Looking Down Ballot: Chris Koster for Attorney General

I don't hide my disappointment that Chris Koster won the primary, and I believe that his tactic of recruiting Molly Korth Williams to jump into the race was contemptible. I even toyed with the idea of endorsing Mike Gibbons to register my displeasure.

But, despite it all, Chris Koster is the best candidate for the office. For me, the issue that illustrates why we need Chris Koster is the Missouri Plan, about which I've written frequently. Gibbons wants to make changes to it, and Koster recognizes that it is working effectively, and should not be tampered with. I understand how an uninformed non-lawyer may be duped into thinking that we need to change the Missouri Plan, but not someone who is seeking to lead Missouri's law firm.

There are other reasons to oppose Mike Gibbons, such as his eagerness to shut down the investigation into Matt Blunt's emails, but, really, if he can't even get the Missouri Plan right, the choice is clear.

Vote for Chris Koster for the good of Missouri, even if it kind of makes you feel dirty.

AG Race Result to Be Decided Today

Robin Carnahan is expected to announce the results of the Attorney General recount today, and it sounds like Chris Koster will retain his victory over Margaret Donnelly for the Democratic nomination.

I was wrong on this election - way wrong, and I deeply regret it.

I thought Jeff Harris was the one who had the best chance to defeat Chris Koster. Bright, friendly, experienced, and endorsed by people from all over the state, he ran a good campaign, though he was heavily outspent. Polls showed him leading by double digits. (My first line in that post seems cruelly on-target today - "Only fools take polls very seriously, but I'm foolish enough to be blown away by AG candidate Jeff Harris' showing in the recent poll released by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.")

When I met Margaret Donnelly, I wrote "Margaret Donnelly seems like a fantastically dedicated and fine Democrat. She is not, however, a particularly good candidate for Attorney General." That "not particularly good candidate" defeated my candidate by more than 30,000 votes, and came with around 780 votes (we'll know the true number later today) of defeating Chris Koster.

Could my endorsement and enthusiastic support have made a difference? When the margin is that slight, every tiny facet plays a part. While I don't blame myself for supporting Jeff Harris, I do blame myself for dismissing Margaret Donnelly.

It appears that, later today, Chris Koster will finally grab AG nomination for the Democrats.

Will I support him? I need to ponder that one . . .

Should Donnelly Seek a Recount?

Tuesday night's primary surprised a lot of people, myself very much included. As the vote counts trickled in, the margin between Koster and Donnelly bounced around in the hundreds. When I finally went to bed, I hoped that I would wake up to find that Margaret Donnelly had managed to scrape together enough votes to bring in a winner.

As of this writing, fewer than 900 votes separate Koster and Donnelly. 500 votes in St. Louis County were not counted. Yesterday morning, Margaret Donnelly issued the following statement:

At this time we are waiting for certification from the Secretary of State's office. We know that there are still over 500 votes that have not been counted in St. Louis County. And while we are not aware of similar situations elsewhere, we have not had the time to investigate other election jurisdictions. After certification we will weigh our options, including asking for a recount.

A recount often results in changed totals, and it could strengthen Koster's margin, or reverse it.

Meanwhile, the Republican AG nominee, Mike Gibbons, would like nothing more than an extended fight between the Democrats.

So, readers, what should Margaret Donnelly do? Should she seek a recount? Should she accept the reported totals as they stand, and begin the process of welcoming Chris Koster into the party, now that he's been through the most elaborate and painful initiation ritual since hell week at the KA house?

Cheap Cynicism Aside, It Really Didn't Used to be This Way

In terms of public sentiment, the scandal about hiring practices at the DOJ doesn't really trigger many seismic shocks. It all sounds so trumped up - we're supposed to be surprised that W's administration looked at the politics of people it was hiring, and sought to only hire people who toed the Republican line? Who among us, if interviewing for a position in the DOJ during the the past 7 years, would not have expected a question along the lines of "What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?"

Count me sadly naive, but I never dreamed that we had slipped so far.

The Department of Justice formerly was a proud institution (and I'm certain that many fine people remain in the ranks), and part of that pride was based upon the fact that they hired the best people for the jobs they filled. When I graduated from law school, Ronald Reagan was in the White House, and the only reason I did not bother applying for a job with the DOJ was the fact I knew my grades weren't high enough.

I fear that speaking of the days when the US Attorney's Office was a meritocracy makes me sound like some old fogey talking about the fictional days when children were always polite to their elders and there weren't any race problems. But, honestly, it didn't used to be this way. Sure, the heads of the local offices were political appointees, but they were appointed to run their offices competently and even-handedly. I disagreed with some of their priorities and decisions, but it was always an honest disagreement with the complete expectation that the work of the DOJ was above politics.

No more.

When Shields and Cardarella were charged, I heard their claims that the prosecution was politically motivated, and I didn't want to believe them. But something about the charges and their timing seemed "off", and, sure enough, the people involved with the charges are up to their neck in the DOJ scandal. My inability to see clearly what was going on was because I filtered the fact through a rigid lens that saw the DOJ as apolitical. My vision was clouded by the memories I had back in the "good old days" of the Reagan administration (yes, I just typed that phrase).

It takes years to build a reputation, but only a weak moment to ruin it. The DOJ's reputation is now ruined. Those who wanted to elide "Justice" of the Department of Justice in favor of Department of Dirty Tricks - Legal Division, are now justified in believing they are correct. Most of the political hires were into "career" positions, where they will be tainting the process until the day they retire.

How many interviewees responded to Monica Goodling's sinister question by claiming a desire to serve Justice rather than George W. Bush? And how quickly did those good lawyers receive their rejection letters?

Koster Won't Use the "D word"

Have you noticed anything funny about Chris Koster's yard signs?

They don't use the word "Democrat".

I would put up a photo of one, but it appears most of the people who had Koster signs took them down in disgust when they heard about his ethical problems with money laundering in fundraising. If I find one in the yard of someone who has a strong enough stomach for Koster's behavior, I'll try to get a snapshot and post it.

Jeff Harris and Margaret Donnelly both proudly claim to be Democrats on their yard sings. Perhaps Koster's Republican donors would not pay for signs with the "D word".

Lawyers Strongly Support Jeff Harris - Including Koster's Old Firm

Attorneys generally pay more attention to the Attorney General election than the average voter. They know that the AG is not a prosecutor, but the managing partner of one of Missouri's largest law firms, dedicated to serving as the State's main lawyer.

