JEFFERSON CITY — One of the political guessing games played yesterday in relation to the sentencing of former state Sen. Jeff Smith of St. Louis involved trying to figure out who wrote letters backing Smith.

(See Jake Wagman’s story here and my column…

UPDATE: Auditor Susan Montee issued the following statement regarding the ruling:

LAGERS and PACARS are operating under a veil of secrecy. My office is required by state statute to examine these entities every three years. We attempted to evaluate these systems, as…

JEFFERSON CITY — State Rep. Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, took advantage of a bit of a strange interview given by Thomas Schweich yesterday and announced today that he would serve out a full term as auditor if he were elected.

Schweich and Icet…

Nodler

UPDATE: Sen. Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, the president pro tem of the Senate, is expected to name a replacement for Nodler as Senate budget chairman sometime today. The odds on favorite is budget vice chairman, Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter. In…

JEFFERSON CITY — A group seeking to change Missouri law so that employees can only form unions on secret ballots have survived a legal challenge to their proposed ballot initiative.

Cole County Circuit Court Judge Richard Callahan ruled today against a union-backed…

JEFFERSON CITY — U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan, a Democrat, continued her campaign strategy of avoiding direct positions on legislation under debate in Congress yesterday.

Carnahan, the Secretary of State, was asked at a news conference…

JEFFERSON CITY — A relatively eventful meeting of the Missouri Veterans Commission ended up escaping media scrutiny yesterday because of the hostage situation that turned out to be a hoax in the building next door.

Shortly after the commission meeting started,…

JEFFERSON CITY — In anticipation of an important election year in Missouri, the state Republican Party has hired a political director to coordinate efforts across the state.

Chris Roepe most recently worked as the chief of staff for Senate President Pro Tem…

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri’s plan to cut about 100 state parks workers has been scaled back, according to the Springfield News-Leader’s Chad Livengood. After various workers exercised seniority rights and jobs were moved around, only 48 jobs were cut, according…

JEFFERSON CITY — The day after Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced that her office has made past state Blue Books available online, Sen. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, has issued a news release repeating his past call to do away with the…