The fix was in

State Senator Jeff Smith, a St. Louis Democrat, was charged with a misdemeanor for using false identification to enter a Missouri casino.  He, reportedly, used the I.D. of State Representative Joe Aull, a Marshall Democrat, who was also charged.

All charges have been dropped against both men reports the Associated Press and Tony Messenger's blog at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which, in this case, is appropriately named . . . "Political Fix."

Financial Irregularities at Missouri Democratic Party?

In tomorrow's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Tony Messenger reports on the apparent inability of the Missouri Democratic Party to follow federal election law.  It seems our state's Dems "have been audited, fined or questioned by the FEC [Federal Election Commission] in six consecutive election cycles."  (Link to story here.)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Endorses Hulshof Over Steelman - But is that a good thing?

Normally I would be wary of any candidate chosen by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for endorsement in any election.  But I read with interest the Post's editorial endorsing Kenny Hulshof in the Republican gubernatorial primary against Sarah Steelman.  As the editors point out, both Hulshof and Steelman are conservative.

The Post picked Hulshof apparently because he knew what he was talking about and Steelman didn't seem to when interviewed by the editorial board.  As the editors wrote, "We admire Ms. Steelman's words but doubt their substance . . . Kenny Hulshof is better prepared and better qualified overall."

Anyone still undecided can check out the candidates answers to questions posed by STLtoday.com at this link or listen to a debate tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. on KMOX.  

Danforth Wrong On Fetal Tissue Research

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting the formation of a new campaign committee misleadingly named "Republicans To Protect Medical Advances."  The "advances" to be "protected" are not specified, and non-existent.  The committee's real goal is to prohibit regulation of the use of aborted fetal tissue in medical research - research that has so far been successful at doing, well, nothing.  But it is research that includes human cloning and the destruction of unborn children.  

One of the state's GOP patriarchs, John Danforth, is a founding member.  That's too bad.  I've been a supporter of Senator Danforth since he was still Senator Danforth.  I stand with him on his efforts to revitalize downtown St. Louis and I stood with him when he marshaled Clarence Thomas through the Senate on his way to the U.S. Supreme Court.  By and large, Danforth has done the right thing.  But he's doing the wrong thing now.  

The Missouri Republican Party deserves credit for adopting a platform continuing its opposition to fetal tissue research.  The platform deserves our support.  And Senator Danforth no longer does.

MO Voter I.D. Update - Volume II

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's April 28 decision upholding Indiana's photo i.d. requirement for voting, I expressed my hope that the Missouri General Assembly would do something to put our state's similar law back into effect in time for the November elections.  Unfortunately, that was not possible since the Missouri law was struck down by our state Supreme Court based on the state constitution, not the U.S. Constitution.

Well, kudos should go out to our state legislators for doing the next best thing . . . the House of Representatives has already passed a bill that would place a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution on November's ballot that would require photo identification in all future elections.  The measure has also passed through a state Senate committee, which recommended passage, and should be taken up by the full Senate very soon.

Here's hoping that this common sense amendment makes it to Governor Blunt's desk, onto the ballot, and into the constitution.

MO Voter I.D. Update - No Help By November

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Indiana requirement for photo identification of voters.  In my post on the subject, I called for action in Missouri before the November elections.  Unfortunately, no action appears possible.

Missouri's Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that photo i.d. requirements violated the state - as opposed to the federal - constitution.  And the state Supreme Court is the final authority on the state constitution.  Unless the MO constitution was amended, no photo i.d. requirement would be allowed here.  Amending the constitution by November simply isn't possible.

So here's the real challenge to the Missouri General Assembly . . . get the amendment process started.  Let's end voter fraud as soon as we can, even if we can't do it in '08.s

Indiana Law Requiring Photo ID's to Vote Upheld

Today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upheld common sense in the face of liberal political machines efforts at election fraud.  By a 6-3 decision, which included liberal John Paul Stevens in a rare but laudable vote with the conservative majority, the Court upheld an Indiana law requiring voters to present a photo i.d. in order to vote.  

Missouri had a similar law but it was recently struck down by a lower court.  In light of this decision, it is time for the Secretary of State or the state legislature to act as need be to enforce a photo i.d. requirement by the November elections.

GOP Establishment Backing Hulshof

In a press release issued today, Congressman Kenny Hulshof's campaign for governor announced that 67 Republican members of the Missouri General Assembly have already endorsed him in his race against Sarah Steelman.  That's a big number this early in the campaign and establishes Hulshof as the party's front runner.

But gaining the support of the GOP establishment is only step on the route to the Governor's mansion in Jefferson City.  If Hulshof wants to win the nomination and to have a chance against Jay Nixon in November, he needs to find a way to appeal to voters, not just insiders.

The sooner he starts making waves, the better off he'll be.