Attorneys are strongly backing Jeff Harris for Attorney General. Missouri Lawyer's Weekly, a trade newspaper for lawyers, did a thorough analysis of attorney's contributions to the race, and concluded that Harris raised the most money from attorneys, that Harris received the most contributions from Bryan Cave (his former law firm), and that Harris received the most contributions from Husch Blackwell Sanders.

The Harris advantage at Husch Blackwell Sanders is raising a lot of eyebrows, because Koster used to work there! Did Harris draw more support from Koster's ex-colleagues despite that fact, or because of that fact?

Molly Korth Williams Starts Rattling a Few Cages

The Williams campaign just sent me a link to this video -



This is the first volley I've seen from the Williams campaign, and it's a little surprising that it goes after Donnelly. If I were going to attack an AG candidate for voting Republican, I'd go ahead and focus on the genuine Republican in the race, Chris Koster, who has a long history of voting Republican and still raises money from Republicans.

Does Williams' odd choice of targets provide more evidence to support those who think that she was recruited into the race by Chris Koster's friends?

AG Race - Harris on Top!

Only fools take polls very seriously, but I'm foolish enough to be blown away by AG candidate Jeff Harris' showing in the recent poll released by the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Jeff Harris is leading by double digits over Chris Koster and Margaret Donnelly!

A few cautionary words are in order - this poll was done before the TV blitz, which has begun and will continue. Chris Koster's republican donors and third party committees - 81% of his war chest - have made it possible for him to interrupt our television viewing more often than Katie Horner in a rainsuit. Second, the survey shows 23% undecided, which means that a lot of people could be influenced by those ads. (Theoretically, though, it also means that Molly Korth Williams could build upon her base of 1% and defeat Koster 24-23. Go Molly!!)

On the plus side of the unknowns, though, the undecideds and some of Donnelly's support may tilt toward Harris, since most democrats are unlikely to support a candidate who endorsed John Ashcroft, campaigned against Governor Mel Carnahan, and helped kick hundreds of thousands of Missourians out of health coverage.

The poll also does not reflect the impact of Jeff Harris' television advertising, which will probably be less widespread yet more effective than Koster's. It's easier to sell a Democrat to Democrats than it is to sell an Ashcroft Republican.

Another reason to suggest that the poll may under-represent Harris' advantage is that the news continues to break on Koster's shady campaigning. Now, we've learned that he has a pending ethics complaint to worry about, based on his money-laundering tactics. Things are crumbling for Mr. Koster.

All told, it's just a poll, and those who want to see a real Democrat in the AG's office cannot mistake a road sign for the destination. Until Jeff Harris wins on August 5 and on November 4, this race is up in the air. Indeed, now would be a great time to go to ActBlue and make a donation for Jeff Harris, to make sure that he does not get outgunned by Koster's republican buddies.

Please Don't Vote for Koster

The Associated Press dropped a bombshell on Missouri politics yesterday when it detailed the cozy triangle funneling money from donors to committees to candidates, and pointed to Chris Koster as the most flagrant and sloppy abuser of the system. Go read the article if you have a strong stomach - it's a disquieting look at the sort of person who views breaking the law as a game that everybody plays, even when they don't.

Let me state this clearly - Chris Koster is NOT a strong enough person to be our Attorney General.

He has demonstrated this time and time again. From his flip-flopping on pro-life positions, to his incendiary tactic of "calling the previous question" against my Senator, Jolie Justus, to his sudden, unconvincing switch to the Democratic party (when it appeared that Catherine Hanaway had the Republican AG primary sewn up), Koster has always sought out the quick fix, the easy way out.

Just look at the way he has conducted himself in this campaign. He has won the fund-raising race, but only because he has raised 81% of his total through his get-rich-quick scheme that sends campaign workers out to trade envelopes with shadowy groups throughout the state. He has NOT done the hard work of meeting ordinary, non-millionaire people throughout the state, the way his opponents have.

When it looked like Margaret Donnelly might have a gender advantage in a three-way race, he arranged for Molly "I'm not serious" Williams to muddy the issue.

When his right-wing donor friends invited him back with their wallets opened, Koster responded by reverting to his Republican ways.

More than any position in the legislative or executive branches, the Attorney General needs to be the sort of person with rock-solid integrity and dependability. Jeff Harris has that. Even though I'm supporting Jeff, I would never deny that Margaret Donnelly has that rock-solid integrity and dependability, as well.

Sometime during the term of the next Attorney General, there will come a time when justice and our Constitution require that the Attorney General do one thing, but the easy way out will beckon to the other path. I know that two of the Democratic primary candidates will do the right thing in that situation.

I also know that Chris Koster will take the easy way out and roll with what is popular.

Please don't vote for Koster. It's important that we have an Attorney General with strong values he or she will stand with, even when it's not easy.

Sorry, Chris Koster, that's NOT What "Unanimous" Means . . .

Last week, I received an email from the Chris Koster campaign announcing "the unanimous support of Missouri’s law enforcement community for our candidacy was solidified when the St. Louis Police Officers’ Association endorsed me."

That would be an impressive accomplishment - if it were true! But it's a lie. Koster definitely does NOT have the unanimous support of Missouri's law enforcement community. Here's a list of Jeff Harris' law enforcement endorsements, and it demolishes Koster's claim.

* AUDRAIN COUNTY PROSECUTOR JASON LAMB
* AUDRAIN COUNTY SHERIFF STUART MILLER
* BOONE COUNTY PROSECUTOR DAN KNIGHT
* CHARITON COUNTY SHERIFF CHRIS HUGHES
* COOPER COUNTY SHERIFF PAUL MILNE
* HOWARD COUNTY SHERIFF CHARLIE POLSON
* KNOX COUNTY SHERIFF MICHAEL KITE
* LAFAYETTE COUNTY SHERIFF KERRICK ALUMBAUGH
* LINN COUNTY SHERIFF TOM PARKS
* MADISON COUNTY SHERIFF DAVID LEWIS
* MARIES COUNTY PROSECUTOR TERRY SCHWARTZE
* MARIES COUNTY SHERIFF DOUG DINATALE
* MARION COUNTY SHERIFF JOHN WALDSCHLAGER
* MORGAN COUNTY SHERIFF JIM PETTY
* RALLS COUNTY SHERIFF PAUL FORNEY
* RANDOLPH COUNTY SHERIFF MARK NICHOLS
* RAY COUNTY SHERIFF SAM CLEMENS
* ST. FRANCOIS CTY. PROS. WENDY WEXLER HORN
* ST. LOUIS CITY SHERIFF JIM MURPHY
* SALINE COUNTY SHERIFF WALLY GEORGE
* SHELBY COUNTY PROSECUTOR JIM MCCONNELL
* FORMER BOONE COUNTY SHERIFF TED BOEHM

Maybe Chris Koster's years of being a Republican have made him comfortable with simply ignoring facts that don't support his position. That's the way that his fellow Republicans like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Matt Blunt have gotten our country into this mess, and exactly why we need true Democrats with REAL values.

