GOP senators get into heated debate over political consultants
JEFFERSON CITY — Let it be very clear. Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, and Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, don’t seem to like each other very much. And according to their just-finished exchange, neither do their favored political consultants.
Schaefer, who wrote the new version of the Ameren nuclear plant bill, was offended by the robo-calls his constituents received about the bill. The calls were paid for by Noranda, who hired former House Speaker Rod Jetton as a political consultant to help oppose the Ameren bill. Noranda, an aluminum smelter company, is Ameren’s biggest customer.
In debate on the floor, Schaefer asked Crowell, who also employs Jetton as a consultant, if he was paying for the robo-calls. Crowell said no and retorted that Schaefer was getting bad information from two other GOP consultants, David Barklage and Jeff Roe.
Barklage is an Ameren lobbyist. Roe is also being paid to work on the Ameren bill, Crowell said.
“Ameren has got Jeff Roe and David Barklage hired on this thing and they hate Rod Jetton,” Crowell said. The exchange came shortly after Crowell alleged that none of the key sponsors of the bill are Ameren customers.
“Everyone who is pushing this bill doens’t have to live with its consequences,” Crowell said. “They’re spending other people’s money. … They’re spending my money and I’m pissed.”
Shortly thereafter, Schaefer took to the floor.
“Since you brought it up, let’s talk about your money,” he said to Crowell.
He then told Crowell that when his constituents called the number on the fliers that Noranda paid to distribute in his district, that the person who answered the phone number on flier answered “Jason Crowell for Senate.”
Crowell said he didn’t know anything about it. He asked Schaefer if he had called the number himself, and Schaefer said no.
And the verbal fisticuffs flew …
This is corruption at the most vile level and ought to be investigated. When Jetton has a client, Crowell will kill a bill. That gives Jetton tremendous power and therefore ability to extort and gain personal wealth. What does Crowell get?
Now we have “consultant” Barklage, being able to extort from his clients to perform the opposite role to Crowell. So bills are passed and killed based on which consultant is hired by whom.
At what point will politicians file bills to threaten industries for the sole purpose of allowing “consultants” to extort fees to deliver their filibuster lackey?
Is there an investigative journalist out there? How about the FBI?
Yeah! And Jeff Roe’s tool is Lager. But Luann hates his guts so “the Source” brings nothing to the table. Neutral! Pathetic!
If you voted for term limits, pat yourself on the back - you are a big reason for this kind of crap. Consultants, lobbyists and bureaucrats now run the Legislature, not the people you voted for as Reps and Senators.
What a mess!! Interest groups and consultants. And, it is not limited to the state senate.
The governor is married to a former lobbyist. When Nixon was a state senator he dated (and later married)Georgeanne Wheeler who was a registered lobbyist for the trial bar.
After the money interest and GOP lobbyists defeat this bill at the expense of average consumers who will pay twice as much for a power plant in 2018, Ameren should charge Noranda the same rates they charge you and me.
Roe and Barklage are private citizens, hired to do a job. They can’t extort from anybody. Jetton started his business while still Speaker, a location where he could control legislation affecting his then and future clients. Havn’t you all figured out who is the real target of the FBI? Easy! one good thing about term limits-Crowell will be done, never to hold public office again.