ST. LOUIS • In Washington, lawmakers are grappling with how to pay for clean-up from a tornado and a hurricane.

And on Wall Street, the market again absorbed an up and down day Thursday.

But in St. Louis, wealthy investment guru Rex Sinquefield devoted another $5,000 — $5,001, to be precise — to political symbolism.

The object of Sinquefield's ostentatious affection?

St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley, who is grappling with members of his own party over a proposed tax increase.

Regardless of whether he's liked on the County Council, Dooley still enjoys most favored Democrat status with Sinquefield, the state's top campaign donor.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Sinquefield also gave Dooley checks for the same amount — $5,001.

The figure is not a coincidence. Any donation above $5,000 is disclosed immediately on the Ethics Commission website, which is bookmarked by many of the region's political insiders.

It's not as if Sinquefield, who made a fortune in index funds, needs to stagger his contributions to pay the rent. In 2009, Sinquefield gave Dooley two checks for a combined $80,000.

Sinquefield is either sending a message about his support for Dooley,  throwing a brush-back pitch to Dooley's detractors, or both.

At the moment, Dooley is struggling to sell a 2.3-cent property increase to county officials.

That is hardly the type of cause, however, Sinquefield tends to embrace. After all, he spent millions on a ballot issue targeting the earnings tax in St. Louis.

So what point is Sinquefield attempting to make?

Who knows — apparently, he's happy to let his money do the talking. An email sent Wednesday to his spokesperson, Laura Slay, was not returned.