Jeff Harris will be an honest Attorney General for Missouri - wouldn't that be better than having one who claims to have "unanimous" support?

The AG Debate Transcript

The wonderful people at Show Me Progress have produced a transcript of last week's debate among the Democratic Primary candidates for Missouri Attorney General, hosted by the CCP.

I was unable to attend, so I greatly appreciate the work they did.

Don't Forget the AG Debate Tomorrow!

Tomorrow night, the Committee for County Progress is hosting a debate for all four Democratic candidates in the Missouri Attorney General Primary. The doors will be open at White Recital Hall in the UMKC Performing Arts Center at 5:30, and the debate will start at 6:00. It's free.

Even though it's obvious to anyone who has met all the candidates that Jeff Harris is the best candidate, the event will hold some suspense for even the most savvy observers.

Will Koster admit that his only experience in the AG's office was working for a Republican criminal? Will he continue to conflate the roles of Missouri Attorney General and County Prosecuting Attorney? Will he luridly describe crimes rather than explain his continued support of Republican votes?

Will Donnelly express amazement that the roads in Kansas City are paved, just like in St. Louis, the center of her universe?

Will Molly Williams make a credible and serious showing? (That's a genuine question - just to see if you're paying attention.)

Will Jeff Harris announce yet another important labor endorsement?

This debate offers you a wonderful opportunity to see the candidates and form your independent opinion that I am correct, and that Jeff Harris is the only one with Democratic values combined with high-level Attorney General experience.

Koster Defies Kansas City Priorities

One of the interesting sidelights to the controversy over Festival Licenses has been Senator Chris Koster's abandonment of Kansas City.

In a quick recap, Kansas City listed as one of its priorities in Jefferson City the increased flexibility in making "Festival Liquor Licensing" available for districts in Kansas City. It's a great idea - a few more festivals with adult beverages available would make our city a better tourist attraction.

Believe it or not, Chris Koster actually voted against this common-sense, pro-Kansas City proposal when it came up in committee. Fortunately, a bipartisan majority, led by Senator Jolie Justus, outvoted Koster's anti-Kansas City sneak attack.

Bad News for Koster's CAFOs

As described earlier on this blog, Chris Koster likes factory farms (a/k/a CAFOs). He likes them so much that he wants to prevent local people from having a voice in where they can locate their sewage lagoons and generate their stink. If you would prefer to avoid pig feces and urine next door, you definitely do not want Chris Koster to be in charge of our environmental laws.

Blog CCP put up a great post on Monday about a CAFO that is trying to argue that it can put 4800 pigs about 400 yards away from a soldier's front door. "He's not there now, anyhow," the factory farm argues. Disgusting people pushing a disgusting farm. Koster's work on behalf of CAFOs has been focused on preventing local communities from having a voice in allowing corporate pig farms, so that small towns cannot fight back to save the home of their local soldier. That's the sort of crowd that Koster is running with. Sound like Democrats to you?

This morning's paper brings more attention to Koster's CAFOs. The first paragraph gives just a whiff of the stench that Koster wants to inflict on Missouri's small towns:

Industrial farms where animals are kept tightly confined present a serious and growing threat to humans, animals and the environment, a private commission reported Tuesday.

The article goes on to point out the dangers in the antibiotics and waste products of these pig factories.

Ironically, the conclusion reached by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is the exact opposite of what Chris Koster wants to impose. Where Koster has been trying to rob local communities of the right to interfere with corporate pig farms to locate wherever they want (such as next door to a soldier's home), the bipartisan commission says that local control is better than state control.

Would a real Democrat support corporate pig farms?

Don't Take My Word For It - Come And See the AG Candidates for Yourself

Here's a rare opportunity - indeed, probably a unique opportunity on this side of the state of Missouri. On May 22, the Committee for County Progress is hosting a debate for all four Democratic candidates in the Missouri Attorney General Primary. You are invited. You will be welcomed. The doors will open at White Recital Hall in the UMKC Performing Arts Center at 5:30, and the debate will start at 6:00. There will even be a free reception afterward.

I know I've been pretty direct in my assessment of the candidates - Harris is the only one with the Democratic values combined with high-level Attorney General experience, and deserves to win the primary election and the general election. If you're content to take my word for it, then go ahead and do something else on May 22nd, but, if you want to form your own opinion, show up at UMKC.

Here are a few ways to figure out if you're in the right place. If you see Chris Koster there, talking about being a prosecutor, and avoiding all mention of his time working for a criminal Republican in the AG's office, you're in the right place. If you see Margaret Donnelly there, with her campaign staff telling her that Kansas City is St. Louis' western most suburb, you're in the right place. If you see Molly Korth Williams there, wearing a "Koster" button "because Judge Dandurand asked me to", you're in the right place. If you see Jeff Harris there, tuning up a guitar, you're in the right place.

Mark your calendar today, and come out to the Attorney General debate. See if you agree with my pick . . .

Jeff Harris Unites Kansas City Lawyers

Lawyers tend to be a fractious bunch. Plaintiff's lawyers tend to dislike defense attorneys, and the defense attorneys tend to return the favor. Big firm lawyers tend to think that small firm lawyers don't have what it takes to make the "big time", and small firm lawyers tend to think that big firm lawyers are book-smart eggheads who can't make it in the real world. Nobody likes the divorce lawyers, except their clients.

With all those disunifying tendencies, it is great to see this invitation.doc, for an event back on 4/4. The list of sponsors includes a who's who of plaintiff's lawyers, defense lawyers, big firm lawyers, solos, and even academics. It's a great list, and speaks well of Jeff Harris' ability to unify the Democratic Party behind him after he wins the primary for Attorney General.

Did Chris Koster Recruit Molly Korth Williams?

Over at the Pitch, David Martin connects a few dots and surmises that Molly Korth Williams' last-minute and half-hearted filing for the Missouri Attorney General Democratic primary was engineered by Chris Koster.

Here's the evidence:

- Koster is a very close friend of Judge Joe Dandurand.
- Williams is a very close friend of Judge Joe Dandurand.
- Koster (and, to be fair as always, Jeff Harris, the only candidate with strong experience in the Attorney General's office) may benefit from having another woman in the race to dilute Margaret Donnelly's perceived advantage among gender-based voters.
- Williams is not running a serious race, in that she took off for a vacation immediately after filing, and has not formed a committee to raise funds.
- The recruitment of primary challengers to weaken other candidates has been a hallmark of Cass County (Dandurand and Koster's home base) politics for years. (Actually, Martin didn't make that point, but I will.)
- Williams is a spectacularly weak candidate, with neither money, nor experience, nor even a job in the legal field.
- Koster's campaign doesn't even deny it.

