SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Did you hear the one about the state with a budget crisis that’s paying $1,100 for party props, $2,570 for Polish folk dancing, and $6,500 for a huge tub of live fish?

That’s just a little of $350…

WASHINGTON — Sen. Claire McCaskill had more in mind than seeking information in her letter today to GOP leaders in the Missouri General Assembly.

“You are about to use about a billion dollars in stimulus dollars in your current budgeting process. Please advise…

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -Two bills to move Illinois’ primary election back were scrapped at the start of a House committee meeting Tuesday afternoon.

Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D - Des Plaines) chairs the committee and said there are too many elements to consider before…

JEFFERSON CITY — If there’s been a common theme in the first month of the Missouri General Assembly’s session this year, it’s this:

“Let’s tell Washington what we think.”

The House has already passed an anti-federal health care legislation resolution, and today…

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri legislators who want to see the state’s texting while driving ban expanded argued today that, despite low ticket numbers, the law is an effective deterrent of the dangerous behavior.

Missouri Rep. Rodney Schad, R-Versailles, told members of…

Franz

JEFFERSON CITY - Legislators say the spread of K2, a “herbal incense” more commonly referred to as a synthetic marijuana, is an epidemic.

Missouri state Rep. Ward Franz, R-West Plains sponsored a bill that would add K2 to Missouri’s list of illegal…

Madigan

Cohen

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan convinced pawnbroker-turned-politician Scott Lee Cohen to leave the Democratic ballot over the weekend not with political arguments or fiscal threats, but with what Madigan said was “personal advice”:

“I told him this anguish…

Praprotnik, left, and Purgason

ST. LOUIS — Since when does the state Democratic party send news releases heralding the announcements of Missouri Republicans?

When those Republicans are running in the GOP primary against U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, the Senate hopeful who is…

JEFFERSON CITY — The first of the high profile bills to change Missouri ethics laws is expected to hit the Senate floor for debate on Wednesday.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, would create a new independent investigator…

JEFFERSON CITY — For years one of the annual partisan battles in the Missouri Legislature has dealt with the issue of Voter ID. Republicans want voters to have to present a photo ID — such as a driver’s license —…