As he continues his fight against the city earnings tax, wealthy financier Rex Sinquefield has brought in a big name for his free-marker think tank.

The Show-Me Institute -- which Sinquefield founded in 2005 -- announced today it has hired Brenda Talent as its new executive director.

Talent is an attorney and former president of the Parkway School Board who served in Army's JAG corps. Her husband is Republican Jim Talent, the former Congressman and U.S. Senator.

Brenda Talent brings political credentials to the St. Louis-based institute, and, perhaps, some needed organizational oversight. The institute, which encourages a conservative fiscal policy, acknowledged earlier this year it fired an employee suspected of embezzling.

Talent is leaving the top-tier law firm of Bryan Cave, where she has been for 25 years.