Personally, I think this clipping I took from the Association for Women Lawyers newsletter says all that needs to be said about the relationship of Koster's friend and the new candidate, as well as the tenor of the "Williams for AG campaign":

Jeff Harris (Missouri's Next AG) Takes it Down a Notch

This is the Jeff Harris I have met and talked to. He's smart, funny, and a real person. He's going to be a great Attorney General.

(Update: Thanks to the code genius that fixed the video so it wouldn't automatically start up whenever you open the page.)

Donnelly, Harris & Koster Together

The hottest primary in the state is between Margaret Donnelly, Jeff Harris and Chris Koster. They bring different backgrounds and visions to the race. The three of them will appear together on May 22 at a debate sponsored by the Committee for County Progress, free and open to the public, at White Recital Hall on the campus of UMKC. The event is currently scheduled to start at 6, though that could change. If so, I'll post a notice here. The debate will be moderated by Steve Kraske, of The Kansas City Star, Eric Wesson, from The Call, and Mike Mahoney, from KMBC-TV9.

Here's a pdf flier for the event.

This is the only joint appearance scheduled for the Western side of the state, and it should offer a great opportunity to meet and hear the candidates for yourselves.

Koster Votes Republican Again

Chris Koster voted with his Republican friends to repeal limitations on campaign donations. Koster, who has spent his entire political career as a Republican working against Democrats until claiming to switch sides and running for the Attorney General position, has sought to have his cake and eat it, too. He claims to be a Democrat, but participated in Republican Rex Sinquefield's elaborate ruse to siphon money through dozens of sham PACs to Koster's campaign - a ruse which paid off when Koster refused to vote with Democrats on a recent school voucher committee decision.

Koster looked me in the eye and claimed to be sincere in his conversion to being a Democrat. This week, on two important issues, he refused to stand and deliver.

A leopard cannot change its spots.

Koster Wants to Name Bridge For Ronald Reagan

I was over in St. Louis this weekend - my mother celebrated her 80th birthday with a great collection of friends, relatives and nieghbors. Happy 80th, Mom!

Did you know that there is a bridge proposed from St. Louis, Missouri to St. Clair County, Illinois? Did you know that Chris Koster, one of the Democratic candidates for Missouri Attorney General, co-sponsored a bill to name that bridge for Ronald Reagan?

What kind of democrat is Chris Koster?

My mother would never vote for a Republican, and she won't vote for Koster, either.

Koster Campaign Falling Apart?

MPN: Missouri Political News has a well-researched post about Koster's financial problems, and the news is pretty ugly. The two most shocking tidbits are that he actually lost money in the most recent quarter, since he failed to raise enough to pay back his over-the-limit contributions, and he brought in exactly 0 dollars from the rural areas on the East Side of the state. Go read the post for a great analysis of the crumbling fortunes of the Republican wunderkind who once seemed on a path of inevitability.

Happy Ronald Reagan Day, Chris Koster

Today, February 6, is Ronald Reagan day in Missouri. Guess who co-sponsored the bill to designate a day to honor the man responsible for Iran/Contra scandal, in which we provided arms to Iran?

Chris Koster, who is now claiming to be a Democrat, who claims that he can represent Democratic principles, stood on the floor of the Missouri Senate and helped make Ronald Reagan Day a reality for Missourians.

There are two possibilities here. One is that Ronald Reagan truly represents ideals that Chris Koster holds dear, and his conversion to the Democratic Party is insincere. The other is that he was insincere in his eager embrace of a Republican icon, and merely trying to fool people into thinking about his party affiliation.

(A third possibility would be that he was sincere then and now, and has entirely changed his view of Ronald Reagan. That would entail a staggering amount of sincerity for someone who is not particularly recognized for that characteristic. If that's it, though, and Chris Koster wants to issue an explanation about why he was gung-ho for Ronald Reagan Day a couple short years ago, but he now rejects Ronald Reagan as a personal hero, I stand ready to publish his apology.)

Koster Misses an Opportunity to "Show Me"

Chris Koster needs to convince Missouri Democrats that he is really a Democrat if he is going to stand a chance in the Democratic primary for Missouri Attorney General. Many of us have adopted a "Show Me" policy, and are waiting to see what he can do over the next several months to atone for his years of vigorously opposing Democrats in our state capital.

One such opportunity came to him in the chance to support the Jackson County Democratic Committee. That Committee is hosting a fundraiser on February 7 to support increased activity in 2008. The theme is Make Missouri Blue Together! - what a perfect opportunity to prove that he's really one of us, really working to make Missouri a Democratic state.

He passed up the opportunity. Here's the list of supporters of making Missouri blue, and Chris Koster is not on it.

Jeff Harris, the likely Democratic nominee for the Attorney General position, appears prominently on the list of donors, even though nobody can doubt his Democratic credentials. (Margaret Donnelly is not on the list, but her absence is understandable, since she is running as the St. Louis candidate, and concentrating her campaign entirely within the I-270 loop.)

I know that Chris Koster has far smarter (and better paid) political advisers than me. He's even paid Jeff Roe for his advice, so he's had access to the full range of political input.

But it seems to me that if I were a candidate trying to prove that I am a real Democrat, and I have a real interest in Jackson County, I would have seized the opportunity to invest some of right wing Rex Sinquefield's money in this event.

372,039 Problems with Anonymous "Insiders"

To live up to a title like that, this post would need to rattle on for for a few pages, at least. But I wanted to point out that a few weeks ago, an anonymous commenter assured us that Jeff Harris was out of money, and would not last until the primary. Without even bothering to call the Harris campaign and check on his finances, I offered to place a bet on that proposition. Naturally, the anonymous commenter refused to back the factual allegation with any proof, or even a few bucks.

Tuesday, the campaign reports came out, showing that Harris has $372,039.11 in cash on hand. I wish I were "out of money" like that! While it's true that Koster has him beat in cash on hand, we have to remember that Koster took a ton of money from right wing interest groups, and that money is likely to cost him votes. Koster's also borrowed half of the difference between them, so the gap isn't quite as large as it appears. As for Donnelly, her lead over Harris is composed entirely of debt.

