State Sen. Chris Koster, an Attorney General candidate, became embroiled in a scandal Tuesday over allegations that staffers funneled funds illegally to his campaign.
A response from the campaign said the Koster team was in close consultation with the Ethics Commission and found nothing illegal in its actions.
"The campaign committee has always acted in close consultation with the MEC at every juncture," spokesman Danny Kanner said Tuesday.
As one MPN reader pointed out, that vague statement likely has an underlying meaning.
Prior to his election as a State Senator, Koster began working in the law offices of Tim Dollar, a firm specializing in malpractice and accidents. One of Koster's co-workers was attorney Michael Kilgore, a former Jackson County Asst. Prosecuting Attorney, who was appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt to the Missouri Ethics Commission in 2006 for a four-year term ending in 2010.
Some have speculated that Koster's "connection" to the Ethics Commission is Kilgore.
In the Associated Press article that started the hype over Koster's fundraising tactics, Margaret Donnelly's campaign suggested it was considering filing an ethics complaint against Koster. Should that happen, Koster will have at least one powerful member on his side since Kilgore also happens to chair the Commission.
It may be worth noting that one of Kilgore's former employers, the Healy Law Firm, was one of the major contributors to the Economic Growth Council from which Koster received thousands of dollars in funneled funds last quarter.
Kilgore prominently displays his appointment on his official biography and says that the Commission "addresses violations of conflict of interest and campaign finance disclosure laws governing all elected public officials throughout the State."
A conflict of interest is exactly what would exist if the Ethics Commission becomes faced with a complaint filed by the Donnelly team, but this would be due to the relationship between Kilgore, his former employer, and Koster.
Related Stories:
MPN: Stowers knowingly donated to Koster through third party
MPN: AP chronicles Koster's funneling of campaign funds
Photo Credit: Michael Kilgore from Law Office of Tim Dollar
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Koster’s 'close consultation' with Ethics Commission questioned
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5 comments:
Koster still works for the firm. He began his job there after he was elected senator.
This it a total smoke screen. Campaign finance is a difficult subject to understand. What is TOTALLY LEGAL is very complicated to understand. This story uses some very colorful descriptions to insinuate that the law has been broken. That being said, the story does not even alledge that the law has been broken. Because, (drum roll please) everyone that understands campaign finance, understands that NO LAWS HAVE BEEN BROKEN, NONE.
NIXON did NOT break any laws when he raised money through these EXACT SAME methods, STEELMAN did NOT break any laws when she raised money through these EXACT SAME methods, HULSHOF did NOT break any laws when he raised money through these EXACT SAME methods. AND YOU KNOW WHAT...KOSTER did NOT break any laws when he raised money through these methods.
This is Jeff Harris convicing a reporter that something occured here when nothing did. What is amazing is that a respected AP reporter took the bait AND only focused the story on Koster.
People need to recognize that if Harris and Donnelly only attack Koster (ignoring Nixon, Steelman, Hulsof and so many others) this is pure politics. Another Harris/Donnelly attack.
Nixon, Steelman, Hulsoff etc... ALL RAISE MONEY IN THE EXACT SAME WAY. IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL.
This is a total smoke screen by Harris to attack Koster because Koster is out front.
It's really pitiful that the Koster folks have hit to the blogs to say they did nothing wrong OR that it's okay because everyone else is doing it.
I've tried that argument before. Once when I was pulled over for speeding I argued that everyone else was speeding too. The cop said, too bad you were going the fastest and you got busted. There's no difference here. Chris Koster may not be the only one breaking the law, but that still doesn't make it right. Guilty, guilty, guilty.
Not that the case will ever advance if it did make it to the ethics commission with his pal Kilgore on board.
Second anonymous? is that you jack? ergh, I mean Chris Koster's brother? Back to his defense huh?
do you mean "this" story is a smoke screen or the campaign contributions are a smoke screen? when you copy and paste from blog to blog your comment's meaning really gets lots.
But lets face it, Koster is toast.
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