The People Have A Right To Know
By Phyllis Schaltenbrand
And Tony Brockmeyer
SECOND IN A SERIES
To circumvent political contribution limits Legislative Party Committees have been formed. Unlimited contributions have been given to these Legislative District Committees and are then funneled through backdoors making it almost impossible for the public to know who is giving and who is receiving.
Through our investigation the First Capitol News has learned that TEN of those back door funding Legislative Committees are being operated out of a home at 320 Monroe Street in St. Charles with the treasurer for each committee listed as Thomas W. Smith, Jr. As we reported in our May 13, 2006 edition (available on our web log in our archives t firstcapitolnews.blogspot.com) we have also discovered several fictitious registered companies apparently unlicensed, owned and operated by Smith, receiving funds from these same committees.
Smith is a legislative aide to State Representative Tom Dempsey (R 18) of St. Charles who is the Majority Floor Leader in the House of Representatives, a very powerful position.
Smith is also the treasurer of the Republican 18th Legislative District Committee, which gives an address of 320 Monroe Street in St Charles, a home that is owned by Smith. In the latest report filed on April 8, 2006 the Republican 18th Legislative District Committee listed total receipts for this election previously reported at $201.705 with money on hand at the close of this reporting period $26,043. This committee was established on October 17, 2003. In future stories in this series we will provide information on where these contributions came from and where the money has gone. It is interesting to note that one of the largest contributors for this reporting period of the Republican 18th Legislative District Committee was Ameristar Casinos who contributed $17,500. This reporting period is for the last four months.
Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide, is also the treasurer of the 12th Legislative District Republican Committee with the same address of 320 Monroe Street in St. Charles. In reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission this committee reports total receipts for this election period at $100,950 and money on hand at $4,403.50. This committee was established on August 31, 2004.
The 14th Legislative District Republican Committee also with Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide, as the treasurer and the address as 320 Monroe St. in St. Charles in papers filed as of April 8, 2006 listed total receipts for this election at $120,550 with $9,400 on hand. The 14th District Committee was established on August 31, 2004.
Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide, is the treasurer for the 15th Legislative District Republican Committee also as 320 Monroe St. This committee lists total receipts for this election period at $29,000 with $1,600 on hand. The 15th Committee was established on November 28, 2005.
The 16th Legislative District Republican Committee at 320 Monroe St. with Smith, dempsey’s legislative aide, as treasurer reports as of March 24, 2006 receipts for this election at $70,400 with $1,930.84 on hand. This committee was established on August 31, 2004.
The 17th Legislative District Republican Committee in a report dated March 24, 2006 lists receipts for this election at $108,600 with $28,900 on hand. This committee is listed at 320 Monroe Street and Thomas W. Smith, Jr., Dempsey’s legislative aide, is the treasurer. The committee was established on August 31, 2004.
The 19th Legislative District Republican Committee at 320 Monroe Street with Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide, as the treasurer lists in their February 24, 2006 report receipts for this election at $63,550 with $1,500 on hand. This committee was established on August 31, 2004.
Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide, is the treasurer of the 89th Legislative District Republican Committee with the same address, 320 Monroe St. The committee, which was established on December 29, 2003 lists in its latest report receipts of $45,360 for this election period with $2,116 on hand.
The 2nd Senatorial District Republican Committee lists Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide as treasurer at 320 Monroe Street. Their report dated 3/24/2006 lists receipts for this election period at $276,100 with $11,587.91 on hand. The 2nd District Committee was established on June 16, 2003.
Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide is the treasurer of the 23rd Senatorial District Republican Committee also at 320 Monroe Street, which was established on October 7, 2004. In their report dated April 8, 2006 they list receipts for $103,675 with $12,024 on hand at the close of the reporting period.
The figures above for the Legislative District Republican Committees are only those filed in the latest report. Later in this series we will take you back to the inception of the committees giving the total amounts that have been received and distributed through this back door method.
Smith, Dempsey’s legislative aide, is also listed as the treasurer of the Colonel Jack Jackson For State Auditor Committee, which was established on January 28, 2002. In the report filed on April 15, 2006 it lists total receipts for this election at $145,587.64 with money on hand at the close of the reporting period totaling $661,241.28.
An observer of Missouri politics remarked, “Can you just imagine what power Tom Dempsey has with his legislative aide being the treasurer of all these legislative committees and the tremendous amount of money being funneled through them.”
Who is giving all the money flowing through these committees and who is benefiting from the donations? The First Capitol News believes the people have a right to know. Where does the money come from, where does it go and what do the givers expect to receive for it? How does it affect the problems we are experiencing in the City of St. Charles and the State of Missouri? Our investigative series will continue in our next edition.