My point is not to downplay the importance of the money in this race - money is clearly crucial in a statewide race, and I strongly encourage all Missourians who want a Democratic Attorney General with experience to head over to Jeff Harris' site immediately and make a donation.

My point is that when anonymous commenters start providing "facts" without sources, set your BS filter to "high". We were lied to by someone supporting Koster.

Koster Up Close and Personal, and a Lesson Learned

Chris Koster spoke to the CCP yesterday evening, and there was no way I was going to miss it. A rising star Republican speaking to a room full of opinionated progressive democrats months after purporting to switch parties.

Setting aside my partison Harris hat, I have to admit he did a good job. He comes across as hyper-coached - I suspect that if he dropped a word from his canned speech, he would need to go back and start from the beginning. It was, as one would expect from Mr. Koster, a very polished, even slick, presentation.

Naturally, I had a quibbles with it. First off, it was really a speech for a prosecutor's race. He gravely but with obvious relish intoned about the horrible cases he prosecuted - the spouse killers, the child rapists, and, yes, of course, John Robinson, the man who is still alive because Koster got tricked into a bad deal. He even bragged about how he got Robinson to confess to the crimes, and how he was there when they found bodies in steel drums, but he never got around to explaining why Robinson, a confessed, grisly murderer, was spared the death penalty in Missouri.

Chris' tagline was "if experience matters," which I found to be an odd choice for the candidate with the second best experience for the job. Jeff Harris has, literally, five times the experience that Chris does in the AG's office, but Koster knows that the average voter confused the role of the AG with the county prosecutor, so his stories of 12 yeaar-old rape victims and CSI-Harrisonville searches for murder weapons are good enough to fool most people. Even in the comparatively well-informed CCP crowd, I heard the woman behind me lapping it up like titillating honey, while I was rolling my eyes.

I was surprised that the crowd did not follow up with questions when Koster said that he supports "common sense restrictions on Roe v. Wade," as the CCP has a reputation for being more liberal than that.

In short, listening to Koster, I was impressed with his style, but not as much by his substance. He's running as a Democrat while distancing himself from some of the most widely held Democratic beliefs. He's running as a tough prosecutor while handing out a flier packed with murderers who avoided the death penalty under his tenure. Worse yet, he's running for Attorney General on the ground that he could be a good county prosecutor.

But he's good looking and smooth, and could pull it all off if people don't pay enough attention.

After his talk, I chatted a little bit and began walking down a corridor to the elevators. As I was about to escape, I heard Chris shout "Dan!", and motion me back. He guided me into an empty conference room.

It's funny how in the course of a few paces back to a conference room, you can call back to mind every immature statement, every over-stated criticism, and every political cheap-shot you've written about someone. As I walked back down the hall toward Chris "legislative roundheels, incompetent, pretty-boy" Koster "the Imposter", I had a few seconds of sincere regret for being such an ass. I disagree with him on several points, and I am confident that Jeff Harris will be a better Attorney General, but Chris waa walking down that hall on the high road, and I was walking it on the low road.

Fortunately, rather than wanting to kick my ass (I suspect he could take me), Chris just wanted to pass on a few comments to me and assure me that his conversion to the Democrat party is sincere. Indeed, I had to admit that we are a big tent party, and the distinction between a liberal Republican and a conservative Democrat is a fine one.

Let me be crystal clear - Jeff Harris is the best candidate for Missouri Attorney General. Jeff has the substance that Koster lacks - he has the experience with the AG's office and the experience of working as a Democrat supporting Democratic causes. But Koster put on a good show last night, and I hope that I hold to my present intention of treating him and others with a bit more dignity.

What Can Koster Do in 2008?

One of the commenters on a previous thread sought to assure Democrats like me that Koster would prove his Democratic bona fides during the Senate session in 2008. The comment provoked me to wonder, just what in the heck can Koster do in one Senate session to atone for his past and to assuage the concerns of those of us who think of him as a self-absorbed pretty face with zero integrity and no principle above self-promotion?

It's a nice thought - I would love to be able to accept Chris at face value, and I'd love to see him accomplish some miracle in the Senate that would convince me and others that his conversion to the Democrat side of the aisle is something more than an unfortunate misunderstanding of the strength of Republican Attorney General opposition. I would relish the thought that Chris was running toward Democratic values instead of away from Catherine Hanaway.

Unfortunately, I just don't think he can do it. I really don't see how a rising star Republican can, over the course of a few months as one of 34 senators, convince the party faithful that he is really one of us. It's not a slight against Koster - I don't think that Harris or Donnelly, after their years of advocacy for the Democrats, could convince Republicans that they were really Republicans, either. While hope spring eternal and true Democrats can (and do) believe in redemption, we're in the Show-Me State.

If Chris toes the Democratic Party line for the next session, most of us will think "so what?", and chalk it up to political expediency. If Chris votes with his old friends on the Republican side, most of us will see it as evidence that his conversion is as shallow as his principles. Furthermore, there's not much that a single Senator can accomplish, anyhow. Senatorial politics is a team sport, and Chris isn't going to be quarterback of either team.

Perhaps I'm mistaken, and Koster will work some kind of magic that will convince loyal Democrats that he is one of us. I'll be watching, but I will frankly admit I'm cynical about Chris' depth and his chances. Show us, Chris Koster.

AG Candidate Donnelly Loses Case & Presumption of Legal Skill?

I was surprised when AG Candidate Margaret Donnelly filed a lawsuit challenging the secrecy of the Missouri Ethics Commission hearings. Even though I share the politically voyeuristic urge to see who is seeking to argue hardship and hold onto their large campaign donations, the statute creating the Missouri Ethics Commission seems awfully clear that it is an exempted from the Sunshine Law.

If the case had merit, I figured that Jeff Harris, who has actually served as an Assistant Missouri Attorney General working with Attorney General Jay Nixon, would have gotten involved. He knows the law a lot better than Donnelly does, so when he opted not to get on board, I figured that he knew the ship was going to sink.

It did.

Sadly, Donnelly is going to keep banging her head on the wall. “This is the first step in a long process,” she said. “I’m going forward because I think people are fed up with government operating behind closed doors." I agree with her that people would like to know more about the hearings.

But curiosity is not a cause of action, and wishing the law were written differently is not a winning argument.

Margaret Donnelly decided to demonstrate her legal acumen during her campaign, and now we all get to see what the courts think of her arguments.

As I wrote before, I met Margaret Donnelly and was unimpressed with her political judgment. Now that I've seen her legal judgment, I'm equally unimpressed.

Thank God we have Jeff Harris in the race.

