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The First Capitol News has learned St. Charles Police have uncovered several criminal violations including widespread forgeries of signatures on the petitions that were turned in for the recall election of Councilwoman Dottie Greer. The results of the investigation are being turned over to St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas with a request for criminal prosecution.
On February 24, Police Chief Tim Swope sent a letter (see letter opposite page) to more than 1000 registered voters whose signatures were on recall petitions submitted by the Citizens Empowerment Committee headed by Linda Meyer and supported and financed by Glennon Jamboretz, TR Hughes, Kevin Kast and Ken Kielty. In the letter Chief Swope told the voters that though the police detectives have spent innumerable hours interviewing many of the people listed on the signature sheets, it is not feasible for the police to expend the total number of man-hours required to verify, in person, all of the names on the signature sheets. He told them he was sending the letter to each person whose signature was on the petitions and asked that they contact the police if they had not signed the petitions.
We have learned that since the letters were sent out more than 54 individuals contacted the police. Some told the police that they had not signed the petitions other said they had been lied to. They said they were not told the petitions were to recall Councilwoman Dottie Greer but that their signatures were needed to place Dottie Greer’s name on the ballot thus leading them to believe she was up for reelection.
We also learned that during the investigation police discovered that one of the petitioners, a nurse living in south St. Louis County who was being paid per signature, had turned in signed petitions but refused to complete the notarized affidavit attesting she had collected the signatures. Then Linda Meyer, one of the leaders of the recall drive, gave those petitions to Melissa Root and Matt Root and they were to go back out and verify the signatures on the petition. When Matt Root was confronted by a resident at her front door telling him she did not sign the petition and telling him to leave her property, he reportedly returned the petitions to Linda Meyer, allegedly telling her what hat occurred. During their investigation the police found those same petitions as part of the ones turned in to support the recall of Greer.(First Capitol News January 27, 2006 “Police take Suspect Into Custody Involving recall Petitions Investigation, can be found on our web log firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com)
Earlier when City Attorney Mike Valenti attempted to take a deposition from Melissa Root, she invoked the Fifth Amendment. Root, represented by attorney Mike Kielty, refused to answer any questions regarding the collection of signatures on recall petitions.(First Capitol News January 14, 2005, available in our archives at firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com) When questioned by Valenti, her attorney told Valenti, “She has invoked her rights to any and all questions on her behalf as her attorney she does not have to say anything. She does not have to invoke her rights, her rights have been invoked by me. I’m acting as counsel. This is tantamount to her sitting next to me at a criminal defense table and the State trying to get her to take the stand.” (First Capitol News January 14, 2006 can be found on our web log
firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com)
Charita Walker, admitted in a sworn deposition she signed a notarized affidavit she had collected signatures that were on a recall petition when in fact she had not collected the signatures. Walker said she had been told by Linda Meyer to sign the affidavit after she told Meyer she had not collected the signatures and did not witness them being signed on the on the recall petition. (First Capitol News January 14, 2006 can be found on our web log
firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com)
Meyer, one of the leaders of the Citizens Empowerment Committee, the group trying to recall the Council persons, is the wife of a St. Charles police officer who at one time headed the St. Charles Police Officers Association.
Meyer was also one of the members of the recall committee who received pay. She was paid $300 on November 10, 2005 $300 on November 12, 2005 and $400 on November 18, 2005. In addition TCL Bookkeeping was paid $500 on October 24, 2005 and $600 on November 14, 2005 for accounting services. We could not find a record of TLC bookkeeping on file with the Missouri Secretary of State. However a city business license was issued for the company at Meyer’s home address in St. Charles. (See First Capitol News January 27, 2006, Citizen Empowerment Committee Leaders Profit Personally From Recall Efforts. Can be found in our archives firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com.)
The police report on the investigation was turned over to St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney by the St. Charles Police with a request for prosecution.
Police Report, TR Hughes Was Aware Of Recall Petition Forgeries
By Tony Brockmeyer
The First Capitol News has learned that TR Hughes, one of the leaders and money men behind the recall efforts against Councilwoman Dottie Greer and Councilman Mark Brown was allegedly aware that fraud and forgeries was being committed and did nothing to stop it.
The police investigation indicates that Hughes was at a meeting of the committee when discussions of the fraud and forgery was brought up. This was prior to any of the signature petitions being turned in to the City Clerk for verification.
The report indicates that when discussion of fraud and forgery was brought up and discussed Hughes left the meeting without any comment.
Taxpayers Money,
Tom Hughes, Mike Sellenschuetter,
Kevin Kast,
Ken Kielty,
Glennon Jamboretz,
Finance Recall Efforts
By Tony Brockmeyer
Records on file with the Missouri Ethics Commission and other sources reveal that the Citizens Empowerment Committee is being financed by taxpayer money, Millionaire developer TR Hughes, Kevin Kast former head of SSM St. Joseph Hospital who suddenly retired, Ken Kielty a former City Councilman and partner with public relations guru Glennon Jamboretz in St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government.
St. Charles Citizens for Responsible Government was formed for the recall of St. Charles office holders. Mayor York has been accussed of funnelling money to the recall effort. (See First Capitol News October 22, 2005 available on the internet in archives on our web log, firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com )
