is already working hard. Jason has some name ID from taking on Sen. Matt Bartle. Jason will get a 2 - 5% bump because of this being a presidential year (and Democrats coming out in greater numbers). Grisamore continues to get heat, including this Pitch article: Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore uses the death of his infant daughter to ask for campaign cash.

Every little race counts. Every Republican with strong opposition helps out every Democrat running. Grisamore now has to stay at home and protect his seat from Norbury. All that means continued good things for our party.

Prayers for Huckabee

Born again Christians may have made up to 60% of Republican Iowa caucus. These ladies and I shared a prayer; that Huckabee would win. Nothing like the Republican party being torn apart by the corporate guys (who only want to allow hedge fund managers to be taxed at 15%) who fund the party and the religious right who get led around with gay marriage and abortion carrots.

For the record, Matt Blunt supports Romney. Jeff Roe and State Senator Matt Bartle support Huckabee. Sen. Kit Bond backs Guiliani. Let the blood letting begin.

Religious Right Tears Apart Republican Party via Huckabee

The Buzz on A2 of the KC Star had this little tid bit:

Arianna Huffington writes that Huckabee's poll surge is partly the result of decades of Republicans capitalising on evangelical voters as "just a resource to be cynically exploited every few years in demagogic anti-gay get-out-the-vote campaigns.

"But now the holy-rolling monster the GOP's Dr. Frankensteins have created has thrown off the shackles, fled the lab, and is currently leading in Iowa. And the party doesn't know what to do."

In Missouri we are all too familiar with the religious right's hold on the Republican party. Right here in Jackson County we see Senator Matt Bartle attacking on Warren Erdman (former chief of staff to Senator Kit Bond) for an appointment to the board of curators because of right to life issues. We see Sen. Chris Koster quiting the Republican party based, in part, on the stem cell issue. We also see the far right's favorite political consultant, Jeff Roe, being retained by Huckabee to push him on his blog, The Source. It should also be noted that the religious right - who is already disenchanted with Gov. Matt Blunt - can't be happy with Blunt backing Mitt Romney. There are too many examples of the religious right dictating Republican policy to even mention.

The Republicans have a problem here in Missouri. Folks are tired of Jeff Roe attacks. They are sick of extreme candidates. In Missouri, swing voters decide every election and suburban women ain't going to vote for a Huckabee. Here's hoping Huckabee gets the nod.

Jeff Roe Backs Huckabee, with Rep. Yates

OK, call me a conspiracy theorist.

Here's a post by Steve Kraske on Buzz Blog:

The Mike Huckabee bandwagon appears to be racing through Missouri.

On Monday, Missouri backers of Huckabee are set to announce endorsements from 27 state lawmakers. Among them are a slew of Kansas City-area Republicans, including state Sen. Matt Bartle of Lee’s Summit and state Reps. Brian Baker of Belton, Will Kraus of Raytown, Brian Yates of Lee’s Summit and Bob Nance of Excelsior Springs.

Those endorsements, his supporters say, will give the former Arkansas governor the endorsement lead in Missouri. In second place, the Hucksters say, is Rudy Giuliani with 13 legislative endorsements.

Many of those Missourians will invade Iowa for the final two weeks of the campaign. At the helm of Huckabee’s Missouri campaign: Jeff Roe of Axiom Strategies in Kansas City.

In a sign of what may be coming down the road when State Senator Matt Bartle is term limited out in 3 years, Jeff Roe and Rep. Brian Yates seem to be on the same team. That leaves Rep. Bryan Pratt out in the cold. Recall that both Rep. Pratt and Yates work at the same law firm and enjoyed some joint publicity in an article entitled "Devil's Advocates; Two Shook Hardy lawyers continue the firm's dark legacy."

Like him or love him, Sen. Bartle has the Eastern Jackson County Republican primary voters on his team. Bartle's endorsement will mean a lot. Those Eastern Jackson County Republican primary voters like Sen. Bartle and Gov. Huckabee. I bet Rep. Yates has already hired Jeff Roe and that he wins the Republican primary.

Grisamore (47th) has a Tough Quarter

According to Blue Blog, Grisamore is having a tough quarter.

Here's the link to the MEC filing. Ron Richard (who the Republicans want to be speaker in 2008) gave Grisamore $1,000 (which is $775 more than the cap allowed by the law). KC Blue Blog makes the following pointed analysis:

The Republican from Lee's Summit reported raising $3850 and spent $1524.67 on rent and lodging leaving him with a report of just over $2600 cash on hand.