Koster the Imposter Brought Home the Bacon

CAFO is a word that you'll hear a lot more as the AG race heats up. CAFO is an acronym for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, more commonly known as a factory farm. They replace the image of farms we all grew up with with super-sized concentrations of pigs, jammed together in hideous conditions. I'm no PETA member, but even I don't like the idea of eating something that has spent its entire life jammed in a stinky stall like the most crowded and flatulent elevator you have ever imagined.

Setting aside any porcine pity or tenderness for tenderloins, though, CAFOs are huge canker sores on the environment. They pollute ground water with unimaginable quantities of pig feces and urine. Their smell can make your eyes water, or worse - airborne micro-particles of pig feces can pollute entire zones of beautiful Missouri countrysides.

Economical disaster mirrors the impact on quality of life. Corporate farms don't drive the pick-up to the local feed mill for supplies - they import vast quantities of whatever they need on shiny 18 wheelers without contributing positively to the local economy. CAFOs drive family farmers out of business, and towns disappear when there are no people to shop on Main Street.

Not surprisingly, local communities have sought to protect their towns and the Missouri landscape from these destructive behemoths. Much like the zoning laws that protected Koster when he was living in Hallbrook or in wealthy St. Louis suburbs, local controls are ways for the people of Missouri's towns to preserve their way of life and the towns they have grown up in.

Also not surprisingly, corporate interests have the money to buy legislative protection. Also not surprisingly, Chris Koster was for sale when he was a Republican Senator. He became so enthusiastic about CAFO and the wealthy donors that control them that he actually sponsored SB 364, mockingly entitled the Missouri Farm and Food Preservation Act.

What would SB 364 have done? It would have loosened environmental controls on these factory farms. Not tightened the controls to prevent the spread of disease and environmental damage, but actually loosen those controls, to enhance profits. It also would have prevented counties from controlling their own jurisdictions, ripping local control away from the locals and insisting that only state or federal regulations could be applied to CAFOs.

This is not some act of ancient history I dug out of the vaults - this happened this year, during the 2007 legislative session, while Koster was supposedly becoming a Democrat! Mere months ago, Koster was siding with corporate hog farms against small town Missourians in a classic Republican power play. Now he wants us to trust him?

Personally, I think that stinks like . . . a hog farm.

By the way, both Democrats in the race, Jeff Harris and Margaret Donnelly, opposed the CAFO bill.

Now That Koster is Issuing Refunds . . .

Koster has announced that he "intend(s) to begin the process of returning contributions from individuals in excess of current contribution limits." Note the layers of double-speak - he can't simply return the money, cutting checks and getting them out the door. Instead, he announces that he "intends" to "begin the process." I suspect that means that he's going to keep the money in his account for as long as he can possibly draw interest. I also suspect he's the sort of double-speaking slickster who is incapable of a straightforward sentence.

While he's at it, I hope he sees fit to return the dirty money he took from Republican Rex Sinquefield through sham PACs. But I won't hold my breath.

Give the Republicans Their Money Back, Koster!

Even Mike Gibbons, the "other" Republican in the race for Missouri Attorney General, has agreed that contributions received in excess of the voter-approved caps ought to be returned. Chris Koster is now the only candidate in the race who refuses to comply with the law - not a good sign for an attorney general candidate.

Humorously, Koster's refusal to return hundreds of thousands of dollars from a right-wing Republican operative operating through dozens of shell PACs is based upon his belief that the system should be more transparent.

I understand that it must be challenging for Chris Koster to run as a Democrat after years of suppressing Democratic voices in the Senate and fighting against Democratic values. But returning Republican money really ought to be one of the easiest steps.

Unless he's really thinking about flip-flopping back to the Republican side, where he could be running against his weak fellow-Republican Mike Gibbons . . .

Fortunately, the Democrats have a great candidate in Jeff Harris. From all I've seen, Jeff Harris is the only Democrat who is going to seek Kansas City voters, and he's the one who can appeal to outstate voters.

Jeff Harris Shot a Man in Reno Just to Watch Him Die

The shocking truth comes out. I still like the guy.


(Thanks to The Columbia Tribune's Politics Blog for the tip.)

Why Koster Needs to Take Tainted Money from Rich Republicans

At first I thought maybe Chris Koster had made a foolish mistake by taking $100,000 from a right wing Republican millionaire - and it certainly damaged his attempts to try to portray himself as a Democrat. But he's going to need every nickel he can scrape together if he wants to try to overcome clever gigs like this one: Koster the Imposter.

That, and the next Missouri Attorney General, Jeff Harris, picked up a huge labor endorsement today. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees got on board with Jeff Harris - and I bet that Koster the Imposter is wishing he were back on the Republican side of the ticket.

Shark Week for Politics

Quarterly finance reports have been filed in most state and federal races this past week. 99% of the population does not even know what that means, and could not care less. For the 1% of the population that is fascinated with the minutiae of electoral politics, though, this has been like shark week - an orgy of downloaded pdfs and posturing and "shocking" news. The spin cycle is on hyperdrive.

It's really all kind of funny.

Here are a few random observations . . .

Koster got himself caught up with a Republican money-laundering scheme. He is not a Democrat, and he has no respect for the law. He cannot be taken seriously as a candidate in the Democratic primary. It is a prime example of his self-promotion taking precedence over his integrity.

Amy Coffman has some wonderfully creative and resourceful people on her side. Having raised barely half as much during the quarter as Kander, thus falling even further behind, and having fallen even further behind in the number of donors, they are proclaiming that they have the advantage. Good for them! I admire their pluckiness. I also admire their resourcefulness in using the comments section of this site to try to get their news out, since they don't have a website up yet, a month after we were told we would have one. (In all seriousness, the $10,000 Coffman raised shows that she's a credible candidate, and the creativity and resourcefulness of her people shows that she might be able to stretch her limited dollars.)

Has Grisamore given up? He only has a hundred dollars in the bank, and his adventure in Jefferson City has put him in debt to the tune of $8500. Maybe he's just going back to his handsomely-paid nonprofit gig.

Koster Reveals Election Plans - Gone Mild Exclusive

Chris Koster has been rumored to be planning a run for Missouri Attorney General since he switched parties on August 1. Gone Mild has discovered that Chris "Capricious" Koster has set his eyes on a far more ambitious electoral agenda, running for a full slate of offices across the globe, tossing his hat in the ring for dozens upon dozens of positions. "My willingness to serve resembles my ego - it is expansive and ever-growing," Koster gushed. "Whenever I see a name in the paper, I think it ought to be mine . . ."

