There is always the possibility that there is a Dem or two that supports Gibbons.

But, if they are so proud of themselves, where is the list of names?

Just another domehead ploy to make people think he has support when he doesn’t.

Gibbons has no experience whatsoever in dealing with criminal case. So we can write off him being able to handle any special prosecutions, appeals, PCRs or anything criminal.

Gibbons presided over the virtual extermination of consumer rights against utilities in this state. Gibbons even let the Senate pass a bill to ratify construction of, after the fact of a court case saying so, an illegally built powerplant for one of his power company constutients! Don’t like a court decision? Go get a special piece of legislation from Gibbons and the GOP legislature and governor to make legal what is illegal, AFTER you illegally build a power plant.

Gibbons and his GOP cohorts in corruption prevented real Medicaid fraud reform by preventing suits against those improperly billing the state for services not provided. So, we cut 1000,000 from the Medicaid rolls, which Gibbons and the GOP supported, and we don’t go after provider fraud to keep down costs!

Gibbons is a joke.

Tim, I’m glad to see Koster supporters are back on the “Only prosecutors should be AG because only prosecutors have criminal experience” argument.

Eventually, you’ll take the time to learn what the AG’s office actually does. Only one division of the AG’s office handles criminal prosecutions. It is only a small fraction of what the office handles, as it is the smallest division and only goes out and helps county prosecutors when requested. On top of that, the actual Attorney General doesn’t handle those cases. There are criminally trained assistant AG’s who handle the cases. The public safety division has been very successful under Nixon, and shockingly, he wasn’t a prosecutor. There is also a division that handles criminal appeals, but criminal appeals are much different than prosecution work.

I’m not discrediting Koster’s experience, I’m just saying Gibbon’s lack of criminal experience does not disqualify him as AG.

I am a Democrat who supported Jeff Harris in the primary. I will be voting for Mike Gibbons in the general. I told my husband who is a Republican and a Gibbons supporter that I will vote for a Republican once in my life. I fully expect to support some nominee other than Koster against Gibbons in four years.

P.S. I am not associated with this website. I don’t know who is. But if it is Gibbons, I don’t care. We are better off to get rid of Koster.

This is a tough but I mostly agree with Jessica. Tim, you make some good points. But Koster also voted to kick the 100,000 off healthcare and signed a previous question motion to shut off debate.

You are right on about the medicaid fraud issue. Koster had good bill which was killed by the Republicans in the House. Not really by Gibbons, the bill made it through the Senate.

On the utility issue. Koster took money from Aquila and supported there position until he was forced by the locals to flop. He was a bigger hindrance than Gibbons because he started out on the side of the issue and people deferred to him because it was in his district. Koster was just not good on utility issues.

I think that anyone that knows how the AG’s office works will tell you that very little of their work is criminal in nature. This has always seemed to me to be a ploy to use the crime issue to get elected. I didn’t like one of his brochures that pictured some criminals he prosecuted in Cass County. Most of the perps were black. I didn’t like that. Don’t know but got to think most of the criminals in Cass are white. But I also think Gibbons bargain claim is bull. You have to have plea bargains to make the thing work.

Gibbons isn’t a joke but he hsn’t been a good leader. I am worried enough about Koster winning, the character issues that surround him and where he goes next that I will not vote for him. I will either vote for Gibbons or write in someone like Donnelly or Rachel Storch. She could challenge Gibbons in four years and would make a great AG.

I supported someone else in the primary too. I still don’t believe Koster is a real Democrat, so I won’t vote for him. But I will not stand up against a Republican (Koster) by voting for a Republican (Gibbons). That’s just stupid. Gibbons is just as bad on the issues that matter as Koster is.

The best defense here is simple. Vote for Donnelly (or Harris) as a write-in.

Koster loses votes from the Democratic base, he loses. And we can all sleep at night knowing that we avoided voting GOP at all.

Rachel Storch for AG. I love it.

This is my favorite comment from the Dems for Gibbons website: “Please you all don’t even deserve to vote” (Comment by Tim…presumably Tim Hogan)

It’s just proof that some people don’t get it. Tim’s ignorant comment above suggests that anyone who doesn’t agree with your mentality shouldn’t be allowed to vote, but that’s precisely what elections are for. I encourage people to vote for whoever they think will be the best candidate for any given office.

I can honestly say that I’ve already voted by absentee ballot and I supported Democrats and Republicans for various offices. One “Democrat” I did not vote for was Chris Koster, mainly because I have absolutely no reason to trust him. Koster’s actions and demeanor during the primary actually led me to distrust him.

It’s really just that simple in down-ballot races, and since Koster did work in felon Attorney General Bill Webster’s campaign there seems to be some additional connection to illegal activities beyond the campaign finance complications that the Ethics commission has yet to rule on.

But, Nick, why trust Gibbons?

I cannot, due to his “go-along-get-along” attitude towards politics. When the vote was held for the conceal-and-carry law, then-State Senator Gibbons’ district voted 70% against. When the Republican legislature didn’t like the results of the vote, they put another bill up without the public vote.

Even though, by vote, his district was 70% against, Senator Gibbons voted FOR the bill. He explained later that it was going to pass anyway, so he decided not to press the issue.

To me, it was a cowardly, self-serving act of a rotten politician. To vote against the clearly expressed views of your constituents in order to court favor with your party’s hierarchy is disgraceful.

If Mr. Koster is honest enough to shun the party that no longer represents his views, more power to him. He is not alone. There are Republicans all over the country doing the same thing this year.

Right you are Robert that Republicans are shunning their party in many corners of the country this election, but how many of them are also running for office? Chris Koster is the only one I am aware of.

Chris’ decision to change his major ideological positions overnight instead of facing Gibbons or Catherine Hanaway in a party primary is unfathomable. But that’s exactly what Chris has done. I trust Gibbons because he’s a nice guy and, even though I disagree with him on much, I at least know what he really believes. As for Koster, his opinions are likely to change with the political winds of the future. If there’s a surge in popularity for the Constitution party, will Koster too decide to join them for the good of his political career? I think it’s possible.

As for the intent of your argument Robert, I already voted so you won’t persuade me to change my mind this election cycle. And I know of many Democrats who will be refusing to vote for Koster. I’m not entirely sure whether they will be writing in other candidates or voting for Gibbons but one thing is clear, the Democratic Party in Missouri is not united behind Chris Koster [MPNblog.com; Aug. 10].