Here's where it gets worse:

Over $2500 of the money raised is over the $325 contribution limit and with so few checks sent in the first place it is almost definitely not a burden. Therefore, Grisamore must return the excess money leaving him with only $100 bucks in the bank and $8500 in debt.

That has to make Rep. Yates who is relying on that district to stay Republican significantly queasy. Maybe Rep. Pratt will rub his tummy for him.

Pratt & Yates are both ramping up for a run for Matt Bartle's senate seat, so they really don't want to blow their cash on Grisamore's seat. Bob Johnson may make a run for Grisamore's seat, with the support of Rev. Tom Haley (who barely lost this seat in 2006).

The 47th is going to be a good one to watch.

Bartle for What??

One of the most anticipated financial reports due out next week is from the hero of the Religious Right, Sen. Matt Bartle of Lee's Summit.

In April of 2007 (8 days after the last reporting period), Matt switched his Missouri Ethic Commission designation from his senate seat to statewide office. http://www.mec.mo.gov/Scanned/PDF/2007/50789.pdf

What statewide office does Matt have in mind? What does his advisor, Jeff Roe, have cooking? Jeff Roe squeezed $1,275 out of Matt Bartle for Becky Nace's failed mayorial campaign. http://www.mec.mo.gov/CampaignFinanceReports/CFFilerPDFs/FullReport/FullReport.aspx?CDRCP_id=3127&MyYear=2007 Contact the dots on that one. Matt Bartle and the unions hate each other. The unions were backing Becky Nace. Becky Nace hired Jeff Roe. Jeff Roe worked with the unions on Backy Nace's campaign. How does that work?

Pope, Church & State

The Pope's recent re-affirmation of the Vatican II principles that there is but "one church"- the Holy Catholic Church- has been the subject of lots of talk this week. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2056515.ece

As an active Protestant, it is easy to get excited by these kinds of faith issues. It is even easier to get excited (mad, frustrated, pissed, etc.) about either political party high-jacking God. One of the most interesting books written about this topic is "God's Politics, Why the Right is Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get it" by Rev. Jim Wallis, a self-professed evangelical. Wallis has been lipping off on social justice issues for decades, but only after the Religious Right has sickened the swing voters, the big business funders of the Republican Party have gotten stung by the religious extremists (i.e. Sen. Matt Bartle's position on stem cell) and Wallis appeared with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=special.display&item=050111_godspolitics, did anyone take notice of Wallis’ ranting and raving.

One thing that I see missing from the religious right wing's family values debate is how does abortion and gay marriage warrant the #1 & #2 (with no #3) positions. Women have been having abortions since Jesus was around. Seems like when the religious scholars were quizzing Jesus about the most important commandments, Jesus told them to 1) love your God; and 2) love your neighbor. How about a little love, food, clothing and healthcare for your neighbor?

Christians, Jews and Muslims don’t have a monopoly on values; we all come to our values from different directions, according to Wallis. So, why do we allow the Republicans to say we Democrats don’t have values? I think that when there is a choice between healthcare for the poor and tax cuts for corporations, the value voter will pick healthcare every time.

OK, enough preaching, but it is Sunday.

Jeff Roe Gets Sued for Libel, and Hires Graves

How far does Jeff Roe need to go to make his clients realize he is much more trouble than he is worth?

Check out the tide of nastiness reported on by The Turner Report. Over in St. Charles County, Jeff Roe got sued for libel by fellow Republican Joe Brazil. The case involves allegations of false and misleading stories surrounding the death of one of Brazil's high school classmates. It's going to be a nasty mess, as one would expect of anything involving Roe.

As if the nature of the case weren't nasty enough, Roe has hired the law firm of Graves, Bartle and Marcus to defend him and pursue a countersuit against one of the co-defendants. (Have you ever known a Republican who doesn't point the finger elsewhere when the stuff hits the fan?) In case you're wondering, yes, the Graves in the law firm's name is the same Graves who has been tied up in the Republican US Attorney scandals. In case you're wondering, yes, the Bartle in the law firm's name is the same Matt Bartle who has been at the center of the ineffective Republican Missouri Senate.

This is going to be a wild case. I have no idea who will prevail, but I know that a Republican will lose, and that's enough to make it enjoyable.

Oh, by the way, the next time you hear a Republican complain about tort cases clogging up our judicial system, tell them to talk to Jeff Roe about his lawsuit in St. Charles.