Most political analysts attributed his rat-like behavior in abandoning the sinking Republican ship to a desire to run for the Democratic nomination for Missouri Attorney General. Indeed, Koster admits, that was his primary motivation. Koster explains, "Party labels don't matter as much as Chris Koster matters, so, sure, I was willing to play whatever game and say whatever needed saying to make it easier for me. But when I freed myself of my principles, I saw a whole world of opportunity waiting for me. Without principles, the world is my oyster."

Reflecting the type of original thinking that allows a man to believe he deserves a statewide nomination from a party he has not belonged to for even two full months, Koster has decided that if offices have slates of candidates, it's only fair that candidates should have slates of offices. "Makes sense to me," Koster quips.

Here is a partial list of the offices that Chris Koster has decided to run for (more are being added on a weekly basis):

Democratic Nomination for Missouri Attorney General
Class President, Sweet Springs High School (Mo) Sophomore class
Neighborhood Welcome Committee Chair, Rancho Mirage (Ca) Neighborhood Association
Hall Monitor, Miss Donnelly's Second Grade Class, Lincoln Elementary School, Wilmington, Delaware
Minister of Cultural Affairs, Guam
Chief Bikini Inspector, Juan's Cabana, Cancun, Mexico
Pep Club President, Hazelwood East High School, Hazelwood, Missouri
Social Committee Chair, Delta Delta Delta Sorority, Truman State University
Employee of the Month, Omaha, Nebraska Wal-Mart
President, Mug Club, 75th Street Brewery, Kansas City, Mo.
Mayor, Nagpur, India
County Legislator, Washington County, Illinois
Village Elder, Mtondia, Kenya
Captain, Springfield "Strikers" U-12 Soccer Team, Massachusetts

Not surprisingly, Koster's electoral ambitions have caught many by surprise, including the other candidates running for the offices. Tiffany Smith, the current front-runner for Pep Club President at Hazelwood East, protested that Chris Koster is not even a student at the school. "We are the Spartans, the mighty, mighty Spartans, and Chris Koster isn't a Spartan. Why should he be allowed to run for the most important Spartan booster in the school? It isn't right!", she said, tearing up and biting her lip.

"I'm not a Democrat, either," Koster responded, "but they're letting me run for Attorney General as one. At least I haven't spent the last 3 years working AGAINST the Spartans, like I have the Democrats . . ."

One of the leading village elders of Mtondia, Kenya, responded to Koster's candidacy with a curt "Chris Koster can atanonea my muta mkundu." He spoke on the condition of anonymity, though, because he heard that Koster has the support of several unions. "I don't want saruji viatu."

Here in Missouri, Koster's announcements have raised eyebrows, but some political analysts are congratulating him on a bold move. "I've looked at the bylaws and rules applying to each of the positions he's running for, and he's found a loophole, in that none of them actually require residence or membership in the respective group. They just assumed that anyone running would actually be a member. But, if Chris Koster can run as a Democrat after 3 years of attacking everything that Democrats stand for, why shouldn't he be able to run for Sophomore class President of Sweet Springs?", says UMKC Political Science Professor Mike Andrews. "Besides, if I say anything bad about the plan, he threatens to run against me for chair of the department."

Some suspect that this may be a scheme to hold onto big donations he has received that violate the reinstated caps. Koster has been rumored to be working to come up with ways to circumvent the law, perhaps through claiming some kind of bogus hardship.

"There are no campaign limitations in the bylaws of the 75th Street Brewery Mug Club," reports Koster, flashing his perfect pearly-white teeth. "If the unions and a few trial lawyers who have supported me so far want to donate to my Mug Club candidacy, then I can do massive media buys across the state talking about my good looks. It just so happens that my good looks are also my strongest qualification for Attorney General."

As mentioned above, Koster is still looking for more positions to contain his ambition. Gone Mild suggests that if Koster calls you and seeks your support, that you offer it to him in the form of another position he could run for. Like, maybe District 31 Senator. As a Democrat. Wouldn't that be nice?

Meeting Margaret Donnelly & Sticking with Jeff Harris

Margaret Donnelly is running for Missouri Attorney General, and I had the opportunity to meet her yesterday evening. I went with an open mind, because my admiration for Jeff Harris pales in comparison to my desire to keep the Attorney General's Office in Democratic hands. If she proved to be a better candidate than Jeff Harris, I was prepared to get enthusiastic about her.

Suffice it to say, I'm more on board with Jeff Harris than I ever was.

Does anyone remember Geri Rothman-Serot, the St. Louisan who emerged from a 14-sided Democratic primary in 1992 only to lose a Senate race to Kit Bond? Margaret Donnelly is her political reincarnation.

One thing is perfectly clear - Margaret Donnelly is a St. Louisan. When asked how she plans to win the primary, she pointed out that it is a three way race right now, and that St. Louis provides 40% of the primary vote. She managed not to taunt us insignificant backwater hicks with "do the math, rednecks!", but she did say that "her geography" was one of the reasons she is confident she will win the primary. She also relied on quotations from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and held herself out as the "only player in the St. Louis region" on Medicaid issues.

Like Rothman-Serot, Donnelly has a severe case of 270 myopia. It's a disease that afflicts many St. Louisans, who wind up thinking that St. Charles is the West, Affton is the South, and Normandy is the dangerous North. These people can thrive in their narrow world, but they fail miserably when the rest of the state gets to vote on them.

When asked how she intends to appeal to outstate voters, Donnelly had no real answer. She claimed that her legislative record regarding Medicaid would somehow help her win voters, but was unable to articulate why she thought that would be a major issue for the Attorney General's race, against a candidate who will undoubtedly be smart enough to voice support for health care.

Worse, though, was her attempt to claim that she has adequate experience. She was a family lawyer who handled some juvenile cases. The Attorney General, of course, does not handle divorces. She also showed confusion about the Missouri Plan, pointing to a couple recent rulings by a judge not subject to the Missouri Plan as evidence that the attacks on it are already having a chilling effect. (If you're scratching your head and muttering, "huh?", join the crowd.) (Update: An anonymous commenter correctly points out that her discussion of Judge Callahan makes more sense in the context of the broader attack on the independent judiciary. To be fair, that is probably what she meant, though my question was about the Missouri Plan.)

Margaret Donnelly seems like a fantastically dedicated and fine Democrat. She is not, however, a particularly good candidate for Attorney General. She has no relevant experience, and she does not project the toughness and solidity Missourians want to see in their chief law enforcement officer. She seems to think that Clayton is mid-Missouri.

I've now met all the candidates for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General. They are all good people, but only one has the experience, the outstate appeal, and the Democratic credentials to become our next Attorney General. Jeff Harris is that candidate.

Show Me, Chris Koster

Chris Koster has switched parties, and I, for one, welcome his participation as a Democrat. I can't claim to be surprised, either. Way back in May of 2005, I identified Chris as a "legislative roundheels", and pointed out that "there may be a shred of dignity and conscience underneath all that shallow self-promotion and naked ambition".

Rumor has it that he is considering a run for Attorney General. I've already voiced my opinion on Koster's candidacy for AG:

Chris Koster is a pretty boy candidate who seemed like he was on the fast track to Republican prominence. He's a smart guy, and even tells the truth once in a blue moon. “There is a sense in this building that if an interest group brings four really bad ideas to the table, we are obligated to pass at least one of them because they are our friends,” Koster once said when the insurance companies tried to gain virtual immunity for their misdeeds. Unfortunately, Koster's conscience is up for the highest bidder. Even when his gag reflex was triggered by the insurance companies' avarice, it was only after he had started working for a trial lawyer.

Most damning for Koster, though, is that he has hired Jeff Roe. Roe has shown himself to be incompetent at anything other than self-promotion. His career is over, after he single-handedly sunk Becky Nace's campaign for mayor. Dozens of people told me that she was their favorite candidate, but they refused to vote for her because she hired him. One of the biggest fights in the Gottstein/Gamble race grew out of a rumor that Gamble had hired Roe - the Gamble people viewed that as poisonous slander. Well, Koster sunk his own campaign when he hired Roe. Neither Koster nor Roe has a discernible shred of morality.

The fact that Koster has fired Roe and joined the party with a conscience doesn't quite get him onto the list of acceptable candidates, though. Let's remember - this is a guy who honestly thinks that Roe's tactics are okay, and is willing to pay Jeff Roe to work on his behalf. Does that sound like anyone you want to be associated with? Does that sound like a Democrat you can support?

Again, I welcome Chris Koster to the Democratic Party. I look forward to stuffing envelopes alongside him, and manning phone banks. I look forward to seeing Chris raise funds for good Democratic candidates, and work on their behalf. In a few years, after he has done those things, I might even consider backing him in an election as a Democrat.

But, please remember, this is the Show-Me State. Chris Koster has shown the Republicans. Let's be careful about what he's showing us.

Missouri AG Candidate Jeff Harris Plays 20 Questions

This is pretty cool. Missouri's next Attorney General, Democrat Jeff Harris, has agreed to answer questions from BlogCCP. Just go over to the entry on the topic and enter your questions. So far, there are questions about robo-calls and 3rd party campaign mailings - the CCP remains focused on electoral politics. What would you ask him if you had the chance?

Jeff Harris Launches Website - Campaign in High Gear

I've written before about the looming race for Missouri Attorney General. Jeff Harris is running to keep the office in Democratic hands, while the Republicans are lining up to eviscerate each other.

I saw Jeff at a small fundraiser Monday night, and I'm more convinced than ever he is our next Attorney General. He's smart, articulate, and straightforward. He has the background and savvy to do the job better than it's been done before. Plus, he's working the campaign as hard as it can be worked at this early stage - covering the entire state, raising funds and getting the word out.

Yesterday, Jeff launched his website, and it's a great effort. I'm looking forward to a strong and successful race for Missouri Attorney General.

AG Race Looks Like a Republican Brawl

Jay Nixon will be leaving the Attorney General's office to win the Governor's race in 2008 (Blunt has no chance, and may even draw a primary opponent), and the Republicans are lining up to take a (remote) chance on running against likely Democratic nominee Jeff Harris. More than any other, the Republican AG primary is shaping up to be a microcosm of all that is wrong with Missouri Republicans.

First off, we have Michael Gibbons, the simian South St. Louis Senator. Plainly stated, Michael Gibbons is a nanny state Republican who wants to make us all live in his world. The Republican party has a Libertarian streak that I occasionally admire - but Michael Gibbons is the exact opposite. He has drafted a law to prosecute families that allow twenty-year-olds nieces and nephews to participate in a Thanksgiving toast. He supported anti-consumer Tort Deform and reductions in the amount of compensation that injured workers receive. As Senate President Pro Tem, Gibbons gets and deserves much of the blame that Missourians are directing toward the ineffective Missouri legislature. He has no chance of winning, but he will raise lots of money from people seeking to buy favors in the Senate. I'm thrilled he's in the race, because he is unelectable and likely to ruin the bankrolls of the other candidates.

Chris Koster is a pretty boy candidate who seemed like he was on the fast track to Republican prominence. He's a smart guy, and even tells the truth once in a blue moon. “There is a sense in this building that if an interest group brings four really bad ideas to the table, we are obligated to pass at least one of them because they are our friends,” Koster once said when the insurance companies tried to gain virtual immunity for their misdeeds. Unfortunately, Koster's conscience is up for the highest bidder. Even when his gag reflex was triggered by the insurance companies' avarice, it was only after he had started working for a trial lawyer.

Most damning for Koster, though, is that he has hired Jeff Roe. Roe has shown himself to be incompetent at anything other than self-promotion. His career is over, after he single-handedly sunk Becky Nace's campaign for mayor. Dozens of people told me that she was their favorite candidate, but they refused to vote for her because she hired him. One of the biggest fights in the Gottstein/Gamble race grew out of a rumor that Gamble had hired Roe - the Gamble people viewed that as poisonous slander. Well, Koster sunk his own campaign when he hired Roe. Neither Koster nor Roe has a discernible shred of morality.

Finally, there's Catherine Hanaway, the current US Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. This one cracks me up. Remember when holding the US Attorney position was a huge badge of honor? Remember when being a US Attorney meant that you were a straight-shooting, highly competent attorney who earned a reputation for integrity? Those were the days, weren't they? Unfortunately, though, the Bush administration's contempt for competence and pride in partisanship has turned that post into a scarlet letter on the resume. What kind of voter would vote for someone appointed by Bush now?

On top of that, she's another St. Louis county Republican. She and Gibbons will split the bankroll of Clayton and Ladue, and the votes of all the SUV drivers on the East coast of the state. Because she's much smarter than Gibbons, less dogmatic and mildly better looking, she will have the edge over Gibbons, and the race will come down to a divisive, ugly and horribly expensive contest between her and Roe/Koster. With Roe/Koster in the race, we can be assured that mud-slinging and nastiness will alienate anyone who ever thought of voting for a Republican.

In a way, it's almost a shame. Jeff Harris, the Democratic candidate, is smart, well-respected, likeable, and well-informed. He's not a good candidate - he's a great candidate. For those of us who like watching good races, it's a shame he is going to face such weak competition.